You and your sensitive dog deserve a specialist who offers compassionate behavior support

Serving Felton · Scotts Valley ·

Ben Lomond · Midtown Santa Cruz

What does it mean for a dog to be sensitive?

Sensitive dog (noun) — A dog who perceives and processes (new) information and the world around them deeply, who feels easily overwhelmed and shows heightened sensory-emotional responses to one or more particular stimuli (such as novel sounds, environments, objects, or physical touch) as well as social engagements such as seeing or being near other dogs and people.

Hi, I'm Simone

I specialize in working with sensitive dogs and the people who care for them.

I understand how difficult it can be to live with a dog with challenging behavior presentations. Having shared life with more than one sensitive dog myself I can certainly emphasize; walks are dreaded, outings need careful planning, daily life with your dog can start to feel overwhelming, it's certainly not what we'd hoped or signed up for.

I also understand how “noisy” it can be out there when searching for help. The informational load is confusing, advice is contradicting. Maybe you’ve already tried a few things and are still searching for answers.

CPDT- KA (Certified professional Dog Trainer) FDM (Certified Family Dog Mediator) specializing in trauma-informed private behavior support for caregivers with sensitive dogs of all ages.

What’s often missing, no matter the approach, is to give our dogs a voice in the process!

That is why canine curious exists!

It is my passion to help caregivers with sensitive dogs find meaningful relief and to experience relationships that flourish for all the years ahead! Working with me is different. I work with compassionate values to create collaborative and supportive relationships with my clients, and the same values extend to the sensitive dog you care for.

With many years of experience and extensive studies of cutting edge canine behavior science I bring up to date knowledge into my professional work, offering a wholistic and a trauma-informed approach to behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

We reached out to Simone of Canine Curious when our fearful rescue pup hadn't progressed during the first 6 months with us. She has been wonderful to work with! She is very thorough in her assessment and approach and also very patient in walking us through everything. She is also fun for all of us to work with in addition to helping us to think about aspects of our dogs behavior and functioning that we would never have thought to address. This was incredibly helpful in addressing his overall wellness.

We are so happy that we are working with her and know that change takes time but we are now much more hopeful that this sweet pup will embrace our love and his home even more over time!

Erin & Dream

My approach is

Supportive.

Care-centered.

Relational.

If you choose to work with me

We look beyond the presenting behavior and the whole dog instead
We approach behavior with curiosity, instead of making assumptions
By letting the dog tell us their story and experience first
We try to understand what drives the behavior to show up in the first place
We value the dog’s emotional experience as one of the main drivers for behavior expression
We include canine care and support into your customized behavior roadmap
You and your dog will be met with compassion and kindness, the way all sentient beings deserve to be supported

View Service Details here

I offer support for caregivers with dogs that struggle

Dog Trainer, Dog Behavior, Scotts Valley

On walks

Refusing to leave the house in the first place, barking, lunging or stopping and shutting down mid-walk.

Dog Trainer, Dog Behavior, Scotts Valley CA

At home

Difficulty settling or sleeping, avoiding the harness and lead, or hiding and barking when guests come over.

In the car

Avoidance to get into the car in the first place, whining or trembling throughout the journey, or barking at arrival.

In a new home

Transitioning into a new home environment can turn out a bit harder than expected and can show up as: difficulty settling , not eating well, shutting down or being on high alert.

Dog Trainer, Dog Behavior, Scots Valley CA

With toileting outside

Beyond the stages of puppy training, when things don't seem to stick, avoiding to "go" outside or regression in a dog who was previously going outside reliably.

All these dogs respond sensitive to something: environmental, social, spacial discomfort, bodily discomfort, motion and movement, sounds, confinement, the list goes on - often resulting in sensory overload, emotional distress and a dysregulated nervous system.

I understand when struggling with a sensitive dog it's often just a sign of lack of support, that I offer in a way that looks beneath the behavior and honors the care and support needs of you and your dog!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"You always impress me with your responses. You’re like a dog Sherlock Holmes :)". I can’t recommend Simone enough. We were at our wits ends and ready to give away our adorable puppy because she was so hard for us to understand when Simone walked through our door and showed us how to communicate with her. Over the next 6 months Simone was extremely attentive to our needs and very responsive. She is clearly passionate about what she does and it shows in her dedication.

Joel

Sensitive Pup Caregiver

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

We highly recommend Simone as a trainer. She understands dog behavior [...] and gives pet owners lots of calm, always positive support and encouragement. We feel so fortunate to have her working with us and Zoey.