SEMI-PRIVATE REACTIVITY TRAINING
Practice together, at a comfortable distance.
If your dog struggles around other dogs, it can be hard to find opportunities to practice without an unexpected encounter. Semi-private training pairs you with one other dog-and-handler team for planned, supported reactivity work.
We’ll start with an individual behavior consultation, then meet for four paired lessons. I’ll match teams with compatible needs and guide the setups, spacing, and exercises so each dog has room to learn. The goal isn’t to make the dogs meet or play, but to practice being around another dog with support.
A 15-minute phone call to talk about your dog and whether paired training could be a good fit.
Ready to practice, but need the right setup?
You may be working on skills at home but finding it difficult to practice around other dogs. Semi-private training offers a planned setting where we can adjust the distance and guide both teams through the exercises.
➜ You choose quieter routes but still run into dogs unexpectedly.
➜ You’re unsure how far away to start or when to move closer.
➜ You’d like guided practice with another dog, without the activity of a full group class.
➜ You want help knowing when to keep practicing, make things easier, or take a break.
Your dog doesn’t need to greet or befriend another dog to take part. We’ll use the consultation to assess readiness for paired work and look for a compatible partner.
Shared lessons, individual needs
Working alongside another dog doesn’t mean both dogs need the same plan. We’ll start with an individual consultation to understand your dog’s reactions, what helps them feel comfortable, and whether paired training is a suitable next step.
During lessons, I’ll guide both teams through planned exercises, adjusting the distance, movement, and pace for each dog. We can change the setup or take a break when needed, without asking either dog to greet or interact.
You’ll practice reading your dog’s responses, using the skills we’re building, and deciding what to do next. The aim is to help you feel more prepared for everyday encounters, not to see how close the dogs can get.
What we work on together
Paired lessons give us a planned way to practice around another dog. The exercises will depend on both teams’ needs, with space to adjust as we go.
Reading your dog’s signals
Practice noticing changes in your dog’s body language and attention. We’ll use those observations to decide whether to continue, add distance, or take a break.
Finding a workable distance
Learn how to choose a starting distance and adjust your position as the other team moves. We’ll prioritize a setup your dog can manage, rather than moving closer for its own sake.
Navigating Walks
Work on practical skills such as turning away, creating space, and passing at a suitable distance when both teams are ready. You’ll have guidance on how to adapt the exercises for your own walks.
Noticing and Moving On
Practice supporting your dog as they notice the other dog, turn their attention away, and continue with you. We’ll build these skills in small steps, without requiring greetings.
Kind words from owners:
How a package unfolds
We’ll start with a free 15-minute Discovery Call to talk about your dog and whether semi-private training could be a good fit. There’s one package: an individual consultation followed by four paired lessons.
Start with your consultation
Your package includes a 90-minute in-home behavior consultation, just for your household. We’ll discuss your dog’s history, your goals, and their readiness to work around another dog. You’ll receive a written plan within 48 hours, with first steps to practice.
Step 1
Find a compatible partner
I’ll coordinate pairing based on both dogs’ needs and the handlers’ availability. We’ll arrange the four-lesson block once a suitable match is available, rather than placing your dog with whichever team signs up next.
Step 2
Practice across four lessons
You’ll work alongside your matched team in four 60-minute lessons, with coaching and setups adjusted for each dog. We’ll build on what’s working, make changes where needed, and discuss how to continue practicing after the package.
Step 3
What's included?
The semi-private reactivity package combines individual planning with guided practice alongside another dog-and-handler team. Each household has its own consultation before the paired lessons begin.
✔︎ 90-minute in-home consultation to discuss your dog’s history, your concerns, and readiness for paired work.
✔︎ Personalized written plan within 48 hours of your consultation, with first steps to practice.
✔︎ Trainer-coordinated pairing based on both dogs’ needs and the handlers’ availability.
✔︎ Four 60-minute paired lessons with one other dog-and-handler team.
✔︎ Coaching for both teams, with spacing, exercises, and breaks adjusted for each dog.
After completing the package, you can book additional semi-private reactivity lessons for $95 per dog-and-handler team, per 60-minute session, subject to a compatible partner and scheduling availability. There’s no need to purchase another package.
Semi-private reactivity package
One package brings together individual planning and four lessons with a compatible dog-and-handler team. We’ll start with your own consultation, then move into paired practice when a suitable match is available.
Semi-Private Reactivity
$625 per dog-and-handler team
For dogs who are ready for supported practice around another dog, with more individual guidance than a group class offers.
This includes:
✔︎ One 90-minute in-home behavior consultation for your household
✔︎ Personalized written plan within 48 hours
✔︎ Trainer-coordinated pairing
✔︎ Four 60-minute paired lessons
✔︎ Exercises and spacing adjusted for each dog
Continuing Practice
$95 per team | 60-minute paired lesson
Additional semi-private lessons are available to graduates of my private packages, semi-private package, or group classes.
These sessions are for reactivity work only, with placement based on your dog’s readiness and a compatible partner.
Your individual consultation is included in the package price. Paired lessons are scheduled once a suitable match is available, so a start date cannot be guaranteed at the time of inquiry.
You don’t need to arrange your own partner. We’ll discuss fit and availability before making plans for the paired block.
“For the first time in years, I feel like we're actually a team”
Lana & Peggy
Is semi-private training a good fit?
Semi-private lessons offer guided reactivity practice with one other dog-and-handler team. We’ll use your individual consultation to assess whether this setting suits your dog or whether private support would be a better starting point.
Semi-private training may be right for you if:
✔︎ Your main goal is helping your dog navigate being around other dogs.
✔︎ Your dog can participate with enough distance and a carefully planned setup.
✔︎ You’d like a smaller setting than a group class, while sharing lesson time with another team.
✔︎ You can attend a coordinated four-lesson block and practice between sessions.
What to expect from our work together:
✔︎ I’ll coordinate pairing based on both dogs’ needs, not just availability.
✔︎ We’ll use positive reinforcement, without prong collars, choke chains, or e-collars.
✔︎ Each dog will have their own working space, with no required greetings or play.
✔︎ We’ll adjust the exercises, add distance, or take breaks as needed.
Answers to your questions
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Yes. The package includes a 90-minute in-home consultation for your household before paired lessons begin. We’ll discuss your dog’s history, your goals, and whether semi-private training is an appropriate next step.
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No. I’ll coordinate pairing based on both dogs’ needs and the handlers’ availability. If you have someone in mind, you’re welcome to mention it, but we’ll still assess whether the pairing is suitable.
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No. These lessons aren’t playdates, and greetings aren’t required. Each team will have their own working space, with distance and exercises adjusted for both dogs.
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We’ll adjust the setup, create more distance, or take a break. Your dog doesn’t need to get everything right to participate, but the setting does need to be manageable for both teams. If paired work isn’t meeting your dog’s needs, we’ll discuss a more suitable next step.
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A bite history needs an individual assessment before I can recommend paired work. Please mention it when you reach out so we can discuss safety and whether private training would be a better starting point.
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That depends on finding a compatible team with availability for the four-lesson block. We’ll discuss scheduling during the intake process, but an immediate match or start date isn’t guaranteed.
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Individual paired lessons are available only to graduates of my private packages, semi-private package, or group classes. They cost $95 per dog-and-handler team for 60 minutes and are for reactivity work only. Graduation makes you eligible to be considered, but placement still depends on readiness, a compatible partner, and availability.
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Semi-private lessons are specifically for reactivity work around another dog. For stranger-directed aggression, dogs and children, cooperative care, or concerns that need individual attention, we can discuss private training during your Discovery Call.
