Ali is a phenomenal human to work with, and I cannot recommend them more!
Ali is especially gifted at working with high needs dogs using a fear free approach. I have a very complicated dog who we adopted as an adult from a shelter, and over the past 4 years have worked on and off with Ali to help us understand and overcome issues including reactivity, overstimulation, eating issues, incorporating calming enrichment into daily life, and identifying pain and injury. Ali has always been calm and curious to figure out how to best navigate each new challenge, including referring us to other trainers with specific specialties and veterinarian behaviorists when something fell outside her area of expertise. Complicated dog needs can be lonely and agonizing to navigate with all of the bad information out there, and I am so grateful we had Ali to help us love the dog we have and meet her needs. Through working with Ali, we went from early days of nonstop barking and stress to a cozy couch potato who enjoys walks in the neighborhood and hikes in the hills. We are very grateful!
— Lucy, Irene and Matt
I met Ali during her long line workshop at the East Bay SPCA. We had worked with trainers in the past (both virtual and in-person) and weren't actively looking for a new one. However I loved Ali's methodology and was interested in her "Day Training" program where she takes your dog for separate sessions before having transfer sessions with you and your dog. Our rescue dog is leash reactive to strangers and bikes/stuff on wheels, and we also wanted to improve overall engagement on walks. I figured some dedicated time with a trainer would help us progress a bit faster.
We feel SO lucky to have been able to work with Ali. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, in addition to being such a kind and thoughtful person. She was able to help our dog progress in a few months in a way that we hadn't been able to in over a year and a half of adoption. We learned so much from her as first time dog owners.
In addition, in one of our early sessions she flagged that our dog might have some pain/discomfort based on some of his behaviors. We did a Dynamic Dog assessment which we then brought to a veterinary behaviorist and vet, and they confirmed after some tests that our dog has hip dysplasia (and could be a part of why he is reactive). We are now in the process of managing that, but it would've been completely unknown to us without Ali's expert eye and assessment.
— Sam, Justin, and Bruno
Ali has done incredible work with my dog, Nillie. Ali has been working with Nillie for about a year now. Nillie is a sensitive and opinionated girl, and Ali has shown me that giving Nillie choices and listening to her, and really truly going at the pace she’s telling us she wants to go, is how we will meet our goals. Ali is incredibly skilled, and has been able to break down things into small steps that Nillie can handle while always giving her alternative choices and respecting those choices. Ali’s taught me a lot, and helped me have more moments of joy with Nillie. I’m so very grateful we get to work with Ali.
— Catie and Nillie
I have been a major dog nerd my whole life, but Ali has out-nerded me by far (in the best way!). Ali has been an incredible resource to me and my dog Louie, a 90 lb mastiff pittie mix, over the last couple years. I've consumed Ali's online materials, instagram, group classes, and 1:1 private training and have found all of them to be super informative, learner-driven, and compassionate. Ali is committed to learning and understanding how to care for our canine companions effectively and kindly, and then translating that to humans. She is my number 1 recommendation for dog guardians dealing with reactivity, stress, and behavioral challenges. And she makes learning fun!
— Meg and Louie
We are very grateful to have found Ali. Our dog can be very selective around new people and Ali took it slow and took the time to get to know him and what we wanted to get out of our training with her. She gave us actionable plans and step by step homework to work on in addition to our training sessions. I didn’t know anything about dog training before we got our pup but the way Ali explains things and breaks it down makes it feel simple. She never uses punishment or aversive tools (prong collar, shock collar) which was a non-negotiable for us. Instead she uses evidence based methods that are actually fun for our dog!
— Juniper, Anna and Anton
Ali is the *literal* best. I am extraordinarily grateful to her for helping me build a stronger, kinder and more nuanced relationship with my beloved dog honey. Ali helped us so much with honey's leash reactivity and dog aggression. Ali also helped craft games that I could do when I was having "low spoons" days and didn't have capacity to do a bunch of training outside. You will *not* regret working with Ali.
— Rachel and Honey
We worked with Ali in 2022. We had just invited Sheila, a "reactive" pitbull, to live with us. The shelter told us that Sheila didn't like men and could never be around another dog. We had already signed up to meet with a balanced trainer in SF, but in our guts, we knew that balanced training was not right for us. Thankfully, I saw Ali's posts on IG, where the dogs are joyful and comfortable.
