The Dog Mamaa
Compassionate & Effective Dog Training
Downtown Toronto
Foundations Dog Training in Toronto
Our Essential Foundations is perfect for dogs who might have had puppy training but are now in that “teen” phase - maybe their recall has vanished, distractions are winning, they’re more interested in everything BUT you. We’ll build those core skills so you both feel back on track at home and out in the city.
If your dog is ready for more, our next level; Urban City Adventure (5 x 1 hr sessions) takes things into real-life: cafes, patios, patios, park benches, distraction city walks - so your dog can shine outdoors.
Have questions before booking? Contact me here - I’m happy to help.
Gabrielle was super helpful with training Ozzy, our 10 month old rottweiler! She gave us tips on how to stop counter surfing and keep Ozzy calm and relaxed in the living room while the humans can watch tv or cook dinner! She is very knowledgeable about dog behaviour and shared a lot of tips and games for us to practice during the week and keep training ongoing. Ozzy and I had so much fun during our sessions - Gabrielle definitely helps to strengthen the bond between dog and tutor, through positive reinforcement!
What we'll cover :
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Focus & engagement (even when other dogs, squirrels or sidewalk patio drama are happening)
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Engage/Disengage: teaching your dog to orient to you then release to the world - especially during the curiosity-ramp of adolescence
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Drop It & The Zen Game/Leave It: powerful impulse-control tools when your teen dog starts testing boundaries
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Reliable Recall: rebuilding consistency when your dog seems to “forget” the come-when-called you taught them
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Stay/Wait: strengthening self-control, so when distractions surge your dog still checks in with you
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Relaxation & Settling: helping your dog learn to down-regulate when their energy or independence peaks
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Polite Greetings (with dogs & people): when social interest soars and manners can slip
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“Go to Mat”: a super-useful place behaviour when your dog needs a break or moment to regroup
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Special focus: strategies for navigating the adolescent brain — including managing distraction, remembering cues and handling second fear phases
Once you and your dog complete the Essential Foundations package and you’re ready to level up, ask me about the Urban Adventure Pack - real‑world skills, city‑ready manners.
Fei working on his settling skills with guests over, to replace excessive barking.
Broly working on polite guest greetings - waiting on his place to say hi on cue!
Why Now?
If your dog is 7 months to ~2 years old, you may have noticed a regression in training as they enter their teen-adolescent phase. Recall becomes inconsistent, listening to cue is optional, distractions over powering...
Our Essential Foundations package gets them back on track and solidifies training with distractions. While also re-anchoring your bond!
Such a great experience working with her! She helped me work on correcting behaviours with my dog I didn't think I could. Really positive approaches and always comes prepared. 10/10!" - Akkila & Snoop
Urban Adventure Training Package - For Reliable Training Despite City Distractions
Is your dog already confident in the home and familiar spaces .. but now you’re ready for them to shine in the real world? This pack is designed for dog parents who have already completed the foundational work (or equivalent) and want to bring their dog into city life with ease.
In this package, we’ll:
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Boost your dog’s engagement & focus on you - especially when the café patio, park picnic, leash‑free fun or street distractions are vying for their attention.
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Work on real‑life scenarios: settling calmly at a park bench or café, walking politely past distractions, managing greetings in public spaces.
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Improve your dog’s ability to navigate public settings with confidence and manners (dogs & people included).
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Teach your dog to greet politely - or choose to ignore when that’s the priority — depending on the social setting.
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Further solidify cues like down, stay, recall, sit & heel - all in the outside world, under meaningful distractions.
Ideal for you if:
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You’ve already done the Essential Foundations (or your dog knows the cues but struggles in public).
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You want your dog to be your companion out on the city scene, not just at home.
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You’re ready to practise beyond home walls and build real‑world reliability.
What's Included
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Essential Foundations : 4 × 1‑hour private training sessions personalized to you
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Comprehensive Training Plan customized to you and your dog
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Client Email Support: questions, updates & video feedback
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Summary Write‑Up of each session + training exercises for you to practice
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Video Resources & Exclusive Handouts
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Built‑in strategies for the adolescent brain: revisiting and solidifying cues, managing “forgetfulness”, and navigating surges in energy & independence
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Ongoing Support during and after training together
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Access to The Dog Mamaa Club: for ongoing training support, exclusive offers & connecting with other clients
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The Dog Mamaa Certification of Completion
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Optional Upgrade: Urban Adventure Pack – 5 × 1‑hour sessions focused on “city‑ready” real‑life environments, advanced outdoor cues & public‑place confidence
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Q :What age dog is this package ideal for?
