Professional Help For Dog Behavior Issues On Long Island
In-home customized behavior modification for your dog.
ft. Tootsie
Dog Behavior Modification In Nassau County and Huntington, Long Island
Behavior challenges can affect every part of life with your dog—from walks and interactions with other dogs to guests in your home and everyday routines. De Marinis Dog Training & Behavior provides individualized in-home behavior modification services for dogs struggling with aggression, reactivity, anxiety, fear, territorial issues, resource guarding, destructive behaviors, and other unwanted or concerning behaviors.
Our approach begins by identifying the root cause and factors contributing to your dog’s behavior, as well as determining what your dog needs to successfully navigate those situations. We then create a customized behavior and training plan focused on changing behavior, improving communication, and teaching your dog. Through consistent training and practical hands-on guidance, we help dogs become more confident, focused, and capable of handling the situations that previously were an issue or concern.
Behavior modification takes patience, consistency, cooperation and a plan that fits both the dog and the people living with them. That’s why we work closely with owners throughout the process, providing the skills and strategies needed to reinforce progress beyond the training session. Whether you are dealing with a reactive dog on leash, aggression toward people or other animals, anxiety, fear-based behaviors, or challenges at home, our goal is to create sustainable improvements that lead to a safer, calmer, and more enjoyable life together.
Behavior Modification Session with Zammy and Anthony
Our Process and How It Works
Initial Consultation (1.5 - 2 Hours): Everyone starts here. During the consultation we will:
Learn about your dog’s behavior(s)
Discuss your goals
Discuss your behavior and training options
Create a plan and come up with strategies
Implementation of strategies and training skills generally starts during the initial consultation.
Follow-up Sessions (45 min - 1 hour): During the follow-up sessions we will generally start where we left off from our prior session by continuing to build on any skills or strategies that were covered and/or we will introduce additional skills and strategies to continue moving forward with your goals.
*Rates are listed on the rates page.
Behavior Modification Can Help With:
Aggression to people, dogs and other animals
Reactive behaviors on walks, such as barking and lunging
Generalized Anxiety and/or Fear
Resource Guarding and Territorial Issues
Fear of noises, people, other animals, and storms
Aggressive, reactive and fearful behavior towards children
Difficult Decisions: Consulting on difficult situations and potential outcomes
Separation Anxiety and other issues when home alone
Destruction
Excessive attention-seeking
And Much More!
Crush and Belle playing
Our Approach & Philosophy
Anthony and Duncan after a training session
We approach each dog as an individual, helping them to be the best version of themselves while teaching you how to be the best owner for your dog.
As individuals, each dog learns, works and is motivated in different ways, which is why we do not believe in one training method or approach.
Our training techniques and behavior modification strategies incorporate a variety of methods and styles, with a focus on reward-based techniques and play, as we believe training and learning should be enjoyable, motivating, and cultivate a relationship. This is done by using food, toys and play, praise and attention, and/or exploration as rewards.
Lessons are customized based on your goals and who your individual dog is. Our goal is to help you and your dog succeed. Together, we will determine what the best training methods, strategies and tools for your dog and you will be so that you can achieve your goals and live your best lives together.
If you would like see what our training looks like, take a look at some of the videos throughout the website and on our social media channels.
Anthony and Liv after a training session
Through our one-on-one lessons, you will learn how to:
Train your dog.
Understand who your dog is and why they do the things they do.
Address your dog’s sometimes inconvenient behavior(s).
Fulfill your dog’s needs both physically and mentally.
Guide and set your dog up for success, both in and out of the home.
Create clear and consistent rules and boundaries.
NOTE: We do NOT offer quick-fix approaches.
Want to see what our sessions look like?
Take a look at the clips down below!
Online Virtual Behavior Sessions Are Available
Whether you are local or not, Online Virtual Behavior Sessions are available. If you do not have a qualified behavior professional near you, you can get help no matter where you live!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Behavior issues in dogs can be a result of many things. Some common reasons behavior issues occur include:
Lack of proper, early and appropriate socialization
Fear, anxiety and stress
Lack of training
Traumatic experiences
Rehearsed behaviors: when a behavior is practiced over and over
Improper training and/or misuse of tools
Genetic predisposition (poor breeding)
Medical and physical issues
Reinforcing inappropriate behaviors
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The answer to this question really depends on a variety of factors. These include:
What the behavior issue is
The severity of the problem will determine how long it can take to address a problem
How long the issue has gone on
How the issue may have been addressed prior, if at all.
How long it will take your dog to process and comprehend behavior modification protocols and training
If the owner chooses to follow through on implementation of training and behavior modification protocols
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There is a lot of debate about this question within the dog training and behavior community today. If you ask five dog training and behavior professionals, you will get five different answers. To make it more confusing, with social media, the growth of AI and some veterinarians and veterinary behaviorist organizations; all seem to have become sources claiming to be the “experts” of “knowing best”.
The truth is, every dog is different, every dog is an individual and there are many different reasons as to why a dog may have a behavior issue. This also means there are multiple ways to achieve results in many cases. In the end, the method chosen should depend on the individual dog and behavior issue. The approach should be as fair as possible and clear to the dog rather than being soley based on ideological beliefs.
Despite what you may read online or see on social media or on your favorite AI platform, behavior modification is not a one size fits all approach.
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Understand What Your Dog Is Saying
Our dogs are constantly communicating through their body language and behavior. Understanding canine body language and communication signals is important because it can help us learn about how our dogs are feeling and why they are doing the behaviors they choose to display. Taking the time to learn about canine body language and communication signals is the first step in treating any behavior issue.
Upload Video Footage
If you have any videos of the problem behaviors, it is helpful to upload them to your computer. You can also upload a couple of videos where your dog is just being him/her self, regardless if it shows any of the behavior issues. If possible, please upload videos on Youtube and make sure to select it as “Unlisted” so that it is not public. Once your appointment is scheduled, you can send Anthony an email with the links to each video. You can also upload video to Google Drive if you prefer. If none of these options work for you, just save them to your computer and Anthony can share the screen view option together during the consult. All videos will be reviewed together during the consult. If you do not have video footage of the issues, do not worry. It is NOT worth trying to provoke your dogs behavior or put yourself or your dog in harms way for video footage.
Keep a Behavior History Journal
In a notebook, you should be writing down specific incidents when the problem behavior(s) happens is key! You should also include what happens before and after the behavior(s) as this provides valuable information. Include as much detail as you can.
Client Testimonials
“My dog use to bark and lunge at dogs on walks. After we started training, walks are calmer, more controlled, and genuinely enjoyable. We were able to be transitioned to a group class where we are able to see so many more improvements. We really appreciate the training not being a one size fit all approach. The transformation has been incredible. Anthony is an amazing person to work with!”
-Stephanie S.
“Last summer, Anthony started working with my young Chihuahua, Casper, who struggles with anxiety and reactivity around people and other dogs. Anthony’s calm, supportive approach has helped Casper build confidence and is teaching me a variety of strategies to use to help Casper. The individual sessions with Anthony and his amazing dog, Journey, along with the group classes, have made a real difference in Casper’s behavior and comfort level. I’m so grateful for Anthony’s expertise.”
-Andrea N.
“We are truly grateful for Anthony's incredible work with our two dogs, each with their own unique challenges. One suffers from severe anxiety, while the other has reactivity and resource guarding behaviors. After trying several trainers with limited success, we finally found Anthony, and the progress we've seen is fantastic. His methods are not only unique and creative but also tailored to the specific needs of each dog.”
-Pam Y.