Behavior Relief

Reaching out to Lisa for dog training was my best decision.

As a veterinarian, I have never felt the need to use a dog trainer, but when I rescued an adolescent dalmatian mix, I found myself completely overwhelmed. At 6 months old, Olive began struggling with hyper-arousal and fear-based reactions that left me feeling frustrated and unsure of how to help her.

I reached out to Lisa, and it was the best decision I could have made for us. Instead of just focusing on ‘commands,’ Lisa helped me truly understand Olive’s perspective. She guided us through the difficult adolescent phase by using positive reinforcement to manage Olive’s arousal levels. Most importantly, she shifted the focus from ‘fixing’ behavior to building a deep relationship based on trust and clear communication.

Seeing the shift in Olive’s confidence—and my own—has been incredible. From both a professional and personal standpoint, I cannot recommend Lisa enough for anyone navigating the complexities of a growing, sensitive dog.
~ Emily Robinson, DVM

I highly recommend Lisa!

Our vet recommended Lisa for our aggressive corgi.

Our veterinarian recommended we work with dog trainer Lisa Desatnik when our corgi was becoming increasingly aggressive. to the point there were daily occurrences and we couldn’t pet her. We suspected fear aggression but didn’t know what steps to take.

Lisa did a very thorough behavior assessment and recommended we work with a veterinary behaviorist, our vet, and her to approach this from all sides. Lisa coordinated communication, meetings, and evaluations for us. Lisa helped us to realize that in addition to our dog’s anxiety, that our corgi was probably experiencing pain. The veterinary behaviorist agreed. X-rays showed this was correct and we have had our dog on medication since then. While the veterinary behaviorist and our vet focused on medical issues, Lisa has been supporting us with her positive strategies for management, enrichment and behavior modification.

These pet-centered methods focus on our dog’s consent and cooperation. It’s a gentle approach that has strengthened our bond and increased her joy in just being a dog. Lisa is always focused on our girl’s reactions, interest, and happiness during sessions. Lisa is also very patient and encouraging with the humans.

I’m so glad Lisa was able to work with us. Our dog’s pain and anxiety are now managed, and we have our happy girl back. She no longer feels the need to escalate to aggression, and even comes to us seeking affection.

Our corgi is still a fearful dog, but she is more trusting of herself and us. We’re so happy with what we’ve learned with Lisa that we’re doing a second dog training package to work on our dog’s confidence.
~ Robin Hampton

Our dog Grizzly is now much less reactive, is better able to regulate his emotions.

“We reached out to Lisa primarily to help our lab-shepherd mix’s reactivity. He’s a very sweet boy but is very wary of people outside of the immediate family. Lisa has taken a wonderful, holistic approach – seeing the whole dog, the whole family (including our other pups) and household dynamics to address the issues. Through positive reinforcement and changes to environmental triggers, Grizzly is now much less reactive, is better able to regulate his own responses to stimuli, and can actually interact with guests in our home without us worrying about safety. We’re still on the journey but incredibly grateful!”

~ Karen Hills-Skipper

Lisa was amazing with our two dogs.

“Lisa was amazing with our two dogs. She quickly assessed issues that we did not know existed. We made some simple changes and it made a world of difference. We can’t thank her enough. We’d highly recommend her. Thanks Lisa.”

~Jay Bolotin

We are incredibly grateful for Lisa!

We reached out to Lisa primarily to help our lab-shepherd mix’s reactivity. He’s a very sweet boy but is very wary of people outside of the immediate family. Lisa has taken a wonderful, holistic approach – seeing the whole dog, the whole family (including our other pups) and household dynamics to address the issues. Through positive reinforcement and changes to environmental triggers, Grizzly is now much less reactive, is better able to regulate his own responses to stimuli, and can actually interact with guests in our home without us worrying about safety. We’re still on the journey but incredibly grateful for Lisa!
~ Karen Hills-Skipper

I have never seen animals more happy and engaged than my dogs were while training with Lisa.

Lisa has been an absolute blessing to my relationship with not only my dogs, but also with my fiancé and myself. We reached out to Lisa when my fiancé adopted our second dog, whose reactivity meant we couldn’t take outside of the house without risking the removal of our shoulders from their sockets. I have never had an anxious animal.

Day one of Lisa visiting our home, she pulled out many positive reinforcement approaches to to dog training. I have never seen animals more happy and engaged than my dogs were while training with Lisa. I didn’t even know our new dog’s tail could wag like that!

I cried after Lisa left that first time. I and threw out my pronged collar after that. Input Lisa’s training and output the most joyful & confident version of your dog who loves listening to you more than chasing squirrels… instead of the repressed obedience that I now recognize comes with punitive training styles.

Lisa is like a dream therapist/translator for dogs and their people, who will help you learn how to communicate better to create a happier & healthier relationship. And despite Lisa’s many years of experience, she is always continuing her education as a trainer; every time I talk to her I feel like she has just returned from some new seminar or received another certification.