We asked Ali to teach us R+ skills to give Sheila a happy life. We learned how to communicate with Sheila, how to be predictable for Sheila, let her set the pace and how to deal with day-to-day triggers together. The best part for us is that Ali is not just dog-focused; she works so well with people! Marina is a first-time pawrent and very uncoordinated; Ali was able to teach Marina how to use a clicker while handling a long line. :) We still use our lessons today, and continue to learn from Ali through her webinars, IG posts and links to other R+ trainers. Ali is the best thing that happened for our family.
— Sheila, Marina and Nate
We are so grateful we found Cory to help us and our anxious, high-energy pup, Lyra. We had tried many different training approaches and didn't feel like we were making progress. Cory was an absolute pleasure to work with, she was never judgemental and always encouraging. It's clear Cory has a ton of experience working with pups and she was able to tailor each of our training sessions to Lyra's mood and energy level.
She provided follow up summaries of our training sessions which were extremely helpful to remember and practice the things that we had learned. We (and Lyra) made so much progress over the past few months. We have built a new foundation of trust and communication that is really working! Friends and family have noticed she is less anxious, faster to settle, and everyone loves showering Lyra with hot dogs and cheese treats.
We understand so much better how to communicate with Lyra and how to encourage all the good behaviors we want her to repeat. There is still plenty we are working on but Cory gave us a ton of tools to keep making progress. We never could have done this without Cory (and hot dogs)!
— Kristen, Katie, and Lyra
I can't express enough gratitude for the incredible transformation ali has brought to our lives. Working with our two reactive pups seemed like an insurmountable challenge, but she approached it with unwavering patience, expertise, and dedication. Her tailored training techniques and compassionate understanding of our dogs' needs have been nothing short of miraculous.
Before, our walks were a constant source of stress and anxiety, with our heads on a swivel, bracing for reactive outbursts at every turn. Now, thanks to her guidance, we walk confidently and calmly past other dogs, truly enjoying our time together. Our dogs are happier and more relaxed, and we feel a deep sense of relief and joy.
She didn't just train our dogs; she empowered us with the tools and knowledge to continue fostering positive behaviors. Her impact has been profound, and our daily lives have improved immeasurably. We wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking a compassionate and skilled dog trainer. She has changed our lives, and we are forever grateful
— Brandie, Tim, Spaghetti, and Marzycielka
I started to work with Ali in the throes of our pup Arlo’s adolescence, which was feeling overwhelming and challenging for me. I wanted to create a stronger bond with Arlo and help him navigate loose leash walking, cooperative care, and interacting with the world (and all its inhabitants) in a more positive way. Finding a true positive, force free approach to training in the Central Valley was nonexistent. The hybrid approach that we took with Ali - homework assignments with feedback and in-person trainings in the East Bay sprinkled in over the course of a year - was a truly life-changing experience. Ali is thorough, well-organized, and professional. She made sure we had a thoughtful plan, but was flexible and open to incorporating new behaviors to work on as our training progressed. She’s understanding and encouraging, with timely feedback and praise (for Arlo and me).
Arlo and I feel confident in our skills and our growth as learners after our time with Ali. We now have the skills to tackle any behavior challenge that comes our way and we understand each other better. But the largest benefit to working with Up to Snuff was the impact training had on my whole family and our neighborhood community. We taught our family members how to better interact with him and I am a better advocate for my dog now. Arlo can enjoy an even better life than he did before because of our experience, and that’s the ultimate goal of training - to create a quality and joyful life for the short time our dogs are with us. If knowledge is power, then putting that knowledge into practice is empowering! And that is exactly what Ali helped us do.
— Arlo and Hauna
Ali is an incredible trainer and human! She leads with kindness in all that she does. Our dog is very shy and skeptical. Ali helped break everything down in a way that was understandable, supportive and "not scary" to our dog. She has helped our dog heal from her car phobia, helped prepare us for overwhelming neighborhood walks and enriched our dog's life in a multitude of ways. We have worked with several world renowned trainers and Ali blows them all out of the water.
