2123 Marina Blvd. San Leandro, Ca 94577 (510) 483-2631 braveheartdogs@sbcglobal.net |
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Owner, Vicki Ronchette, CPDT, CAP2, ANWI Vicki has lived with dogs her whole life.
certificate in Veterinary Assisting while still in high school. She began focusing on training dogs just a couple of years later.
Later, she offered classes through Heads or Tails Pet Grooming, the salon she owned and operated for 8 years.
Success (www.dogwise.com) and has written numerous dog training articles. Vicki also has a DVD available (www.tawzerdogvideos.com) to help people learn more about using positive methods to work with show dogs. See a clip of Vicki's DVD here! Vicki is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, a national organization dedicated to training dogs using exclusively dog friendly methods. She is also a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Counselors. As dog training is evolving all the time, Vicki continues to take courses and attend seminars and workshops from well known trainers, behaviorists and authors to continue to grow as a trainer. She also meets regularly with other trainers to discuss cases, exchange ideas and sharpen her skills.
positive and clicker training for show dogs. She participates with her dogs in obedience, conformation, rally obedience, K9 nose work, canine freestyle, earthdog and field trials. She has also been active in agility. She is an AKC licensed Dachshund and Basset Hound Field Trial Judge and an AKC CGC Evaluator. She was the Founder of the Golden Gate Dachshund Club's Rescue Program. She evaluates, trains, fosters and rehomes rescue dogs and serves on the board of this club. In November 2006 she became a CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer).
dog trainers committed to continued education and positive reinforcement techniques.
CAP program is one of the few that actually tests the trainers mechanical skills and ability and assesses them on that rather than on straight book knowledge. Vicki passed her CAP Level 1 and her CAP Level 2 with distinction, the highest possible grade.
Work Instructor and is now offering K9 Nose Work classes. She uses her years of experience as a Dachshund and Basset Hound field trial competitor and judge as well as her Nose Work Instructor training to help people understand the amazing ability dogs have to do scent work. Vicki has lived with and/or competed with many breeds including Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Maltese, Dachshunds, Australian Cattle Dogs, Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Havanese, Clumber Spaniels, Boxers, Pekingese, various terriers, Afghan Hounds, Shih Tzus, Pugs, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Pomeranians, Chihuahuas various mixed breeds and has worked with many breeds with much success. She has trained 1000s of dogs over the past 23 years in group classes and in people's homes. She takes pride in being a versatile dog trainer, capable of successfully working with all different types of dogs and canine learning styles. Vicki believes that all dogs, regardless of breed or size should be treated with the same compassion, understanding and humane care. Vicki has a special interest in using positive reinforcement training (including clicker training) to train show dogs. She will show you how to train your show dog or train it for you. She also has a love for working with fearful individuals including show dogs who need help learning to cope with their fears.
Vicki's Professional Affiliations and Certifications APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) - Professional Member CCPDT (Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers) - Certified Pet Dog Trainer IAABC (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants) - Affiliate Member Pet First Aid and CPR Certified DogTec - Member Four Paws of San Leandro - Member Golden Gate Dachshund Club - Vice President National Miniature Dachshund Club - Member Dachshund Club of America - Member, 2007 Show Chair Golden Gate Dachshund Rescue - Founder JavaDawgs - Member East Bay Dog Trainers - Founder/Member Oakland Zoo - Past Volunteer Muttville - Volunteer/Foster Golden Gate Basset Hound Rescue - Foster Coordinator, Training Coordinator Lion Hearted Small Dog Rescue - Founder National Association of Canine Scent Work - Member and in the Instructor Certification Program Braveheart Dog Training is licensed and insured.
Dawn Bushong CAP 2, Rally/Competition Obedience Trainer Dawn trained her first obedience dog, the family basset hound at age 12.
taught our Tricks for Clicks class and co-teaches Wild Card with Vicki.
the clicker, she also uses the clicker to train her cats.
