About Golden Touch, Inc.

What they do

Golden Touch organizes itself around a framework of its own making, the PAWS method: Presence, Awareness, Wisdom, Structure. The company's pitch is that most families "don't need to learn more commands. They need structure, clarity and calm leadership," and that the work is about "the nervous system behind the behavior – not just obedience."

Its published offerings include **K9 scent detection**, an **aquatic center**, **specialty boarding**, **PAWS Service Dog Foundations** and service dog sponsorship, PAWS training programs, an eight-week coaching program, a puppy boot camp, and corporate leadership training built on the same four principles. The Golden Touch Institute runs through remote learning and Zoom mentorship, so participants join from across the United States and from other countries; mentorship and Institute participation are offered in both English and Spanish, with John Fano providing the Spanish-language support.

The company is also a breeder of English Cream Golden Retrievers and Welsh Springer Spaniels from imported European lines, health-tested with DNA panels for genetic diseases and OFA or PennHIP evaluations, with puppies sold under a health guarantee against genetic defects.

How they frame the problem

The site opens with a list of the moments that bring families in: a puppy that comes out of the crate and immediately grabs shoes or rugs, a walk that feels like being pulled down the street, a switch from calm to wild biting or zoomies, a crate cycle of barking, whining or frantic scratching, a dog that settles only after complete exhaustion, family members each handling the dog differently, and a dog that behaves well for one person and ignores another. The stated diagnosis is that by the time owners arrive they are "not looking for another trick" but for clarity and structure.

Who runs it

Jennifer Fano is the author and course creator of the PAWS programs, and describes herself as a certified NLP practitioner, life and success coach, professional service dog trainer, and breeder of Golden Retrievers and Welsh Springer Spaniels. She grew up in a family that raised Golden Retrievers and names Crumpet as the first dog she ever trained. John Fano co-founded the company and supports program development, corporate training, leadership coaching and behind-the-scenes strategy, and provides the bilingual support.

Credentials

No dog-training certification is claimed in the company's text, and the coaching credentials it does name sit outside the training trade, so this profile records none.

Practical detail

Appomattox, Virginia; hours by appointment only. The site links out to its Google reviews rather than reproducing them.