MORE INFORMATION
Our training philosophy, our team, and how we can help
Our Training Philosophy
We exclusively use science-based, positive methods that reward desired behaviors rather than punishing mistakes. We believe that dogs learn best through encouragement, consistency, and clear communication—never through fear or intimidation
While basic manners are important, we focus on teaching dogs how to make good choices and problem-solve rather than simply obey commands. We aim to develop confident, thinking dogs who understand what's expected of them and choose to cooperate because it's rewarding.
We recognize that physical exercise is just one piece of the puzzle. Mental stimulation, appropriate socialization, and emotional well-being are equally important for raising a happy, resilient urban dog. Our programs incorporate all these elements to support complete canine development.
We view dog training not as a finite task but as an ongoing conversation throughout your dog's life. From puppy prep school to private lessons for senior dogs, we're committed to supporting your journey together from puppyhood through the golden years with age-appropriate activities and guidance.
Every dog is unique in their personality, learning style, and needs. We celebrate these differences and tailor our approaches to honor each dog's individual temperament rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all program.
The bond between you and your dog is the foundation for everything else. We coach humans as much as we train dogs, empowering you with skills to understand your dog's communication and strengthen your connection through everyday interactions.
Our Training Team
Surrounded by wonderful canines throughout her life, Mac’s pursuit of professional pet dog training became her sole focus and occupation in early 2009, when she graduated with honors from Jean Donaldson’s Academy for Dog Trainers (then in partnership with the San Francisco SPCA), and known globally as ‘the Harvard of dog training schools’.
Mac has a penchant for teaching, and seeing an unrivaled opportunity for learning, she returned to the SF SPCA almost immediately post graduation. As an intern, Mac contributed more than 300 volunteer hours coaching subsequent academy students, rehabilitating shelter dogs, teaching public classes and hosting socials, doing private consultations, conducting temperament assessments, dog-dog socialization sessions, and training SPCA volunteers.
Erin has worked with dogs for over 10 years. She brings a love of dogs and a wide perspective of the many aspects of what Bay Area dog life entails into her training. With the goal of preparing puppies and dogs for their best lives here in this unique place we call home, she has a special interest in cooperative care and helping adolescent pups learn the many necessary skills ranging from building confidence about town, to loose leash walking and recall – so important!
Erin has worn many hats when it comes to working with dogs. Her background includes grooming, dog sitting, dog walking, you name it! She won Best Pet Sitter in the Bay Area by Bay Woof in 2011. To launch into training, Erin began working at SF Puppy prep in 2020 and attended the Dog Training Internship Academy in 2021. She currently teaches classes at SF Puppy Prep and trains puppies at Outdoor Education SF.
Aishe began her career as a social worker and soon realized that she would rather be a canine social worker. Following her dream, Aishe graduated from the SF SPCA Dog Training Academy in 2002, followed by a postgraduate internship in curriculum development and instruction, and ultimately accepting a position as a trainer and teacher at the SF SFPCA.
In 2004, Aishe founded SF Puppy Prep in partnership with a fellow academy graduate. Aishe loves teaching and mentoring and is a self-described ‘people trainer who is dog obsessed.’ In 2017, Aishe handed the SF Puppy Prep reins to Mac but remains highly active on the Faculty of DTIA, teaching classes, hosting puppy socials at SF Puppy Prep, and conducting private sessions.
When not “officially” helping people with their dogs, fostering and supporting Muttville dogs, Aishe is likely at the park with her rescue
standard poodle, an exuberant adolescent named Stevie.
We conduct a thorough assessment before accepting any dog into our programs. This includes reviewing their vaccination records, reading through the comprehensive intake form, and discussing their temperament with you. For puppies and small dogs, we look for basic sociability. If we or you are unsure, we can set up one or more trial days to help us all decide what’s best for your puppy and you. For outdoor education, we assess their comfort level in various environments, including being crated and traveling in a car, since we need them to be able to ride safely as we take them to different parts of the city. If we identify any concerns, we’ll work with you to determine if our programs are suitable or suggest alternatives.
Safety is our top priority!
Puppies do NOT need full vaccines to join us. If you wait until they are fully vaccinated before exposing them to the outside world, you’ll miss their best opportunity for critical socialization. At the SF Puppy Prep facility in SOMA for our classes, socials, prep school, and daycare we:
To learn about the importance of socialization before vaccination, see the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s position statement.
At Outdoor Education around the city, we use secure equipment (front clip harnesses and long lines), and always have emergency protocols in place.
We do not use tools that can cause pain such as prong collars, slip leashes, or electronic “shock” collars as these are both ineffective teaching tools and also associated with a greater risk of injury for both dogs and handlers.
For our puppy prep school, we start accepting puppies at 8 weeks of age. We can be a little flexible on our upper age range depending on your puppy’s size and your goals for them, but as a guideline, we usually admit puppies no older than 18 weeks. This is because as puppies get older, their play styles, interests, and needs change. Just like human kids, older puppies can become frustrated if they have nobody their own age to interact with.
At Itty Bitty Doggy City daycare, we accept adolescent dogs from 18 weeks old, and have no upper age limit. Seniors are welcome! Our only requirement is that your dog weighs less than 20lbs, to minimize the risk of injury and make sure that even the littlest dog feels safe and confident enough to be themselves.
For Outdoor Education, we accept fully vaccinated puppies from 16 weeks old, because we will be working in high dog-traffic areas. Although our program is designed for puppies and adolescents, if you have an older dog you think could benefit from our outdoor education program, give us a call or email us at info@sfpuppyprep.com so we can discuss your options.
Unlike the daycares you might have used before, our puppy prep school and small dog daycare both incorporate structured learning with play and a commitment to positive, stress-free, dog-centered training and fun.
In puppy prep school, we focus on socialization, basic obedience training, and positive reinforcement-based training methods tailored specifically for developing puppies. Our program includes naptime, structured playtime where our puppy counselors actively help puppies listen to each other and choose to engage in play that’s fun for everyone, and age-appropriate activities designed to build confidence in a crucial developmental period.
For older dogs at Itty Bitty Dog City, we continually provide enriching new experiences, whether that’s a bacon flavored bubble machine. We can also work on addressing some known issues that your dogs may have, such as fear or reactivity towards certain objects. If you’d like us to work on something in particular, let us know so we can determine together if we have the tools to make it happen. If not, there’s always private training!
On your dog’s first day at prep school or Itty Bitty Doggy City, please bring a bag of the food you normally feed them at home, and any medications they need along with instructions on dosing and timing. We provide treats for training, but if your dog has allergies, you’re welcome to bring your own. Because we have strict sanitation procedures and some of our pups like to play hard, we don’t recommend that you bring any toys or blankets from home. For outdoor education and private training, we provide all activity equipment including harnesses and leashes. We recommend sending your dog to us in a flat collar with an identification tag.
In compliance with CA Assembly Bill 1901, we are happy to inform you that no civil judgements relating to our dog trainer’s services exist nor do any animal cruelty convictions against any of our employees exist.
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