About Paws for Thought Dog Training Jersey City

What they offer

Paws for Thought is a New York City and New Jersey training team, and its New Jersey side covers Jersey City, Hoboken and Union City with in-home private sessions. The site lists puppy training (potty training, bite inhibition, socialization, leash basics), adult dog training (obedience, leash manners, recall) and behavior modification for reactivity, fear, resource guarding and noise sensitivity. It also offers Homeschool, where a trainer comes to your home and works with your dog while you are out, and a virtual separation anxiety program built on gradual desensitization, with weekday homework plans and weekly video check-ins. Virtual sessions are open to anyone outside the in-home areas.

How it works

New clients start with a free consultation call and then an initial package of sessions. The site says every session comes with written training plans, skill walk-throughs and reference videos, and clients get direct access to their trainer between visits. Its training is described as reward-based and rooted in science, following LIMA and force-free principles, without the use of corrections.

Who runs it

Erin Whelan is the trainer named for the New Jersey area. Her profile lists CPDT-KA, CSAP-BC and SFTD-CPT credentials and says she specializes in fear, anxiety, aggression, leash reactivity, resource guarding and cooperative care. The company was founded by Maddie Messina, an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist.