What is private in-home dog training in NYC?

Private in-home dog training involves personalized sessions conducted in your own home, focusing on one-on-one training tailored to your dog's specific needs and challenges in an urban setting like New York City.

How does in-home dog training differ from group classes?

In-home training provides individual attention, custom lesson plans, and direct problem-solving for behaviors in your dog's everyday environment, unlike group classes that offer general training in a shared setting.

How Important are Commands in Dog Training?

Commands serve as the foundation for clear communication in dog training, enabling you to effectively direct and manage your dog's behavior. Mastery of basic commands is crucial for safety and well-being.

Can Dog Training Help with Canine Parvovirus?

While training itself cannot prevent canine parvovirus, a trained dog may be easier to manage and keep away from situations where the virus is present. Training should complement regular vaccination schedules.

How Does Dog Training Benefit Guide Dogs and Service Animals?

Training for guide and service dogs is specialized to meet specific assistance needs, focusing on tasks like navigation for the visually impaired or providing support for those with other disabilities.

What Techniques Help with Dog Aggression?

Techniques to manage dog aggression include behavior modification, positive reinforcement, and sometimes, controlled socialization, aimed at reducing aggressive responses and encouraging calm behavior.

Why is Vaccination Important for Dog Training Classes?

Vaccinations are crucial for the safety of all participants in dog training classes, helping to prevent the spread of diseases in a group setting and ensuring a healthy learning environment.

How to Address Training Failure?

Addressing training failures involves reassessing and adjusting techniques to better suit the dog's learning style, often with the help of a professional trainer to identify and overcome specific challenges.

Teaching Your Dog to Heel: Tips and Tricks?

Teaching a dog to heel involves consistent practice, positive reinforcement, and patience, gradually training the dog to stay by your side and maintain pace without pulling on the leash.

What are the Fundamentals of Obedience Training?

Obedience training fundamentals include teaching basic commands, like sit, stay, and come, and establishing clear communication and boundaries to foster a respectful and harmonious relationship.

Conditioning in Dog Training: What You Need to Know?

Conditioning involves using techniques to modify behavior by associating certain actions with specific outcomes, employing both positive (rewards) and negative (corrections) conditioning methods.

What to Expect from Petco Dog Training Programs?

Petco's dog training programs offer a range of classes that cater to different levels of ability and training goals, focusing on positive reinforcement and socialization.

How Do You Start Service Dog Training?

Starting service dog training involves foundational obedience training followed by specialized task training tailored to the handler's needs, typically under the guidance of a certified professional.

Effective Strategies for Bird Dog Training?

Bird dog training strategies include developing the dog's natural instincts for hunting and retrieval, combined with obedience training to ensure they can perform effectively in the field.

How to Manage Leash Reactivity in Dogs?

Managing leash reactivity involves training the dog to focus on the owner and remain calm in the presence of triggers, using methods like desensitization and positive reinforcement.

Teaching Dog Tricks for Fun and Stimulation?

Teaching dog tricks can provide mental stimulation and strengthen the bond between the dog and owner, using positive reinforcement to encourage and reward desired behaviors.

Understanding the Service Dog Classification?

Service dogs are classified based on their training to perform specific tasks that assist individuals with disabilities, requiring extensive, specialized training to meet their handler's needs.

Meet Pepe J. Hernandez, Ph.D., CPDT-KA

Professional dog trainer Pepe J. Hernandez holding a client's dog, emphasizing hands-on training methods at PJH Dog Training.

Education

My academic career focused on learning, memory, and behavior. It was a path I chose led by a strong and innate curiosity for the natural world. During my undergraduate years, at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, I started out on a pre-Vet track, fully expecting to devote my life to animals in a veterinary practice. Yet, life had other plans; I found myself drawn to biochemistry, cancer research but also to the study of animal behavior and psychology. Thus, my BS in biochemistry laid the foundation for what would become an exploration of the intricacies in which brain function and behavior intertwine.

It was the brain's enigmatic abilities that truly captivated me, steering me towards a Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience, which I also received from UW- Madison. My research dove deep into the mechanisms of how the brain encodes, retains, and retrieves memories especially those associated with positive reinforcement. The implications of my work touched on understanding the neurobiology behind drug addiction, providing a glimpse into how our brains can be influenced and conditioned—a subject that I would engage with throughout my career.

My postdoctoral work at the University of Pennsylvania further examined various memory types and how they are affected by aging, sleep, stress, psychiatric disorders, and the social environments we navigate. While I found fulfillment in this scholarly pursuit, there was a part of me eager to see how my insights into behavior could be applied in diverse scenarios.

Pepe J. Hernandez sharing a tender moment with a trained dog, showcasing the loving approach of PJH Dog Training.

Expanding My Horizons

This curiosity led me to the bustling streets of New York City, where I ventured into real estate and the exhilarating world of day trading. Both realms allowed me to apply my knowledge of behavior in dynamic ways—understanding the markets' ebbs and flows and helping people find homes that resonated with their lives and dreams.

Yet, my passion for animals remained undiminished. Upon volunteering with and joining the Wild Bird Fund as a staff member, I reconnected with animal care through wildlife rehabilitation. This was a unique role that allowed me to apply my skills and compassion in a hands-on manner to make a difference in the lives of wildlife right here in NYC.

Concurrently, I've been providing care for individuals with dementia, helping them to maneuver through the challenges of memory loss. I also am proud to be a Pet For Vets Volunteer, assessing, training, and placing shelter dogs with Vets in the NY area. This work has not only been deeply rewarding but has also offered a practical application of my academic research, enriching my understanding of the human condition while allowing me to make a difference in the lives of others.

But it is dog training that feels like coming home. Training combines my lifelong love for dogs with my expertise in behavior. It is the perfect marriage of my passions and a venture where I can facilitate stronger bonds between people and their canine companions. After completing a year long apprenticeship it was time to go it alone.

Every step of my path has been integral to shaping my philosophy on dog training and care. Founding PJH Dog Training was a milestone that synthesized my experiences, allowing me to use scientific principles to enhance the lives of dogs and their owners. This journey has been one of continuous discovery, weaving together the threads of various disciplines to find fulfillment in the convergence of learning, memory, and behavior.

At PJH Dog Training, I am committed to a training ethos that prioritizes positive reinforcement, nurturing a climate filled with trust and happiness for pets and their owners. Training is more than teaching commands; it's about creating a dialogue between species, understanding each dog's individual needs, and empowering their humans with effective strategies for lifelong learning.

The success of PJH Dog Training is measured not only in the well-adjusted dogs and satisfied owners but also in the moments of pure joy that punctuate my days. The leaps of delight from the dogs, the wagging tails of accomplishment, and the smiles of their families are my greatest accolades. These tokens of gratitude fuel my passion and are a testament to the love and dedication I pour into every training session. As a trainer accredited by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, I look forward to continuing this rewarding journey.

Pepe J Hernandez, Ph.D., CPDT-KA: Training Philosophy

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