Sydney Donofrio CPDT-KA
I’m a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and the owner of Treasured Creatures, a dog training company in Cincinnati. My dog training methods are positive reinforcement and management based, and I don’t use harsh punishment methods. Dogs learn best when training is enjoyable and focuses on teaching them what to do rather than what not to do!
Along with training dogs for Treasured Creatures, I also volunteer my time to the Cincinnati SPCA. I walk dogs at the shelter, and when I meet a dog that would benefit from training I go back to the shelter and work with that dog. My goal when working with shelter dogs is to change their behavior in a way that will help them get adopted.
Prior to starting Treasured Creatures in early 2022, I worked as a dog trainer for two years. I started my professional dog training career by answering customer questions and teaching dog training classes at a pet supplies store. After that, I worked at a dog day school, where I trained dogs to perform basic obedience behaviors like “stay” and “leave it” and worked on behavioral issues such as excessive play biting, jumping on people, counter surfing, mild fear/anxiety, and resistance towards grooming and other body handling.
In 2017, I earned degrees in Behavioral Biology and Psychology from Johns Hopkins University. That same year, I brought a miniature goldendoodle into my life and named her Bella. In college, I had spent time training bats for research studies, but Hopkins didn’t have a dog training class. I wanted to train Bella to the best of my ability, so I started studying dog training. The more I learned about dog training and worked on training Bella, the more passionate I became about learning more and honing my training skills.
I soon realized that I wanted to become a professional dog trainer, so I took CATCH’s Master Dog Training Course and learned so much more about training dogs and reading dog body language. After my formal education, I continued to learn more about dogs and how to train them through my experiences as well as my continued independent study.
My academic background and experience working with clients, both dog and human, make me an excellent resource for dog owners. Check out my blog or visit my dog training business home page, where you can learn about my four week dog training program. Click here to contact me.
Sydney Donofrio CPDT-KA
I’m a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and the owner of Treasured Creatures, a dog training company in Cincinnati. My dog training methods are positive reinforcement and management based, and I don’t use harsh punishment methods. Dogs learn best when training is enjoyable and focuses on teaching them what to do rather than what not to do!
Along with training dogs for Treasured Creatures, I also volunteer my time to the Cincinnati SPCA. I walk dogs at the shelter, and when I meet a dog that would benefit from training I go back to the shelter and work with that dog. My goal when working with shelter dogs is to change their behavior in a way that will help them get adopted.
Prior to starting Treasured Creatures in early 2022, I worked as a dog trainer for two years. I started my professional dog training career by answering customer questions and teaching dog training classes at a pet supplies store. After that, I worked at a dog day school, where I trained dogs to perform basic obedience behaviors like “stay” and “leave it” and worked on behavioral issues such as excessive play biting, jumping on people, counter surfing, mild fear/anxiety, and resistance towards grooming and other body handling.
In 2017, I earned degrees in Behavioral Biology and Psychology from Johns Hopkins University. That same year, I brought a miniature goldendoodle into my life and named her Bella. In college, I had spent time training bats for research studies, but Hopkins didn’t have a dog training class. I wanted to train Bella to the best of my ability, so I started studying dog training. The more I learned about dog training and worked on training Bella, the more passionate I became about learning more and honing my training skills.
I soon realized that I wanted to become a professional dog trainer, so I took CATCH’s Master Dog Training Course and learned so much more about training dogs and reading dog body language. After my formal education, I continued to learn more about dogs and how to train them through my experiences as well as my continued independent study.
My academic background and experience working with clients, both dog and human, make me an excellent resource for dog owners. Check out my blog or visit my dog training business home page, where you can learn about my four week dog training program. Click here to contact me.
Bella
My six year old miniature goldendoodle, Bella, came into my life as an unruly, uneducated puppy when I was just starting to apply my understanding of animal behavior to dog training. We have taught each other a lot since then!
I trained Bella to perform basic commands as well as fun tricks like jumping through a hoop, and she showed me how effective and fun positive reinforcement training methods can be. I taught her good manners like walking on a leash without pulling and waiting for permission to go through doorways, and Bella helped me develop my technical skills as a dog trainer.
I taught Bella fun games like sniffing out a food reward and advanced tasks like finding all her toys and placing them in her toy basket. Bella showed me how important mental stimulation is to keeping a dog happy and mentally healthy.
Bella made clear to me that she hated grooming by exhibiting threatening behavior the first time I used hair clippers on her. I used positive reinforcement to gradually get her comfortable with grooming, and now she is still and compliant every time I groom her. Bella showed me how positive reinforcement can be used instead of force to get chores like grooming done in a way that is more pleasant for both of us.
I gave Bella a life free of harsh punishment and full of rewards for good behavior. Bella showed me how strong the bond between owner and dog becomes when the owner uses positive reinforcement training methods.
Bella
My 6 year old miniature goldendoodle, Bella, came into my life as an unruly, uneducated puppy when I was just starting to apply my understanding of animal behavior to dog training. We have taught each other a lot since then!
I trained Bella to perform basic commands as well as fun tricks like jumping through a hoop, and she showed me how effective and fun positive reinforcement training methods can be. I taught her good manners like walking on a leash without pulling and waiting for permission to go through doorways, and Bella helped me develop my technical skills as a dog trainer.
I taught Bella fun games like sniffing out a food reward and advanced tasks like finding all her toys and placing them in her toy basket. Bella showed me how important mental stimulation is to keeping a dog happy and mentally healthy.
Bella made clear to me that she hated grooming by exhibiting threatening behavior the first time I used hair clippers on her. I used positive reinforcement to gradually get her comfortable with grooming, and now she is still and compliant every time I groom her. Bella showed me how positive reinforcement can be used instead of force to get chores like grooming done in a way that is more pleasant for both of us.
I gave Bella a life free of harsh punishment and full of rewards for good behavior. Bella showed me how strong the bond between owner and dog becomes when the owner uses positive reinforcement training methods.