The Dog Mamaa
Compassionate & Effective Dog Training
Downtown Toronto
Foundation Skills Dog Training
Downtown Toronto
Our Essential Foundations training program is created for dogs reaching their teen adolescent phase - where it's common for previous training and listening skills to dwindle down.
At this age, recall may fade, distractions are high as their independence and curiosity grows.
We also work with newly adopted rescue dogs who need help learning everyday life skills of a family dog living in the city! We are here to get you and your dog back on track.
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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Managing distractions, remembering cues and handling second fear phases
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... This is also the time frame where they reach 2nd fear period - where reactivity may show up.
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
Have questions before booking? Contact me here - I’m happy to help.
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)
Additional Dog Fee : Most multi-dog households require an additional fee of $150-$00 depending on training goals. Households working through inter-dog conflict, resource guarding, or aggression may require customized, individual training plans and pricing.
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.
Foundation Skills 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 :)