— Carolyn and Chicken
We are so grateful to have found Ali when looking for help with our pandemic pup's nervousness around strangers and peculiar fear of going on walks with just one person. Ali helped us build the skills to manage Bandit's fears and taught us patience in meeting Bandit where he is. Through Ali's extensive knowledge, we've really noticed an increase in Bandit's confidence and our neighbors often stop to tell us what a good boy Bandit is and how they've noticed a change. Ali is extremely thoughtful, patient and knowledgeable and focuses not just on the dog's needs but the human's needs as well. We really enjoyed our time working with her and Ali has been a great support system for us even after our training sessions ended.
— Bandit, Angela and Chris
Just like any good (b)romance during a pandemic, I met Ali on the internet. I saw other people in the positive reinforcement community sharing Ali's posts on Instagram. Quite honestly, Ali's posts online just made sense in a way that many others had not. Ali has a way of breaking things down into their smaller parts that allow for the larger picture to be better understood, at least for my brain.
Ali’s ability to break things down into smaller parts also REALLY works well for my beloved previously feral street dog, Roxie. I started out with a dog I had no idea how to engage. She wouldn't respond to anything - even freshly cooked chicken - if there were any outside distractions. She was on the end of her leash pulling, lunging, completely lost in her own brain space. But, with Ali's help, now I have a dog who ACTUALLY HAPPILY LISTENS TO ME ON WALKS!! 🤯🤯🤯 She turns when I say her name. 🤯🤯 She has nearly perfect recall.🤯 My dog and I have such a better relationship with each other. In large part, because Ali started teaching me how to speak Roxie’s language. While I can't credit Ali with 100% of it, because I'm part of the picture, and Roxie is too, I do credit her with about 94% of my success.
Ali meets both you and your dog where you're at, she makes you feel seen, she validates everything you're going through, and helps you take a big breath, slow down your pace, and build an incredible relationship with your dog from a more grounded place. Roxie and I, we're big Ali fans forever.
— Roxie and Casey
We are so glad we worked with Ali to help our reactive rescue pup. Ali's positive reinforcement techniques helped us learn tools to better manage our dog's excitability. Ali also created homework for us to ensure we were working on training outside of the sessions. The homework and check-ins between our sessions helped us reinforce what we learned during our training sessions, and kept us accountable. Our dog also loved working with Ali, and was always excited to see her! She really cares about dogs and wants to make sure the training works for you and your family.
After we completed our training we had several guests compliment our dog's improved behavior. Many people who had met him before were surprised at how much he had changed. If we have any training needs in the future we won't hesitate to work with Ali again.
— Happy, Megan and Alex
Words cannot explain how formational working with Ali was for us. Jasper is a reactive dog, which mean he’s got lots of big feelings about basically everything around him. We felt extremely overwhelmed when we first adopted Jasper and had no idea of where to begin with our training. We began working with Ali and not only did she teach us about the importance of FF/R+ training, reframing our unfair expectations, AND help us foster Jasper’s confidence but she also took the time to build us up as pet owners and nurtured our confidence in our training and pet guardianship.
Working with Ali and utilizing the tools she has given us has helped our dog develop a positive curiosity for the world around him and simultaneously strengthened our relationship with him. Jasper has become equally curious and unbothered by many things that used to scare him. We are grateful for the practical/technical skills Ali taught us and for the ways she consistently encouraged and reminded us to give Jasper the freedom and autonomy to just be a dog.
— Jasper, Kim and Kathleen
Penny is a 75lb tornado of energy! Before we worked with Ali, we would often come back from a walk or hike feeling frustrated and defeated because “Penny didn’t listen.” After our very first session with Ali, our whole perspective of how to communicate with Penny changed. We realized that she was already giving us so many positive behaviors, and Ali gave us the tools we had been missing to capture those positives and build on them. I’m forever grateful we found Ali. Her knowledge, patience, and commitment to teaching us humans how to communicate with our animals has made our life with Penny so much more fun and rewarding!
