About Me
Philosophy
I believe that our dogs are our best friends and our family. They are welcome on the couch, on your bed, wherever makes you happy so long as they respect you. I will never use the word dominant or alpha as I wouldn’t want to have a relationship with any dog where they feared me, but I do demand a relationship where they respect me. I want the same for you. As your trainer, I will teach you how to create clear boundaries for your dog and have them see you as a source of confidence and protection. We will be focusing on teaching your dog what we want them to do, rather than what we don’t want them to do. We will teach them alternative behaviors for the naughty things they are doing now. I am positively reinforcement based, using a ton of food, praise, and pets to create obedient but happy dogs. I follow the LIMA philosophy, standing for least invasive and minimally intrusive. Meaning, if a correction needs to be introduced, it will be the least aversive one that is appropriate for your dog. Not all dogs are the same and not all dogs should be trained the same way. I promise to train your dog in a way that fits their particular temperament. My goal is to always build them up.
If you jive with this, I would love to schedule a consultation.
My Story
Hi there! My name is Erica Bocchino and if you are reading this, I am hoping to be your and your dog’s new trainer and behavior consultant.
I knew I wanted to train animals since my first Sea World show at 7 years old. After training various species while interning at three zoos, a dog kennel, and a dolphin training facility, I knew my path was meant to be with dogs. My first dog training job was working for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, where I spent three years creating the foundation of what I know now. There, I worked with roughly 20 trainers, seeing many different handling styles and learning techniques from each one of them. Freedom Service Dogs brought me to Colorado. I learned to quickly evaluate dogs as we would pull them from shelters to train them to be service dogs for people with various special needs. Most recently, I worked at a vet hospital, daycare, boarding, training, and grooming facility for 7 years. As the Dog Training Manager, I assisted other trainers with their more challenging cases as well as trained roughly 35 of my own dogs each week. Due to the nature of the facility and my position, I was most often working with dogs with aggression towards other dogs, humans, veterinarians, and groomers.
In 2023, I opened Treat and Repeat Dog Training, my own dog training business. I am excited to have you interested in my services!
I love watching your dogs grow, transform into better versions of themselves, gain confidence, and learn new things. I become invested in you and your dog, there to support you throughout your dog training journey.
