Rome was built for reactive dogs.

Rome was started specifically for reactive and anxious dogs that don't do well with unfamiliar dogs, people, or environments. We're findings yards and other private spaces in Ballard for these dogs so they can still get safe, off-leash play. Caring for your special dog goes beyond exercise though! So, we've gathered all the high-quality trainers that we could find that cater to those specific needs. This is the first post of this series, and we're highlighting Christine of Wildwood Canine LLC!

Trainers for reactive and anxious dogs

Aggression in dogs is not the same as reactivity. For example, completely non-aggressive dogs may start reacting in a negative way specifically around other dogs that they don't know well. Reactive dogs are typically easily overly stimulated, and once they reach a certain level of stimulation, they're not able to regulate back down to a normal state. If you just learned that your dog is reactive, congrats! Learning that your dog is reactive is sometimes the hardest part of knowing how to manage your dog's behavior.

We mention this because all of the trainers in this series are specifically those who understand the nuances of reactive dogs, not aggressive dogs. Reactivity in dogs comes out in so many different ways, so it's important to work with someone who understands the nuances and can truly support you.

Christine | Wildwood Canine LLC

The basics

Certifications | CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, KPA-CTP, UW-AAB, Fear Free Pets, and more

Services | In-person coaching and training

Methods | Counter-conditioning and desensitization

Tools | No prong collars, no e-collars, head halters only if needed for safety

Experience with reactive or anxious dogs

History | Much of Christine's initial experience with behavior cases comes from shelter volunteer work on the behavior team at Seattle Animal Shelter. She spent four years at Seattle Animal Shelter, as well as over 9 years in training centers teaching classes and working with thousands of students and private clients one on one.

Type of reactivity | Dog-dog, human, environmental; also: overstimulation, trauma, rescue, re-homed

Case Study | Mabel, the rescue pittie from California

Mabel was rescued from the streets after escaping from an abusive environment. She was resilient and lovely, but needed help after an incident between her and another dog. Mabel was hyper-vigilant and extremely reactive on leash— a tough case, but her pet parents knew to trust the process and stick with it!

What the paw-rents had to say:

My entire household adores Christine. Any dog would benefit from training with Christine but she is especially talented at working with special needs dogs.

My husband and I adopted a pitbull that had reactivity and aggression due to fear. We didn't realize this though until about a month into having her. From the very first call with Christine it was clear that she had a passion for her work and compassion for dogs. She never made us feel bad or shamed us for not knowing what to do. Within a few months of Christine working with Mabel, we saw a huge improvement. Not only was the time with Christine wonderful (Christine is Mabel's favorite person) but she also gave us a ton of resources to help us work with Mabel on our own. I especially loved the recaps at the end of each session where she gave additional tips, resources and shared ideas. She also helped out with our 2nd dog here and there if she saw opportunities for us to adjust our approach.

We can't recommend Christine enough and we are so grateful for her thoughtfulness and compassion. We have a different dog today than we had originally and we are continuing to see progress. She is absolutely amazing and pup approved!

See Mabel in action with Christine!

More on Christine

Christine has her own two dogs who like to do scentwork and canine parkour! She's actively working creating hybrid online / in person classes suitable for every dog with content related to “Scent work for Confidence & Competition” and “Control Unleashed” by Leslie McDevitt.

How to work with Christine

Click here to visit Christine's website to learn more!

Christine has access to special rates for Rome bookings! If you're interested in using a Rome yard for a session with Christine, ask her for the discount code!