— Penny, Kathleen, and Brandin
Ali worked with us on a situation with our dog that didn't have a straightforward solution and she handled it with ease. Quimet feels very conflicted towards her dad and she's been vocal about her unease, which stresses the whole family out. Ali gave us the tools to manage Quimet's big reactions. This made us feel like we were able to help Quimet as well as give her more agency with how she's approached. I'd highly recommend hiring Ali as your trainer if you want to develop a stronger bond with your dog -- she explains the reasoning behind all the strategies and makes it fun too! There is no way we would've gotten to where we are now without her help, and our gratitude grows every time we sit down for dinner in peace. We're all much happier now living under one roof!
— Quimet, Jen, and Adam
We had a great experience working with Ali and we highly recommend her as a dog trainer. Ali helped us with our dog’s reactivity towards people and other dogs. She taught us the tools we needed to help our dog be less reactive and we liked that she explained the evidence behind what she was teaching us. Overall, our dog has made great progress and we are thrilled with the results. We had a great time working with Ali and most importantly, our dog did too!
— Weasley, Mikaela, and Sam
TLDR - we LOVE Ali! Her approach to dog training is top notch. Ali truly takes the time to get to know your pup and the situations that you want to work on. She asks questions, digs into what you've tried before, and helps you understand your pup and their needs on a deeper level. For example, we approached Ali to work on Oshie's behaviors / reactions on walks. After meeting and working with Ali, we were equipped with knowledge to understand Oshie's needs. Oshie was getting excited when dogs or other people walked by because she wanted to be social. Now, we've incorporated social play into our walks so she wants to pay attention to us instead of other distractions. Ali helped us understand Oshie's needs and help us meet them in a way that met our goals. We have a better relationship with Oshie and a better understanding of how to be good dog parents because of her. THANK YOU ALI!
— Oshie, Taryn, and Sean
We really enjoyed our experience with Ali. She was very patient in teaching Murphy basic skills and was able to focus on more personalized training as the time went on when it came to his leash reactivity and barking. We both learned so much from Ali during our sessions and with the homework she gave us. The progress I witnessed in Murphy was so impressive. We would highly recommend positive reinforcement training to anyone and especially with Ali! I learned so much as a dog owner and Murphy and I are forever grateful for her!
— Murphy and Valerie
Ali was recommended to us by a friend, and after speaking to her on the phone the first time, we knew she would be a great fit for our family dog training. Ali is incredibly transparent, communicative, and research driven- something we loved about her approach to dog training! She quickly bonded with our dog, Lottie, and with us, and made our training sessions a family activity we looked forward to throughout the week. After just one session, we noticed a difference in Lottie who often had strong opinions about what she did and did not want to do, which made walking her difficult at times. On day one, we reframed our entire approach to our relationship with Lottie and made walking a game that we all enjoyed playing. Suddenly, Lottie was “checking-in” with us, checking-in with her environment, and overall seemed to be happier and more fulfilled. Every step of the way Ali answered our questions, provided articles and research to support what we were learning, and took a real interest in Lottie and our life together! Ali provided feedback that was incredibly supportive and never critical or judgmental, and even helped us work on our relationship and differences in “dog parenting” (an added bonus!). Ali’s problem-solving skills, empathetic nature, timeliness, and sense of responsibility to the dogs she is working with far surpassed any trainer or dog professional we worked with previously. We could not recommend Ali more and are so excited for all the dogs and family’s lives she will enrich.
— Lottie, Zoey, and Emily
We cannot say enough good things about working with Ali. Not only did Ali take the time to get to know our pup Tippy, but she took the time to get to know us dog guardians as well. Working with Ali wasn't merely training with a goal of obedience. Rather it was a process of learning about Tippy and how to meet her needs, the scientific evidence about why positive reinforcement-based approaches are best, and learning to articulate our goals as dog guardians. Together we all made a plan to align Tippy's needs with our goals. Ali validated the challenges of raising a puppy, and gave us the tools we needed to navigate through all of Tippy's highs and lows. We use the skills Ali taught us everyday, and are so thrilled to say Tippy continues to grow into a fun, loving, and adventurous pup.
— Tippy, Victoria, and Tori
I sought Ali out to help my dog from reacting to the outside world and after a handful of weeks, we walked away with so much more. Not only did we learn some fun ways to help him succeed out in the world with less stress, but I learned how to support my dog and read his cues to help provide environments he succeeds in and stay clear of environments that he won’t. With that trust and foundation built he listens more eagerly and trust my requests of him which makes us both happier.