About Designing Dogs

Behavior Over Commands

Alan Finn's Designing Dogs in Old Forge, Pennsylvania is led by Alan Finn, who the site says has over 30 years of experience teaching owners how to be consistent with their dogs. The approach centers on raising a well-behaved dog rather than just teaching commands. As the site puts it, "Teaching your dog commands like sit, down, come, heel, and stay does not make a good dog" — the goal instead is "a dog with a sound mind to have a well behaved dog."

Training Approach

The stated philosophy explicitly avoids the use of food, violence, or fear, emphasizing consistency and developing the dog's overall temperament and decision-making. Owners are guided to be consistent so the behavior carries over into everyday life.

Services listed on the site include obedience classes and private consultations. The site does not specify formal certifications or the exact setting in which services are delivered, so owners may wish to confirm those details directly. For households in the Old Forge area looking for an experience-driven, low-pressure obedience approach, this listing reflects what the business states about its methods and background.