Who we are

After working with Bridget to enrich and ease the lives of dogs and their people for many years, I (Lisa) branched out on my own and started Valley Wags in 2023. When I was ready to start a training program, Bridget asked to join as the Certified Behavior Consultant for the business. What has happened since then has been a wonderful journey, taken together as coworkers, peers, & close friends.

We have a deep love for this community and have been living and training in it for well over a decade. Our methods are informed and shaped by canine ethology (the study of behavior in domesticated dogs) and we are committed to implementing positive reinforcement, fear-free methods in our training. Professional & personal growth are important to us & we are constantly pursuing opportunities to attend workshops & seminars to widen our education on dog training & people coaching.

Focusing on meeting your dog’s individual needs as a species comes before what many people think of when they think of “training”. In reality, your dog is constantly learning from you and their environment and is adjusting their behavior accordingly. It’s certain there are habits of your own you will need to change in order to see changes in your dog.

Why are we largely “facility free”? From puppies to parkour, from reactivity to manners, from nosework to cooperative care, we are both seasoned instructors of group training classes. Over the years, we consistently saw students experiencing a disconnect when they tried to replicate class exercises at home. So, since inception, Valley Wags has been holding most group classes in the real world rather than in a controlled facility. Utilizing local parks and other dog friendly locations has allowed for real-time application and adjustment of training exercises, along with a huge increase in client comprehension. We do reserve indoor classes for very young puppies, most Foundations- Level 1 classes, and Fitness/Cooperative Care practice sessions. West Hills Healing Center generously donates the use of their facility on Sunday evenings for this.

2026 has been a year of tremendous growth for us, adding two additional trainers to the team. Carmen & Kimia bring perspectives from the Guide Dog world, academic world, and (surprise) more from the dog training world! We are thrilled to have them.

We aim to have a tremendous amount of fun together and we value creating lasting relationships with our clients and their four-legged companions. We are excited to work with you!