
Puppy Savvy, LLC
Fun, effective training for new dogs and puppies with Barbara Shumannfang, PhD
Hello, I’m glad you’re here! I've been studying dog behavior and training my whole life (I went pro in 1999). I am bonkers about dogs, and I love working with people, too. I give my clients the inside tricks of the trade (no cookie cutter stuff here). I want to empower you to achieve not just your current doggie goals, but also new challenges that arise down the road.
My books are recommended by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, veterinarians, and dog trainers around the country. For years I taught a prenatal class on dog-baby safety at both Duke Health and UNC Women’s hospital, and I’ve done a good bit of volunteering with animal shelters, nature conservation, wildlife rehabilitation and horses.
I enjoy hiking, birdsong, mindfulness meditation, and a good knock-knock joke. If you saw a lady singing or dancing in her car while driving around town, that may have been me.
Are you looking for a different breed of dog trainer?
I offer a return to peace…less stress in family relationships, more peace in your household, and more enjoyable leisure time.
Less stress for the dog is important, too. It’s not about forcing anyone to do anything. It’s about training in a way that is so savvy that the dog thinks it’s their idea to behave how you want.
I collaborate with and empower dog owners. In turn, I get to witness the joy people experience with effective training.
I bring creativity to the training process. This saves time and aggravation because my training solutions are highly customized to you and your one-of-a-kind dog.
I enjoy using humor in my teaching. Training should be fun! Plus, dogs do things that are just plain funny, and we are so lucky to have them in our lives.
I want the best for you and your dog, for you to succeed, and to learn enough tricks of the trade to solve future training challenges on your own! I love it when I run into clients and they tell me a story of how they successfully used the training principles to address a new challenge. Of course, I am here to help if you want to partner on a new issue or a new dog.