Whether you are preparing for your new puppy’s arrival or already in the thick of the joyous yet overwhelming training process, I am here to guide you through this precious phase one puppy step at a time.

A little bit about me…It is rare when I am not around a dog throughout my life.  Even when I did not have a dog, I've always found ways to be with them.  My favorite part about graduate school was working part-time as a dog-sitter.  That was, in fact, the most therapeutic part of my journey of becoming a psychotherapist over 20 years ago.

Since then, I’ve always continued to work with dogs on the side any chance I got.  I taught film photography to the youth of New York City at The Door, a non-profit in Soho, and collaborated with The Good Dog Foundation.  I created a Dog Photography/Counseling program where my students learned a new skill while also receiving a combination of Art and Animal-Assisted Therapy.  On top of my side job, I published a fun dog book with Penguin.  Then one of my most exciting NY Dog moments came when I was asked to auction my work at Christie’s for a fundraiser for The Door.  In 2011, life brought me halfway across the globe for three years and allowed me to collaborate with Professor Paws, also an Animal-Assisted Therapy program, and The University of Hong Kong.  I was not joking when I said any chance I got to work with dogs!

When the pandemic hit, I was waiting in a long line like every New Yorker to adopt a dog and I wanted to be more prepared before I welcomed one home this time around.   It only made sense for me to go deeper.  VSA’s program was everything I had hoped for minus the commute.  It felt much like my time in grad school, only this time I was immersed in the process of observing and understanding the fascinating development and behavior of canines while serving as the bridge in enhancing their exceptional connection with their humans.  Then it occurred to me that I’ve come full circle from my dog-sitting days!  As Buddha said, “Everything arrives on time.”

Now what happens when you add New York City and Google in the mix of Puppy raising?  Stimulation and Information overload!  I am here to help you simplify, customize, and balance the training process to your puppy’s and your household's needs with a mix of in-home and online support.  All puppies have unique personalities and needs just like humans. Keep in mind that a puppy’s attention span can be as short as 60 seconds or less.  Each in-home lesson may be a mix of training, coaching/support for the caretakers, and healthy socialization for the pup. The key is patience and practice like in any relationship.  I want to emphasize the importance of understanding that you are half of the equation of this special partnership with your pup.

In addition to basic cues, potty training (inside & outside if you have a small dog,) and setting up your space, I will show you how to: 
1. Desensitize your pup from the city stimulants and noises 
2. Be more Mindful of your surroundings from your pup’s eye level
3. Be a Good Neighbor
4. Get Everyone in your household on the same page 
5. Early preparation (small dogs) for traveling on buses, subways, trains and airplanes
6. Be Kinder to yourself

You may be wondering about my Therapy Practice… I am still treating my human clients with my assistant, Kermit, now a Therapy Dog Trainee.  I founded The Sacred Pup with the vision of pivoting to training puppies and coaching their caretakers while continuing my Therapy practice on the side.