On top of her dedication to her career, she’s also a grade A human being who always comes from a place of kindness with the people she interacts with as well as with their animals. If whoever is reading this is someone who considers their relationship with animals to be integral to their personal identity— know that investing in Lisa is not just investing in your animal companion, but it is also investing in you!
~Jessica Cook

I am amazed at how much better things are going now with my dog.

Hi Lisa, Just a quick note to thank you for your help with Rocket. I am still internalizing the information you provided but I am amazed at how much better things are going now. Enabling Rocket to make choices has made him much happier, calmer and less leash reactive.

Management has been critical to keeping his baseline excitement low. Flexibility in management has made it easier to get him comfortable with some triggers—birds, squirrels, etc.

We recently moved and Rocket had his first vet appointment today. Because of your training, I checked with the office in advance about Rocket’s dog sensitivity. Speaking of which, by ‘listening’ to Rocket’s body language during grooming, it has become a pleasurable experience for both of us. He even lets me brush his teeth with a finger thing (before I could only use my bare finger) and today he had no issues with having his front legs trimmed and the toenails on one of his rear feet ground.

Thanks again!
LS

We are so happy with the dog training help Lisa gave us!

We are so happy with the dog training help Lisa gave us! She is extremely knowledgeable and offers her many years of study and experience as well as articles and links to all kinds of supportive information and products. Our 4 year old mixed terrier breed, Bea, has always been on high alert and driven by her instincts to the point of taking on the disciplining in our home. Lisa helped us to recognize signs of stress and overstimulation and gave us manageable strategies to help take the edge off for Bea. She also taught us a very respectful approach in the training, guiding Bea with encouragement and praise versus scolding. I feel like Bea is more relaxed as we are finally tuned in to her needs and she knows she can count on us rather than always having to be on the job. Thank you so much Lisa!!
~Shelly Mauer

I had tried different ways to train Augie, but it was not until Lisa walked through our door that our problems were solved.

(dog training for aggressive behaviors) I’m so grateful for Lisa. Our toy poodle, Augie, was very anxious and acting out in aggression. I had tried different ways to train Augie, but it was not until Lisa walked through our door that our problems were solved. Lisa took the time to listen and ask questions about his behavior. She took a comprehensive, holistic look from his health to situations that caused his unwanted behaviors. In just eight weeks, Lisa was able to teach me how to recognize Augie’s body language to know when he was stressed and manage his behavior in a fun and positive way. She cooperated with our vet to find solutions and now Augie is like a different dog altogether. He is much more relaxed and I have learned what I need to do to help Augie enjoy life! Thank you, Lisa.
~ Michelle Ficke

I highly recommend Lisa as a patient, skilled trainer and dog behavior expert.

(puppy training) We adopted Auggie our 8-week-old Aussiedoodle in March, 2021. We were big fans of positive reinforcement training and Lisa was exactly the type of trainer were seeking. At first Auggie was shy and wouldn’t even let Lisa get close enough to walk her. Lisa helped train and provide the skills to my wife and me to get Auggie to feel more comfortable and confident and also pay attention to her body language. We feel like we have made great strides training with Lisa for just a few short months. While Auggie (and we!) still have work to do, I highly recommend Lisa as a patient, skilled trainer and dog behavior expert. I will definitely work with her again as the need for maintenance sessions warrant.
~ Jim Matt

We are on the right path now thanks to Lisa’s amazing guidance and support throughout the training process.

(dog training for fearful and anxious dog) After having a very traumatic experience at our first basic obedience class with another trainer, our vet recommended calling Lisa for our very anxious and fearful one year old cockapoo, Wesley.  I am so glad I did!

After my first phone call with Lisa, I went from feeling desperate and hopeless to having skeptical optimism.  During my first meeting with Lisa, she explained her approach to training, which was different from any other training I had learned in the past.  Wesley is our third dog after all! But the psychology made sense, especially for an anxious, fearful dog like Wesley.  After working with Lisa for several months, I have learned how to “read” Wesley’s body language and use a positive approach to training to minimize his triggers in his world outside our home.  He has become a more relaxed dog.  He is even able to enjoy short walks in a busy park around small children, bikes, and other dogs who once would trigger a fit of barking and growling.  He still has his good days and bad days, but I know we are on the right path now thanks to Lisa’s amazing guidance and support throughout the training process.
~Carrie Josche

Now our dog will actually solicit attention from the kinds of people she used to growl at, because of Lisa’s help.

(dog training for aggressive behaviors) I reached out to Lisa when my cockapoo Ginger began growling, lunging and snapping at kids, men (and other unknown people) and other dogs. At that time taking her on walks was very difficult. Taking her out in the community was even more difficult. Lisa’s force-free techniques boosted our confidence together, built a stronger connection outdoors, and improved my ability to read Ginger’s body language, and have more fun. Lisa is patient and insightful…and knows the best gear and enrichment toys. I have had so many ah-ha moments. Ginger seems so much happier. She can relax when people come to our home, and now she will actually go up to and solicit attention from the kinds of people she used to growl at, because of Lisa’s help. It is wonderful that I can take her for walks and she can come with us on family outings. Thank you Lisa!
~Elizabeth Bevacqua

To say that Lisa is a dog trainer may not do justice to her talent, she is more of a pet and pet family psychologist.

