Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
Teaching Manners with Love and Respect

Dog Obedience by Gina (D.O.G.) is owned and operated by me, Gina Nichols. As with most in this field, I have loved and had a connection with animals my entire life and have decided to embark on a career for which I have extreme passion. I want to do something that will make a difference and because so many pets end up in shelters (or worse) due to their lack of training, I have realized that dog training is my calling. Please know that if you do not train your dog, you cannot blame your dog. Dogs need to understand what their people want. They want to know. They want to be good. You just need to know how to teach them.

I am an honors graduate of Animal Behavior College (ABC) where I earned my certification as an ABC Certified Dog Trainer. My year-long commitment to this program has provided me with a formal education in canine obedience, training and understanding behavior and it’s motives. My certification, education and experience provide me the skills required to effectively and humanely train your dog while keeping alive the spark that makes your dog so special to you.

In addition to my certification, I have a certificate of completion in Pet CPR and First Aid. I am a Professional Member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and I am bonded and insured through Business Insurers of the Carolinas.

I keep up-to-date with the most valuable and relevant information on current training procedures. Since my graduation from ABC in September of 2015, I have attended lectures and seminars with a combined content of 149+ hours and will continue to update my education and welcome and implement new and improved training techniques.

During the course of my training programs, we will teach your dog respect and manners using luring, shaping, capturing and molding. We will watch your dog grow and learn to become a well-behaved family member. I will teach you how to socialize and house train your new puppy. You will learn to train your dog to be reliable and under control, off leash, at a distance and around distractions. We will use treats as a lure and will phase out food and other external rewards quickly.

Many people understand the importance of early puppyhood socialization. You may enroll your puppy in a training class, introduce your puppy to lots of friends and neighbors and may even host puppy play dates. These things are wonderful and have done so much to improve the temperament of countless dogs.

Unfortunately, after this intensive early socialization period, many owners think they are in the clear. They think that their hard work has paid off and that their puppy is friendly and sociable in every situation they find themselves in. What they don't realize is that dogs will naturally become more shy and standoffish as they get older. Adolescent and adult dogs will develop fears and phobias to stimuli that they are not continually exposed to. You should continue to train your dog every day of his life. This will keep his mind sharp and body active and keep a constant, well-rounded relationship between you and your dog.

I will be more than happy to answer any questions and help with any problem behaviors that may arise for the life of your dog. I look forward to working with you and all of your family members!