About Us
Our training is relationship-based, with a focus on structure, biological fulfillment and play. We believe in building a dog’s confidence through training, while providing appropriate outlets for their drive.
Philosophy
Valley Dog Training strives to help you develop a mutually beneficial relationship with your dog - where both your dog’s needs and your lifestyle requirements are met. We prioritize the overall wellness of your dog, and tailor all services to their unique personality.
Our training approach focuses on building clear communication and strong reward systems to improve the clarity and bond between you and your dog.
Leritza Ruiz
Owner/Trainer
Cynopraxis / LIMA Certified Trainer (IACP)
Professional Member - International Association of Canine Professionals
AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
Leritza has always loved dogs - evidenced by the scribbles in her kindergarten notebook of her dreams of becoming a dog walker. Years later in college, she joined a program where she learned how to train psychiatric service dogs.
Since then, she has worked as a professional dog hiker/handler and ran a day training program for pet dogs. She is passionate about improving the relationship between pet dogs and their families, and continuing to learn about dog behavior.
In her free time, Leritza enjoys competing in the dog sport GRC with her lab/coonhound mix Finn, and people-watching with her cat Mookie.
Education
Leritza has completed the Cynopraxis / LIMA Certification course, NePoPo® Service Dog Training School (Heart & Soul Dog Training) and the My Dog Camp course (Vermont Dog Pack).
She regularly attends continuing education seminars, to continue developing her skill set in order to provide the best care possible to Valley Dog Training clients.
-
The following are some of the continuing education courses Leritza has completed:
Play As A Primary Reinforcer Seminar (Paul Deschamps)
Playgroups Webinar (Dogs Playing For Life)
E-Collar Seminar (Pet & Working Dogs Kennel)
NePoPo® System & E-Collar Webinar (Adrienne Salome Forsythe)
NePoPo® Theory Webinar (Ideal Dog) x 2
Play As The Way & Weight Pull Seminar (Jay Jack)
Play As The Way & Social Responsibility Foundations Seminar (Jay Jack)
Intro to Bitework Workshop (Paul Deschamps)
Fearful Dogs Workshop (Training Between The Ears)
Intro to Barn Hunt Workshop (Lucky Dog Events)
Intro to Mondioring Obedience Workshop (Julie Blanding)
Practical Handling Webinar (Dogs Playing For Life)
NePoPo® Seminar (Hans Verbruggen)
On-Leash Reactivity Webinar (Dogs Playing For Life)
Mastering the Remote Collar (Tyler Muto)
Herm Sprenger Prong Collar Instructor Certificate (IACP)
Human Reactive Dogs Webinar (Dogs Playing For Life)
Cooperative Care Workshop (New England K9 Athlete)
Puppy Training & Handling Seminar (Hop River Shepherds)
Reading a Dog’s Emotional State Certification (K9 Lifeline)
Make Your Pet Somebody Course (Training Without Conflict)
Relaxation Triad Seminar (Training Between the Ears)
Focused Heeling Workshop (New England K9 Athlete)
Resource Guarding Rehab (Tyler Muto)
Leash Calming Workshop (Chad Mackin)
International Association of Canine Professionals 2023 Conference
Cynopraxis / Principles of LIMA Certification Course (Steven Lindsay)
Training Weekend Seminar (Forrest Micke)
Pet CPR & First Aid Course (Pet Tech)
NePoPo Webinar (Dominic Gotz & Michael Bishop)
E-Collar Seminar (Robin McFarlane)