(adolescent dog training for older adults) Our little Cockapoo puppy is one year old today. We are seniors and needed a little more life in our home. So we adopted Susie. She is everything we wanted and more. Like everything else, the more was a little more of a challenge than we expected. We asked our daughter to find us a good trainer, and she put us in touch with Lisa. To say that Lisa is a dog trainer may not do justice to her talent, she is more of a pet and pet family psychologist. She helped us and Susie communicate and understand each better. No electronic devices, no tricks or magic. Just love, communication and understanding. If you have a puppy that is Sometimes smarter and a lot faster than you, call Lisa.
~ Doyle & Sandy Clarkson 

Lisa understands how to help people train their dogs in a gentle, humane way.

I have been thrilled to have a trainer to refer my patients to. It makes a world of difference to know that my patients will be working with a gentle, understanding trainer who can truly help them with their fears and anxieties. So many trainers resort to brute  force and punishment, which only causes more fear and anxiety. Lisa understands how to help people train their dogs in a gentle, humane way. The result is happier dogs and happier owners! I have had nothing but positive feedback from the clients who have followed through with my recommendation to call Lisa for help with their dogs, and recommend her without reservation to my clients.
~ Dr. Denise Chase, DVM, owner
Pleasant Ridge Pet Hospital

We’ve worked with several trainers, and Lisa far exceeded the other trainers.

(dog training for anxious dog) Before working with Lisa, we were barely able to take our dog Lucy outside due to severe anxiety. After working with Lisa, Lucy is now much more relaxed and able to enjoy being outside. We’ve worked with several trainers, and Lisa far exceeded the other trainers we worked with in both knowledge about our dog’s behavior, and in Lisa’s positive reinforcement approaches. Lisa would regularly check in with us, corresponded with advice over email, and she did some Zoom calls with us – all in addition to the training sessions. Lisa really went above and beyond, and she genuinely cared for our dog Lucy. I cannot recommend Lisa enough!
~Justin Siegrist

Lisa has never let me down. Where others have failed, she has succeeded.

A problem pet owners sometimes have is getting their dog to listen and respond to their commands. Lisa has achieved tremendous results in correcting this problem with a number of my patients. I own an accredited AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) hospital in Kenwood, Ohio and have built my veterinary practice on an unwavering commitment to quality and service, so I am selective in the professionals I recommend. Lisa has never let me down. Where others have failed, she has succeeded.
~ Dr. V.J. Fairhurst, D.V.M. (now retired)
Montgomery Animal Hospital

Lisa uses only positive reinforcements and she’s really good at it.

We looked at several different trainers to help us with our aggression challenge.  Lisa uses only positive reinforcements and she’s really good at it. I thoroughly enjoyed every session with her. And Piper, our female JRT loves her. We could not be happier with our results. Our fur-family thanks you for all you do.
~Toni Heilman

Lisa’s understanding of dogs really is very impressive.

We have three dogs, one who is very mellow, one that is kind of afraid of many things and one who can be a little aggressive. Lisa was very helpful in assisting us in how to work them individually and as a group, or pack I suppose would be the better word. I was always amazed at how quickly she had them performing the desired behaviors. She also gave us plenty of great ideas on how to work with them between our appointments with her. Lisa’s understanding of dogs really is very impressive.
~ Peter Wimberg

I’d recommend Lisa to anyone who needs help understanding their dog better!

We enlisted Lisa’s help for our dog Alfie when we first adopted him. We thought we just needed basic obedience and leash training, but soon discovered Alfie was a very nervous and fearful dog. With Lisa’s help, we learned to identify when he was showing more subtle signs of fear and anxiety and she taught us how to let him move at his own pace, make choices, and build confidence with training.

We are grateful for her help in learning to see signs we wouldn’t have otherwise recognized. Alfie is on his way to being a more confident, relaxed, comfortable dog. I’d recommend Lisa to anyone who needs help understanding their dog better!
~ Amanda Wolfe

We’ve made a lot of progress with Lisa’s help!

My vet recommended that I contact Lisa to help me deal with my newly rescued dog’s separation anxiety. After talking with other trainers about their methods and experience, I decided to work with Lisa. I’m very happy I did. She gave me a lot of really helpful techniques and advice. I’m still working on getting my dog comfortable when alone, but we’ve made a lot of progress with Lisa’s help! Separation anxiety can be really overwhelming but Lisa was able to guide me (and my dog) through the worst of it. Even though our training with her is over, she still checks in on me and my dog. He’s made a lot of progress and she’s helped me understand his body language and how to work with him.
~A.D.