Our Philosophy

Golden Mal Dog Training is about helping dogs and humans live happier, healthier, and stronger lives together.

All dog training is comprised of two things. First, the science.

The science will be the same for every single dog trainer, regardless of the things they specialize in. Operant and classical conditioning are highly studied, and are the backbone to all dog behavior and learning. This is indisputable. Interestingly, dogs and humans learn the exact same way.

Whether a trainer likes it or not, the science applies every day. Jasmine has taken college classes based on development and psychological processes specifically because they contribute so much to dog training. A dog’s mental state and interactions with its environment can be used to a trainer’s advantage, or not. Learning to understand it inside and out can be the difference between “good training” and “great training.”

The second part of dog training is the method. This is what separates dog trainers from one another.

After a deep knowledge of dog psychology is acquired, a trainer must decide how to utilize it. This can be done in innumerable ways, most of which a dog trainer will never know all of. Even after a trainer becomes a trainer, they are still constantly learning from others.

So, what do we believe?

The reality is, it is — and should be — difficult to condense all of dog training into one idea. Through her experiences with pets, service animals, sport dogs, and police-k9s, Jasmine can really only come to the conclusion that all dogs are individuals, and all dogs need an individual approach. This is why everything Golden Mal Dog Training does is tailored to you and your dog specifically.

It’s important to understand that “magic fix” is only going to be a magic fix for a specific subset of dog. For that reason, we pride ourselves on having bits and pieces from every single “toolbox” to choose from so that we may serve a wider variety of dogs in the way that is best for them.

Golden Mal Dog Training is also a big advocate for balanced training methods. Essentially, this comes down to utilizing the psychology of the dog in ways that are most effective and natural. Using communication methods they find motivating, clear, consistent, and effective, we teach dogs how to be good students, and then we teach them what they’re supposed to know.

Most of all, we want to build training that will last a lifetime and allow you to be your dog’s best trainer. Our training also has strong basis in relationship and “whole life” approaches because if your dog starts with a strong relationship with you, training will come naturally.