About
A dog trainer worth wagging about.
I know that choosing a dog trainer is a big decision—after all, your dog is your family! You should be able to trust your trainer and be comfortable about every decision they make regarding your dog. A good working relationship is important to the success of your training plan!
Eryn Rolison, CPDT-KA
CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINER, Owner
I’ve had dogs my entire adult life, and wanted dogs my entire childhood. A likely story of a dog trainer, right? But it was after adopting a severely leash reactive dog, Hossa, that I sought professional training help and changed the course of my relationship with dogs forever. As my trainer and future mentor said, “the more you know, the better you do.”
I made it my mission to make life better for dogs and the people that love them.
I firmly believe in using positive reinforcement to create a fun and cooperative relationship between pet owners and their four legged family members. Through tapping into the science behind how dog’s learn, we can more effectively train them to become happy and well-adjusted family members!
I have been working with dogs since 2013 when I joined a team of dedicated volunteers at a local animal shelter. Using what I had learned with my own dog, I was able to help integrate positive reinforcement training and enrichment into the daily lives of the shelter dogs to help improve their mental well being while in the shelter.
My professional training journey began in 2020 when I was invited to join a team of highly skilled trainers at Praise Dog! Training in Columbia, SC. At the time of the invitation, I was their student—taking classes with my second dog, Allie. I taught private lessons and assisted in group classes until moving to Virginia in mid-2021.
I am a self-proclaimed continuing education nerd! I frequently attend seminars and conferences led by the top trainers in my field so I can make sure I am offering the best and most accurate knowledge to my clients. I am also certified as a professional dog trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.
When I’m not training dogs, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our dog, drawing and doing graphic design, exercising, and learning to horseback ride and clicker train horses!
Continuing Education
Raising Canine Understanding Learning Theory Course (2023)
Karen Pryor Clicker Expo (2022, 2023)
Fear Free Shelters Graduate (2023)
Fenzi Dog Sports Academy Lemonade Conference (2021, 2022)
Aggression in Dogs Conference (2021)
Allie
Director of happiness
Allie is our resident goofball who loves to bring a smile to everyone in the household! Her favorite activities include slinging her Jolly Ball around the yard in circles, playing with her doggy friends, getting booty scratches, and wagging her tail so hard it thumps like a drum. When she’s not on duty, can often be found laying upside down on the couch next to her dad, or on the back of the couch like a cat.
Hossa
in loving memory
Hossa, also affectionately known as “Hoss-man the Wondermutt” around here, was our old man, best friend, and the inspiration behind Wonderdog Training. Hossa’s favorite activities were working on enrichment toys, K9 Nosework, going on sniffy walks, and barking at his sister. Hossa was a true momma’s boy and was Eryn’s faithful training companion from when she adopted him in 2014 until his passing in 2022.
Positive reinforcement dog training for the best dog ever—yours.
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Yes! I am certified through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. This means that I have completed 300+ hands-on hours of instructional training and passed a rigorous exam that tests my understanding of the science behind how dogs learn, among other important topics.
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Positive reinforcement (R+) dog training is a training method in which you teach your dog desirable behaviors and reinforce those through the use of a click (or marker word) and treat! In your dog’s world, what gets reinforced gets repeated.
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Positive reinforcement training is recommended by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior as well as the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Since dog training is an unregulated industry, it’s very important to educate yourself with the facts around training methods and their effects on your dog’s physical and emotional well-being.
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To prepare for your lessons please make sure you have all the necessary equipment:
— A 6' leash (leather or biothane are my preferences)
— A buckle collar (I do not allow the use of prong, choke, or shock collars)
— A harness (I like the Freedom Harness by Two Hounds Designs)
— At least 3 kinds of high-value treats. These should be small (about the size of a raisin) and tasty. Don't be afraid to use human food like boiled chicken, hot dogs, or string cheese!
We may discuss additional equipment during our lessons but this will get us started!
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A clicker and treats are our training tools! We use a harness and 6’ nylon/leather leash (no flexi-leads, please) as our management tools.
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No, we do not use any collars that are designed to cause pain to your dog. That means no prong, choke, or shock collars are allowed in our training sessions.
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