About Us
Meet your Pawsitive Trainer Barb, CPDT-KA, CCDT
Barb Pensky has always had a special connection with all animals, especially dogs, and knew someday she would work professionally to help owners and dogs improve their connection. After deciding to leave corporate sales, her entrance into the dog world began when she opened up a dog walking and pet sitting business. This led her to educate herself more on what motivates dogs and how we can use this knowledge to get the result we want. It’s a win win! Seeing how happy both the dog and the owner were during these “light bulb” moments has been a highlight and driving force in her career and keeps her motivated to help as many dogs as she can.
There are valid reasons why dogs do what they do so I don’t focus on the symptoms, but instead help you to better understand why the barking, digging, jumping or lunging is happening in the first place. For me, it goes deeper than just training sit, down, or stay with your dog. Training you and your dog is about setting your dog up to make the right choice, providing clear expectations, and creating a trusting bond.
As a result, you will inevitably move forward on a path that will ensure you are bringing out the very best in your dog - all through the use of positive training methods, backed by science.
She is certified through and Catch Academy has her CPDT -KA certification. She is one of 12 trainers in Hays county who are CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer -Knowledge Assessed) force free trainers.
What do those letters mean and what does it mean to you?
While most of the training industry is unregulated, she is a member of the CCPDT (Council of Professional Dog Trainers), the leading independent certifying organization for the dog training profession and holds a certification (Certified Professional Dog trainer, Knowledge assessed) which required 300 hours of classroom documented experience along with passing a rigorous exam.
Why train with Barb?
Science-based Training
Barb is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) utilizing science-based training focused on how dogs (and people) learn. She uses the highest ethical practices in training – no shock collars, e-collars, prong or pinch collars. She embraces the concept of “No Pain, No Force, No Fear but instead helps create a relationship of trust with your furry friend.
Positive Reinforcement
Training is based on positive reinforcement and reward-based methods – this gives your dog the opportunity to make a choice in their behavior (and be rewarded for it!). It also strengthens your bond because you’re predictable
Focused on Success
Training is focused on setting your dog up for success to help you see an improvement in problem behaviors and an increase in your dog’s skills. Using rewards based training speeds up their learning because we’re reinforcing everything they do right, which motivates them to keep trying.
Convenience
Training is conveniently held in your home, providing your dog with the opportunity to learn in his/her own environment without distractions. Teaching you management solutions and problem-solving techniques which are directly related to your home environment can be remedied quicker also.
Fun
She makes training fun and uses dog-friendly methods that engage your dog’s natural temperament, abilities, and drives. When training is rewarding, dogs want to participate! They also learn more quickly and retain more, which is training at its best.
How does in-home dog training work?
During our complimentary 15-minute phone consultation, we will go over your current challenges and your dog’s training goal(s). You will fill out new training intake forms prior to the first lesson so we have a training plan in place when we meet in person. With a plan in place, we’ll come to your home and work with you one-on-one to help you address your dog’s individual training challenges.
1 Session - $150
(90 Minutes)
Series of 3 Sessions - $400
The first lesson lasts 1½ hours; the other lessons are one hour.
Pawsitive Pup Philosophy
We make training fun through effective and positive, science based methods and believe that there is no need for the use of pain, fear or force.
As a result, you can feel confident your dog will want to learn and your training results will last.
Understanding how to communicate with dogs is the essence of training. Since dogs and humans speak a different language, we need to let dogs know when they get it right. We do this by using a reward marker like "Yes" to let him know, and that something good will follow immediately. Through this learning process, dogs will gain confidence and respond more quickly once they know and understand what is expected.
Dogs repeat behaviors that work for them, so when you use rewards (food, praise, favorite toy, fetch), it programs their brains that good things happen.
Positive training emphasizes teaching dogs what to do, not continually punishing a dog for not doing what we want. What sets apart an excellent positive trainer from the rest is not just their ability to teach a dog to do things using reward-based teaching, but to use humane techniques to curb and prevent negative behavior.
Positive training builds confidence and builds a strong bond between the dog and its owner. It encourages the dog to listen and respond when asked to do something and works well on all kinds of dogs, including those "Working" dogs with high drive.
We do not support training techniques or tools that cause pain or harm to a dog, physically or mentally (e.g., shocking, choking, pinching). By understanding how dogs think and learn using positive reinforcement methods, you will develop a bond of trust and understanding. Your dog will thank you!
We provide dog training services in Dripping Springs, Wimberley, Driftwood and South-West Austin.
