Prep Your Pup
Training Academy
Preparing
Respectful
Enriched
Puppies
Prep Your Pup Training Academy is an affiliated network of trainers providing the foundation for you and your puppy to start off on the right foot, and paw! It's the Preparation needed to live happily and harmoniously together.
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New Price Structure
Our training prices now include transportation within two hours (in each direction) of your trainer's home at no additional cost.
The training deposit is included in the cost of training and remains fully refundable if you do not use our services. The deposit to hold your puppy's training spot is $750.
About The Trainers
Prep Your Pup Training Academy is comprised of, and refers training opportunities to, an affiliated network of dog trainers. We benefit from sharing the vast knowledge base and diversity that each trainer brings to Prep Your Pup. All Prep Your Pup Trainers utilize positive reinforcement training methods. We incorporate Puppy Culture Enrichment Training into our daily work with each puppy. Our trainers adhere to the principle of LIMA when training puppies. LIMA is an acronym that stands for "Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive." "LIMA does not justify the use of punishment in lieu of other effective interventions and strategies." - IAABC.org
Julie
My name is Julie Bastis. I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). I live in rural western Northern Virginia on our little farm with my husband and children. We have two adult Sheepadoodle sisters, Daisy and Clover. Daisy was born deaf and Clover acts as her ears. They are both trained in sign language. The comic relief on our farm comes from 7 exceedingly friendly goats, not quite so affectionate chickens, curious cows and bees (best enjoyed at a distance!)
I trained my first puppy when I was about 10 years old under the guidance of my veterinarian father. I informally trained many other puppies through the years. In 2018, training puppies became my full time job.
My approach to training is positive reinforcement and LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) methods. I incorporate Puppy Culture Enrichment Training into my daily interactions with puppies.
I am a member of APDT (Association of Professional Dog Trainers) and regularly complete continuing education.
Samantha
My name is Samantha St.Clair. My passion for training dogs began with my heart dog, Tucker, over 14 years ago. Tucker inspired me to learn more about dog behavior and training. We earned several agility and trick dog titles together over the years. I spend most of my free time reading books and watching videos about dog training, have volunteered at several animal shelters and began a career working with dogs (and other animals) through pet photography and publishing. Every time I interact with dogs, I carry my philosophy of creating a bond with them through positive reinforcement.
I continue my education through professional training conferences such as ClickerExpo, am active in a variety of training groups, and currently volunteer as a puppy raiser for a service dog organization. I share my home with PAD Cody, who is currently on a path to becoming a mobility assistance dog. He goes everywhere with me and has been such a joy to raise. I cannot wait for your puppy to start their journey with me!
Melanie
Melanie is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) with a wealth of training and behavior modification experience. She has more than a decade of experience training dogs and has worked both privately and in classes with owners. Melanie graduated with distinction as a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP), is a Fear Free Certified Trainer and an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. She is committed to science-based, force-free training methods, uses positive reinforcement to keep dogs and their people happy and strives to teach simple, effective methods to achieve goals. Melanie is committed to providing the most effective, convenient solutions to her clients' dog training needs. She avidly pursues ongoing continuing education and professional development by attending several seminars per year and keeping current on industry literature. When not helping clients to enjoy easier lives with their canine companions, Melanie takes her dogs to therapy visits and participates in agility.
Kate
Kate has been working with dogs formally since 2010. For 5 years, Kate operated a New York City based doggy daycare that included overnight care. This was the perfect venue for her to hone her positive reinforcement training techniques. Her training paved the way for smooth transitions for pets and pet owners within the city's diverse population.
Now located in Southwest Pennsylvania with her eight-year-old daughter, Kate has retired from her twenty-year career in higher education and career services to work with puppies full-time. She enjoys working with families, children and their dogs to build communication styles that foster confidence and positive interactions.
Kate continues to take advantage of opportunities to enhance her knowledge of dog behavior through LIMA methods.
Selena
My name is Selena. I live in the outskirts of Boston, MA with my husband and our 2 dogs and three cats. I have always had a passion for training dogs. I grew up on a horse farm with several dogs throughout my life and helped train my first dog at the age of six. I would set up broom sticks on top of feed buckets in the backyard and have my family dog, Stellah, jump over them while I ran alongside her. But it wasn’t until college when I got my dog, Orisa, that I knew I wanted to pursue dog training as a career. I minored in Psychology and became fascinated with the science behind dog training and the similarities and differences between the human brain and a dog’s brain. I am a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). I am committed to continuing my education to further develop as a trainer. I believe that the key to successful dog training is effective communication and trust built through the use of positive reinforcement and LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) methods.