A: This programme is tailored for adolescent or young‑adult dogs - approximately 7 months to ~2 years old (as breed/size allows) - who are showing signs of that “teen‑dog” phase: inconsistent recall, distraction issues, testing boundaries, new fear‑period behaviours.What if my dog is older than ~2 years?
A: No problem! If your dog is older and still struggling with foundational skills, we can absolutely discuss a custom plan. This specific Foundations package is built around that adolescent brain and phase of development, so we’ll adapt or shift you into a version that fits your dog’s stage.
Q: How quickly will I see results?
A: Every dog and owner are unique. Progress depends on your dog’s past training, age, consistency and how much practice happens between sessions. What I guarantee: you’ll leave each session with actionable exercises, video support, and I’ll be with you every step with email feedback so you won’t feel stuck.
Q: Do the sessions happen in‑my‑home?
A: Yes, sessions are conducted in your home and nearby walking environments where your dog experiences real distractions. This ensures the training translates into your daily life.
Q: What if my dog “regresses” or acts differently during adolescence?
A: Totally normal! During the adolescent stage dogs can “forget” previously solid cues, get more distracted, react differently to people/dogs or new situations. This package is specifically designed to handle that brain‑and‑body shift, we’ll revisit cues, build resilience, and help you maintain momentum.
Q: Do I need to use high‑value treats forever?
A: Initially we suggest to, yes ! especially for adolescent dogs, high‑value rewards help rebuild focus and engagement when distractions rise. Over time we begin transitioning into lower‑value rewards and natural reinforcers (praise, access, toys). We won’t assume your dog is already ready for the low‑value‑only step.
Q: What happens after the 4 sessions of Essential Foundations?
A: After your 4 sessions you’ll have: your custom training plan in hand, summary write‑ups, video resources, email support, access to The Dog Mamaa Club for ongoing connection and offers. If you’re ready to take your dog into outdoor, public & urban‑friendly environments with strong skills, you can ask about the Urban Adventure Pack upgrade.
Q: What if my dog has serious behaviour issues like reactivity, severe fear, resource guarding?A: This Foundations package is not designed for major behaviour rehabilitation. If your dog shows persistent aggression, intense fear, strong guarding or similar, we can help you with our Reactive Dog Rehab option.
Investment
Essential Foundations – 4 × 1‑hour private training sessions (tailored for adolescent & young‑adult dogs) Investment: $600 (plus HST)
Optional Upgrade: Urban Adventure Pack – 5 × 1‑hour private training sessions (real‑life skills in the city, for dogs who completed Essential Foundations)
Investment: $700 (plus HST)
Initial Behaviour Consultation – Choose from in‑person, virtual or phone.Investment: $100 (in‑person) / $70 (virtual or phone) - credited towards training package if continued within 7 days.
All packages include personalized training plan, email/video support, session summaries, access to The Dog Mamaa Club and certification of completion.
Client Testimonials
Lena & Bao
"Gabrielle is an amazing dog trainer. I have a Chow Chow and. needed help on his loose leash walking and disengagement skills. Her expertise, empathy and patience really helped me as a first time dog mom. I appreciate the time she took to explain the exercises and made sure I knew how to do them properly so that I could train my dog on my own. She's incredibly responsive to any questions I had and was a phenomenal resource. I can't say thank you enough for empowering me to be a good dog mom!"
Faisal & Chai
We absolutely loved working with Gabrielle, who did an amazing job training our golden retriever, Chai. She really has a knack for communicating with dogs and their owners. Gabrielle's lessons were clear and her clicker training method worked wonders. She helped us understand how to better communicate with Chai, which has made a world of difference. The lesson plans were easy to follow, and Gabrielle was always patient and encouraging, even when we had questions or needed extra help. Chai responded so well to her training, and we're thrilled with the results. What set her apart for us was the fact that we could email her questions at any time and she would help us with detailed responses right away. A terrific teacher!
Anna, Bruce & Alfie
Gabrielle was a pleasure to work with, and both of my dogs loved her. She was able to provide a lot of support and left copies of lessons behind, which was very helpful for me, as I was able to reference them later on. Both of my dogs had different issues that required work, and we were able to alternate and focus on one dog at a time. The in person training itself I think is very valuable as it allows for Gabrielle to not only work with your dog, but you as well. Also it provides a great opportunity to further strengthen the bond with your dog. Lastly, Gabrielle had a lot of great tips and suggestions to provide to me in regard to each of the dogs individual issues, which I found extremely useful. Overall, I found the training to be very insightful and beneficial. Not only do I feel more confident in continuing the training with my dogs and strengthening the skills learned, but it allowed my dogs to develop a great foundation to build upon as well. Thanks Gabrielle :)
