No Nonsense Dogs

   Susan has been working with dogs in San Francisco since 2007. Starting in group hikes, she began teaching basic obedience and recall to puppies and adult dogs alike. A handful of years later a client gave her the nickname "No Nonsense Susan" for her clear, direct approach with both dogs and humans. The nickname stuck and in April 2013 Susan founded No Nonsense Dogs on 4 tenets: safety, obedience, social skills and fun. 

   In late 2015, Susan began volunteering with her dog, Chedda Cheese, in an Animal Assisted Therapy program. The work they did together allowed her to see the healing power and benefits of a dog-human bond. The magic she witnessed drove her desire to give back further, and in 2017 and again in 2018 embarked on the raising and training of potential service dog puppies. By 2019 both dogs were placed as service dogs and continue to bring joy, comfort and companionship to their handlers. 

   The methods of training and problem solving Susan learned raising those dogs opened her eyes to the varied possibilities of dog training, and made her hungry to learn more. To expand her knowledge and develop her training skills further, Susan applied for and completed the Immersion Program at the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers in fall 2018. Susan strongly believes in setting every dog and client up for success with realistic expectations, clear communication and boundaries, management protocols, and tireless reinforcement. She incorporates basic training, impulse control, recall and reinforcement of appropriate social skills into all of her hikes, and brings all her knowledge, skill and experience to each and every dog she has the pleasure of working with.