Hi, I’m Ami! I’m the owner of Stay ‘n Touch.
Working with clients in the Bay, I've seen over and over again that families face challenges communicating with their beloved pups.
I've been there. When we rescued Molly, our pittie mama, we had to face a lot of issues with reactivity head on. At home, she would bark; on walks she would pull and lunge towards other dogs. I have invested a lot of time and love into turning her into the happy, calm girl we have today!
Memberships and Certifications
Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Professional Member #100379
BSc Zoology
Working towards CPDT-KA and BAT certification
Insurance certification available upon request
Meet Molly
Molly’s a senior pit mix who was found roaming in Mendocino county in 2016. Ami and her husband met Molly at SF SPCA and it was love at first sight!
Unfortunately, Molly had some issues with trust, fear and anxiety. Mom and dad were so patient, and didn’t ever give up building a better life for their precious pup.
In late 2020, Molly was surprised by the arrival of two tiny kitten siblings. It’s a testament to her sweet nature, and some careful work by mom and dad, that all of the furbabies get on great, sleeping together always - right in the middle of mom and dad’s bed!
What can you learn from Molly’s story?
If you’re here, it’s likely that you have a dog - or dogs - of your own. Perhaps, like Molly, your pup is struggling with anxiety and presents behaviors which can be harmful to themselves, others, and the environment they’re in.
Think about what motivates them. Dogs have a thought process different to our own, but it’s not impossible to figure out! Just like humans, dogs need food. Safety. Affection and play. Freedom of choice.
In Molly’s case, we had to learn to listen to her requests and not push her into situations which were “too much” for her.
When we changed her environment, made her feel safe from her “triggers” (some of these included other dogs approaching on leash, being suprised by dogs or people in her personal space, and unsolicited touch from people) we could make a safe space to work on training “redirects”: moving her attention to something different.
We used treats and commands to teach Molly to ‘sit’, ‘stay’ and ‘touch’. While we were training, we didn’t notice it, but we were building her trust in us as people who would keep her safe. She was learning, we were learning, and we were having fun together as a family.
We’ve made a huge change in her quality of life and she doesn’t act like a scared, aggressive dog any more.