The questions people actually ask.

Three steps. Fill out the evaluation form. We do a free 15-minute phone call to talk through your dog and answer questions. Then we schedule the first in-person session — a combined evaluation and training session at the standard private lesson rate. After that, you can book single sessions, packages, or Day Training.

No. Both are free. The first paid step is the in-person first session.

A 60-minute session at your home or a neutral location. I meet your dog, you see how I work, we cover the most pressing thing on your list, and you leave with one or two things to practice. If I don’t think Steady Steps is the right fit, I’ll tell you at the end of the session and refer you elsewhere.

Yes. Puppies are some of my favorite work. The earlier we start, the easier most things get. Foundation skills, socialization, crate training, and housebreaking.

Every breed. What motivates a Border Collie is different from what motivates a Mastiff, so I adjust reinforcement and pacing to your dog. The breed isn’t the limit.

Yes. Plenty of clients come in without a specific problem — they just want to keep building on what’s already going well. Foundation polishing, new skills, more confidence in public, deeper communication. That’s all welcome work.

Most of what I do is rewards-based. Food, play, the relationship between you and your dog, and good timing. Most dogs don’t need more than that. For the ones that do, I’ll tell you what I want to try and we’ll work through it together. More on how I approach training.

Wherever it makes the most sense for your dog. Usually your home or a public spot in the service area. For reactivity work, that’s often a real walk. For puppy foundation work, it’s usually your living room. I’m mobile only — no facility.

More than 48 hours notice, no charge. Inside 48 hours, half. Inside 24 hours or no-show, full. First-time clients get one courtesy cancellation. Genuine emergencies are handled case by case.

No. You can book a single session and decide from there. Most people end up in a bundle once they see the format working, but it is never required.

The free 15-minute call. We talk through what’s going on with your dog, what you’re hoping for, and what the first session looks like. By the end you’ll know exactly what we’re doing first.

Most clients are on the phone within a few days and into a first session within one to two weeks. Caseload depends on the season.

Day Training puts your dog in real environments with real distractions, in my vehicle, alongside other clients’ dogs (separately crated). I need to know your dog before any of that, and your dog needs to know me. The first session is where that happens.

Not yet. Vehicle settling is part of the day, and a dog who is not crate-comfortable will not have a good time. We work on crate tolerance in the first session or in follow-up private lessons before scheduling Day Training.

Parking lots, parks, trails, sidewalks in South Snohomish, Mill Creek, or Kenmore, coffee shop patios, sometimes a hardware store if your dog is at the right level. The locations are picked to match what your dog needs to practice that day.

Yes. The 4-Pack is the most common cadence. Many working-breed owners run one Day Training a week alongside their private lessons.

Your dog rests separately in a crate in my vehicle. No group play. Day Training is structured 1:1 work and structured rest. It’s not daycare.