Today we’d like to introduce you to Elise Mountain
Hi Elise, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Thanks for having me! Ever since I was little, I had a great love for animals. I started out by taking horseback riding lessons, but when that became too expensive for my family, I began to research dogs. My family had a Mini Schnauzer who was too reactive to ever be involved in any dog sports, so I actively tried to go to as many dog shows, dog adoption events, and pet stores as I could in the hopes that I could meet as many breeds as possible. When I was 10 years old, I was approached by a lady at a dog show who bred and showed her own Toy Fox Terriers (a breed my family was considering to own at the time), but who needed someone to handle them in dog shows for her. This started my dog career. Since then, I have handled dogs in the sport of Rally, put in 3 years of volunteer work at Helen Woodward Animal Shelter, worked as a mobile dog groomer, worked as a professional dog walker and dog sitter, and completed dog training school at Pro Train in Vista, which helped me to become an internationally certified professional dog trainer.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve faced many of the same struggles other small business owners have faced; from financial struggles, to hate on online platforms, to finding the right clients. One of my main struggles that I faced just starting out, was trying to create my own style of training dogs. There are two main types of dog trainers: purely positive and balanced dog trainers. I am a balanced dog trainer, which means that I use both rewards and corrections (only when necessary) when I train dogs.
Finding a middle ground in dog training techniques that was both fair and ethical to the dogs and to their owners, while also producing consistent and successful results, was very challenging.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a private dog trainer that serves most areas of San Diego County. I offer obedience training, puppy training, and behavior modification: everything from aggression to pulling on the leash.
There are three things that set my business apart from other dog training businesses in San Diego: price, education, and customer service.
Professional dog training is expensive, there’s really no way around it. However, to my knowledge, I am the most affordable private dog trainer in San Diego. I wanted to give people who really need dog training but might not be able to pay as high of a price, a chance to get their dog professionally trained. I offer free 20 minute consultations and after that, I offer discounts on packages if a client commits to 4, 6, or 8 lessons with me.
I’m also the only trainer in San Diego (that I know of) who offers a free 30 min educational session on every dog training package. All those years of researching dogs as a kid has resulted in me having a lot of important knowledge about dogs that most dogs owners, and even some trainers, may not know. In this session, we go over how to read dog body language, dog health, care, and how to correct a dog safely and effectively. Everyone who participates in this session gets an educational booklet that I made.
Lastly, I have worked in customer service for almost ten years. I spent two years as a server in Del Mar, so I have worked with many types of customers. The majority of dog trainers out there have very little customer service experience and only have dog experience. I value both dogs and their owners, and I focus on providing the best possible results for all humans and dogs involved in the training.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
During and after Covid, I started seeing a lot of dogs getting anxiety, separation anxiety, and other behavioral problems. Unfortunately, what happened was that during the lockdown many people adopted dogs and spent all their time with them. Which meant never, ever leaving them alone. So when the lockdown ended, these dogs who had never been left alone were suddenly left by themselves for 8 hours at a time and they started developing behavioral issues like separation anxiety. The biggest lesson I learned from Covid would be that no matter what your present circumstances are, you still have a responsibility as a dog owner to make sure that your dog lives a happy, balanced lifestyle. This includes having your dog spend time with you, and also having your dog spend time away from you; which prevents behaviors like separation anxiety from forming. And if you still need help creating that balanced, healthy lifestyle for your dog, reach out to me anytime!
Pricing:
- 85 per session
- 290 for 4
- 435 for 6
- 575 for 8
- Free consultations
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.peacefulpupsdogtraining.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peacefulpupsdogtraining/?locale=zh-TW&hl=am-et
