​The Gold Standard In Positive Dog Training
Belleville, Trenton, Quinte West & Hastings County
Norma Jeanne Laurette and Greg Ceci are 100% positive dog trainers
and published authors, with four books published so far, 30 years experience,
over 7000 classes ​taught and 1000 private consultations under their belts. 

About Our Training

The most important learning period in your dog’s life for training/socialization is between 7 and 16 weeks of age. You'll accomplish the most gains during this early puppy imprint period. Your dog’s behaviour, personality and social skills are literally imprinted during this time. How you choose to train and socialize your dog is pivotal to your dog’s temperament and behaviour for the rest of its life.

It's been scientifically proven that punishment causes stress, anxiety and/or fear and that these emotions inhibit a dog's ability to think, learn, remember, problem solve and make choices. Therefore, reprimands of any kind are clearly counter-productive to the learning process. And in many cases the dogs develop other behaviour issues and can become unpredictable, reactive and aggressive. It's important to remember that stress, anxiety and fear are at the root of all aggressive behaviour, even with humans.

The Dominance or Pack Leader Theory has no scientific basis, is outdated and has been debunked by all the dog world's most respected dog behaviourists. The associated techniques are archaic and in many cases physically and/or emotionally abusive. Balanced training includes both reinforcement and punishment, which confuses and stresses the dog because it can't predict whether something good or bad is about to happen. This too is counter-productive.

However, positive does not mean permissive - there must be consequences for incorrect choices however, there's no need or excuse for the use of intimidation, fear, discomfort, pain or reprimands of any kind.​ Instead we use resource control by ignoring demands and requiring our dogs to earn what they value, which creates a dog pro-actively offering desired behaviours. The great news is that positive training works, we've spent the last 35 years proving it!

​Positive training through resource control works far better than any punishment or reprimand can. Best of all, it nurtures the human/canine trust bond and the protects the dog's temperament and emotional well-being. Reprimands damage that bond and lead to a myriad of behaviour problems. If you're doing it right, dog training should be fun for both the dogs and their guardians. Besides, we want companions not slaves.

​The key to a great tempered, resilient, happy, well adjusted and well behaved dog is early positive training and guided socialization.

About Norma Jeanne

Norma Jeanne began private training in 1989 and opened Puppy Power, the first positive dog training facility in Kitchener, Ontario in 1992.

Having taught over 7000 classes and rehabilitated hundreds of dogs, and utilizing years of study including over one hundred canine behaviour, aggression, training and animal sciences courses, lectures, seminars, workshops, conferences and symposiums, Norma Jeanne created the Canine Correspondence Studies (CCS) professional dog trainer certification program in 1994. CCS currently has over 700 students and graduates across 17 countries. It remains the original and most comprehensive dog trainer certification course available.

Norma Jeanne is founder and Chair of IPDTA – International Positive Dog Training Association.  She was a columnist and Editor in Chief for CAPPDT (Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers), columnist for Pets & Animals magazine, and has been published in Animal Wellness, Dogster magazine and other publications.  She has lectured at CAPPDT and IPDTA Conferences, Camp Dog Wood – Barrie and Ottawa, Lions Foundation Scent Detector Dogs Oakville, the Chienposium at the University Of Montreal and many other venues. 

Norma Jeanne’s innovative approach to dog training has been featured in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, on television and radio.

About Greg

Greg loves dogs a lot and is often heard remarking that he aspires to be more like his dogs every day - which he believes to be a righteous goal. Greg specialized in off leash pack hiking as well as fearful and aggressive dog rehabilitation and often took on dogs other trainers found too dangerous and wouldn't touch with a six foot leash let alone a ten foot pole. Now Greg enjoys inspiring and educating dog guardians and their puppies on how to prevent those and other unwanted behaviours.  Greg simply wants everyone to enjoy the purest and strongest bond possible with their dogs.

NJ and Greg have been featured in many publications as well as on their live advice call in show called Canine Queries on Rogers Cable TV / Radio. 

Our Other Websites
NJ and Greg are Canadian dog trainers, published authors, musicians, recording artists, music event organizers, promoters and hosts as well as owners and operators of Bark Like A Dog Studio - a broadcast
​quality audio/video production facility. 
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