Our Story

The Balanced Canine all began because I was struggling to train my second dog, Ace - a German Shepherd with no food or toy drive. I spent days researching how to train dogs before coming to the conclusion that there was no single “correct way” to train a dog. My research led to coutnless ways to reward a dog, but I was still at a loss in training a dog that didn’t like food! I stumbled upon several Instagram accounts of trainers using “balanced” training methods. As I studied these trainers’ accounts, I became familiar with operant conditioning - the use of rewards AND punishment to modify behavior. I spent the better part of 2 years studying these trainers and doing my own research on balanced dog training.

In 2017, I decided to give it a try with a few friends’ dogs and family members’ dogs. With the success my “clients” were yielding from my guidance when their own internet research left them hopeless, I went for the big deal and officially started my business in the summer of 2018. My personal dog, Grayson, has been through every step of my journey - even my mistakes! I have learned in person from a trainer I admire and respect - Amy Pishner of Valor K9 Academy. I’ve done virtual lessons with dogs I have owned through Sonoma County K9 in California, and I have learned from many other trainers online.

In 2022 I had to rebuild my business from what seemed like the ground up. Thanks to faithful clients that awaited my availability to open up and offer boarding again, business took off and I am thrilled to be able to offer help to dog owners who have troubled dogs!

How we do it.

We eveluate every dog we work with - usually in our first lesson, but sometimes a special evaluation is required to assess aggression.

We begin all training programs, both in person and in board and train, with teaching the dog how to relax. We also pair these exercises with structure and manners as well as incorporating play and exercise. Once we start to see progress, we layer obedience training. Obedience is taught using positive reinforcement (the addition of a reward) or negative punishment (the removal of leash pressure) if the dog won’t take treats. Once basic obedience skills are practiced to an 80% success rate, we add simple distractions and challenges before we layer training collars.

Our end goal is for the dog to have an understanding of our expectations and to have the ability to make good choices as a result of our training.

Meet the Team

  • Ariel Clouse

    FOUNDER | OWNER | LEAD TRAINER

    She has a unique passion for dogs and making sure they live their best life.