Tanzi Leary may be the most highly recommended dog trainer in the Baltimore metro area, and chances are, you found this site through your vet, a friend, a neighbor, or a shelter and rescue partner who trusts her to do a great job for you and your dog. She is "dog crazy," meaning she loves dogs not just as individuals but also as a species and has dedicated her career to learning about how they move, communicate, think, learn, and more. 

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• Prefer watching videos to learn about Tanzi? Visit the TikTok or Instagram links above or below.

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She works with all dog breeds, sizes, ages, and energy levels and has worked with dogs from all types of backgrounds.

 

She is married, has two grown children, and has had up to 3 dogs in her family at one point as a mom, so she knows what it's like to get a bunch of family members to cooperate with very little free time for training practice. She works with lots of empty nesters and retired clients who have had many dogs, but their current dog has issues they've never handled before.

 

She will help you understand how your dog is feeling, which might help us understand why your dog does what he's doing instead of what you want him to do. Then she will teach you how to get your dog to relax and focus so he can cooperate with you more easily.​

 

Training Methods

Her techniques are based on setting dogs (and people) up for success and training using the least inhibitive, functionally effective (LIFE) training model. She is more interested in helping you and your dog live together harmoniously than training skills that don't have a useful function.

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• She does not use shock, choke, or prong collars, nor does she use hitting, pulling, kicking, spraying, or throwing items at dogs. Not only is that unnecessary, but it can also create side effects of anxious and aggressive behavior.

• (Don't worry, she will help you stop using these methods if you were taught to use them by someone else.) She believes in giving dogs as many choices as possible and helping to create an environment that leads them to make choices we prefer.

 

Credentials & Continuing Education

Did you know dog training is a completely unregulated industry? You want someone who puts the time and effort into pursuing continuing education and getting multiple credentials from professional associations that have members worldwide.

 

Tanzi holds (or has held, in some cases if she opted not to pay fees to renew) multiple dog training and dog behavior certifications and credentials earned over more than a decade, and she has trained thousands of dogs in shelters, group classes, and privately.

 

• "Certified Dog Behavior Consultant" (CDBC) through International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, with a 95% score on this rigorous exam,

• "Pat Miller Certified Trainer" (PMCT1) by famous trainer Pat Miller via examination and demonstration of training methods in three intense academies where Tanzi was the high scoring student in her classes each time

• "Certified Separation Anxiety Pro - Behavior Consultant" (CSAP-BC), meaning she has taken a lengthy course including certification with Julie Naismith, certified dog behavior consultant and author of Be Right Back!, to learn how to work with dogs that experience separation anxiety. She has also taken courses from Dr. Moira Hechenleitner about this topic.

• "Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed Level 1" (CPDT-KA) through Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers,

• "Fear Free Certified Professional" (FFCP) certification from the Fear Free Pets organization to be able to assist clients and veterinarians with handling techniques to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in dogs during visits. Note:  She has allowed this certification to lapse to avoid continuing to pay annual fees.

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She takes continuing education classes year-round to stay current in her dog training and behavior knowledge, including completing Dr. Susan Friedman's intensive Living and Learning with Animals (LLA) course and several courses from AVSAB, Behavior Vets NYC, and Pet Professional Guild.

 

Accolades

In 2022, she won the #1 spot in Sniffspot's Top Trainer contest for Baltimore and Maryland and ranked #3 in the US. In 2023, she won the #1  spot for Baltimore & Maryland again. You can see several other awards and reviews on the Rave Reviews page, too.

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