Reactive Dog Training in San Francisco and everywhere online

When walks feel like something to survive rather than enjoy, it’s time to get some real support.

You know the drill before you even leave the building. You’re already scanning the street, checking for other dogs, planning your route around the ones that feel safest. You’ve got your dog on a tight leash, your heart rate is up, and you’re braced for what might happen. And when it does, and your dog explodes into barking and lunging, you feel that horrible mix of embarrassment, helplessness and exhaustion all at once. The looks from other people don’t help. Neither does the well-meaning advice from strangers who have absolutely no idea what you’re actually dealing with.

If your dog is reactive, you already know that this isn’t just about the walks. It bleeds into everything. The anxiety of having guests over, the stress of living in a busy neighborhood, the guilt of wondering if you’re doing enough, or doing it wrong. It’s a lot to carry. And most people are carrying it alone.

That’s where I come in. I’m Lindsay, a certified dog behavior consultant based in San Francisco, and I work with reactive, anxious and fearful dogs and their people both locally and online.

Your dog isn’t bad. They’re struggling. And so are you.

Reactive dogs are some of the most misunderstood dogs out there. The barking, the lunging, the snapping, the spinning at the end of the leash. To the outside world it can look like aggression, like a dangerous dog, like a failure of training. But what I see when I work with these dogs is something very different. I see a dog who is overwhelmed, scared, or desperately trying to communicate something that nobody has helped them find another way to express yet.

Reactivity shows up in all kinds of ways. It might be your dog losing their mind at other dogs on leash, or reacting to cyclists and skateboarders, or barking at every noise in the building, or shutting down completely on busy streets. It might be snapping at strangers who get too close, or nipping at the neighbor, or being described by your vet as aggressive. Whatever it looks like for your dog, the behaviour is telling us something. And my job is to help you both figure out what that is, and what to do about it.

get help today

Both ends of the leash need support

This is something I feel really strongly about. When a dog is struggling, the person on the other end of the leash is struggling too. And yet so much of traditional dog training puts all the focus on the dog and leaves the human feeling confused, judged, or just handed a list of instructions with no real understanding of why any of it works.

That’s not how I work. I want you to genuinely understand your dog. What’s driving the behaviour, what your dog actually needs to feel safe, what’s been making things harder without you even realizing it, and how you can start to make things better in a way that actually fits your real life. Not a one size fits all training plan, not a programme designed for a different dog with different needs, but a clear and personalized path forward that makes sense for you and your dog specifically.

My approach is force free and rooted in positive reinforcement. That means no punishment, no intimidation, no tools designed to cause pain or discomfort. Just evidence-based methods that actually work, and that you’ll actually feel good about using. I work with a lot of people who have had bad experiences with punitive trainers in the past, and I want you to know that if that’s you, you are safe here. We do things very differently.

I look at the whole picture. The environment your dog is living in, the things that are triggering them, their health, their history, their enrichment needs, the management strategies that can bring immediate relief, and the longer term work that builds real and lasting change. I work in collaboration with your dog’s wider care team too, whether that’s your vet, a veterinary behaviorist, or anyone else supporting your dog’s wellbeing.

I know what it feels like to be at the end of your rope with a reactive dog. I’ve been exactly where you are. The shame of feeling like you’re the problem, the despair of not knowing how to help your dog, the awful experience of reaching out for help and being made to feel even worse. I started Good Dog Happy Dog because of my own dog, and because I know how transformative it is when you finally find the right support. That’s what I want to give you.

This is for you if…

Your dog reacts to other dogs, people, bikes, noises, or pretty much everything

You’ve tried things before that didn’t work, or that didn’t feel right, and you’re looking for a different approach

You want to actually understand your dog’s behaviour, not just suppress it

You want to bring joy back into your relationship with your dog, and you know that takes real work and real time

You’re a dedicated guardian who is in this for the long haul, not looking for a quick fix

This service is not the right fit if you’re looking for a basic obedience class or a quick one-off session. The dogs I work with need individualized, ongoing support. And their people do too.

☆☆☆☆☆

“Lindsay is the best! It’s clear she really loves what she does and worked to understand my dog’s particular anxieties. She helped with my dog’s reactivity to skateboards and scooters so our walks are now much less stressful. I always look forward to our training sessions. Highly recommend!”

“We cannot recommend Lindsay enough! She taught us practical and effective techniques that transformed how we handle stressful encounters. Beyond reactivity, Lindsay helped us with separation issues because she understood our dog and his needs. If you are looking for a trainer who uses positive, science-based methods, she is the best!”

“Wow, our experience with Lindsay was truly so remarkable. She is a dog whisperer, using the most kind and gentle methods to help our boy shine. Working with her gave him, and more importantly us, so much more confidence. A true 10/10 experience.”

A few questions I get asked a lot

Is working online really as effective as in-person training for reactive dogs?

Actually, for reactive and anxious dogs, starting online is not just as effective, it’s often better. Having a stranger enter your dog’s home or walk them into a new environment can cause real stress and set back the work before it’s even begun. Starting online means your dog stays in their safe space while we get to work on understanding what they need. It’s the gold standard of care for dogs with these kinds of behaviours, and it’s something I feel really strongly about. You can read more about why in my blog.

Do you work with dogs who have a bite history or have been labelled aggressive?

Yes, absolutely. I don’t have restrictions on dogs with bite histories and I don’t write dogs off based on a label. I work with some of the most complex behavioural cases in San Francisco and online, always with safety for everyone at the forefront of how we approach things

What if we've already tried training and it didn't work?

This is one of the most common things I hear. A lot of people come to me after group classes, board and train programmes, or other trainers that didn’t get to the root of what was actually going on. My approach as a certified behavior consultant goes well beyond standard training. We’re looking at the whole dog, the whole environment, and the whole relationship. A fresh set of eyes and a genuinely individualized plan can make an enormous difference.

Ready to find out how we work together?

All 1:1 Behavior Work starts with an initial consultation. Just you, me, and a real conversation about your dog and everything that’s going on. No judgment, no pressure, just clarity and a path forward that you can actually feel good about.

See how 1:1 Behavior Work works