Currently, Dawn is training Pablo, a black lab mix she adopted from the pound and has trained him to the following titles CD, CDX, UD, RN, RA, RE, RAE, CGC. And, Penny, a German shepherd dog mix that already has her RN, RA, RE, CD, CDX, NW1 and CGC titles. She is also training both of them in agility and tracking. Penny is working in utility towards her UD title. Dawn is also training Penny for K9 nosework. Colleen Pepper, Assistant Trainer Colleen assists Vicki in her Castro Valley Adult School Monday night classes. Colleen has been training her own dogs for competition obedience and agility for many years. Colleen works as a veterinary assistant and worked for many years as a groomer.
(a Catahoula Leopard Dog mix).
Kathy assists Vicki in her Castro Valley Adult School Saturday classes.
nosework. Josie competes in both AKC and APDT rally and has completed her Rally Excellent title!
Yvonne assists Vicki in her San Lorenzo HARD classes. She also supervises the Braveheart play groups and co-teaches the K9 Nose Work classes with Vicki. Yvonne is also in the K9 Nose Work Instructor Certification Program. She is the owner of You and Me Dog Walking.
where Rossi has already earned championship points and has earned her Canine Good Citizen award. Rossi is also working on becoming an Area Search and rescue dog with CARDA and they are also a volunteer companion dog patrol team with East Bay Regional Park District. Yvonne is also training and competing with Hayden another APBT in conformation and runs a 4H dog program with her junior handler daughter Hannah. Finally, Yvonne is training her newest addition, Bree, another APBT of course in K9 nosework and conformation and has already completed her ORT (odor recognition test) for nose work and her bench championship.
Michelle is Vicki's Saturday assistant. Michelle has been working professionally with animals for years as a veterinary assistant and now as a full time Groomer. Michelle is training Dennis in agility for fun and is also working on teaching her two legged Chihuahua mix Cheerio how to walk with a cart. Michelle is the proud owner of pugs Dennis and Cupcake and Chihuahua mix Cheerio.
Kristen is Vicki's relief assistant. Unfortunately, Kristen's work schedule doesn't allow her to assist on a regular basis, but she graciously helps out whenever one of Vicki's other assistants isn't available.
showing Madden in conformation. Our Methods Our training uses exclusively positive reinforcement methods. With positive reinforcement the dog is able to have fun and enjoy the training process rather than have to worry about being punished. There are no choke collars, no prong collars, no shock collars, just science based dog friendly methods that work. You will not be told to use confrontational methods like pinning your dog or pushing it to the ground. Instead you will be taught to train with the same methods that are used by professional trainers all over the world to build cooperative relationships with even the most dangerous animals. Having trained for many years with a variety of trainers and methods and, Vicki has found positive reinforcement training to be the most effective and enjoyable regardless of the age or breed of dog. Even children and people with less than perfect timing can succeed with positive training. Our goal is to make science based animal learning theory fun, easy to understand and execute so that owners have success. Because we train without force and compulsion you will not be asked to jerk your dog's neck or use painful collars. We will teach you to train for results while still being able to maintain a positive relationship with your best friend. We have success with basic manners and obedience training, puppy training as well as helping owners of dogs with issues like aggression, shyness and destructive behavior. All of these are solved using positive, scientific, non-violent methods. Does positive training mean that there are never consequences or discipline involved? Absolutely not! We simply realize that pain and intimidation is not the way to build a healthy working relationship between you and your dog. We teach people to communicate with their dogs and train them in a fun, kind and humane way. We are committed to treating both the dogs and their humans with compassion and understanding. |
Dawn with "Penny"
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| About Us |
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"My goal as a trainer is
to help people build a
cooperative relationship
with their dog based on
mutual respect,
communication and
understanding. I rely on
positive reinforcement
methods to train animals
as I believe that force,
pain and intimidation is
not only unnecessary
but also less effective."
~Vicki
to help people build a
cooperative relationship
with their dog based on
mutual respect,
communication and
understanding. I rely on
positive reinforcement
methods to train animals
as I believe that force,
pain and intimidation is
not only unnecessary
but also less effective."
~Vicki
Kathy with "Josie"
Yvonne with "Rossi"
Colleen with "Sherman"
Photo by Mary Jones
| "Dog Training from the Heart" |
Kristen with "Madden"
Michelle with Dennis
and Cupcake
and Cupcake