Professional Dog Trainer

North Shore Dog Training at your home

Your Friendly North Shore Dog Trainer

Positive-Reinforcement Dog Trainer

The Mindful Dog’s training program is rooted in the belief that, through training, we can teach our dogs to become more mindful. A mindful dog tends to be happier, less impulsive, more thoughtful, better able to handle stress, and more fun to live with! As with mindfulness, the essence of good dog training lies in the art of attention. But teaching dogs to have better control over their attention invariably means that we must become more mindful ourselves. Just like us, dogs have to learn to pause and think, instead of behaving reactively and impulsively.

I believe in a Positive Reinforcement-based, whole dog approach to training. Rather than simply teaching dogs what we DON’T want them to do, good training should teach dogs what we DO want them to do instead. My training methods utilize findings from behavioral science and learning theory about how best to motivate dogs during training. I also believe in trying to understand the dog’s perspective as much as possible. Practical, lasting behavior change doesn’t happen with a “quick fix” approach to training. It happens when we look at a dog’s life as a whole, and strive to meet a dog’s needs for instinctual fulfillment, physical exercise, cognitive enrichment, and social fulfillment.
My approach to training involves hard work, but it’s also fun, and you’ll get out of it what you put into it. It is my hope that you and your dog will emerge from this experience with a closer bond and an improved ability to understand each other, armed with a practical set of commands and skills that will make life easier for both of you.

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Our Training Programs

How To Get A Mindful Dog

Does your dog demonstrate problematic behaviors such as barking/lunging while on leash, aggression towards other dogs, fearfulness, separation anxiety, or resource guarding? Whether your dog has significant behavioral problems, or you are simply hoping to get your new dog or puppy off to a good start, I am here to help.

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Professionally Trained

I graduated from Top Dog Training’s Apprenticeship Program before starting The Mindful Dog. There, I gained a wealth of practical experience addressing issues with puppies, rescue dogs, behavior problems, and more.

LIMA

I adhere to Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA-based) training methods and utilize the Humane Hierarchy when making training decisions. My training is based in positive reinforcement and takes into account the dog’s point of view.

APDT member

The Association of Professional Dog Trainers is an organization of professional trainers who are committed to becoming better trainers through education.

Modern Training Techniques

I strive to utilize only the most humane, effective, and science-based methods when training dogs.

COVID-19 Online Accessible

All in-person lessons are currently being conducted according to social distancing guidelines laid out by CDC and Massachusetts health authorities. I also offer lessons virtually.

IAABC member

The goals of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants are to standardize and support the practice of animal behavior consulting, to provide quality, evidence-based education and peer and supervising mentoring, and to provide resources for pet owners needing advice.

North Shore Dog Training Services

Located on the North Shore of Massachusetts, The Mindful Dog offers thoughtful, effective training for a variety of behavioral issues.

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The Mindful Dog

Mary Simon is a Professional Dog Trainer based in Nahant, Massachusetts.

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North Shore Pet Parents Love The Mindful Dog

We hired Mary for dog training after getting a new puppy, and did a 6-training lesson package to help get him off to a great start. She was a pleasure to work with, our dog adored ... Read More

-Becky S.

It was a pleasure working with Mary! She was professional and was very knowledgeable when working with us and our dogs. Although our two dogs were mostly friendly with one another,... Read More

-Caroline B.

Mary did a fantastic job working with our rescue puppy! She identified some fear issues, worked clearly with our dog (and us!) and we very quickly saw positive changes in our dog. ... Read More

-Ben F.

“Mary is AMAZING!! We rescued a 5 month old puppy that was found in the woods, had NO manners and was a huge challenge. Mary stepped in and worked with us for 5 weeks (and still... Read More

-Christina C.

“Mary has been such a great resource in training our very hyperactive Jack Russell mix. We were having problems with leash behavior- Maya (our dog) was barking a TON and sometime... Read More

-Jill B.

“I first met Mary the last week in December of 2019. Mary came to the house met my 8 year old mix pup and I and listened to my concerns. I was worried bc he was 8 it was too late... Read More

-Kelley T.