The Dog Phenomenon

Specialising in behavioural problems and teaching dogs to listen and be well behaved in real life using Positive Results Dog training Methods. 18 years experience, 2500+ puppy classes, 2500+ group classes and over 3000+ one-on-one lessons conducted. We also specialise in very difficult to treat and unusual behaviours. Vets and rescue organisations use us for our wealth of experience, expertise an

d results. The journey began in 1998 when Renee had difficulties with her then dog Odin an 111/2 year old poodle, who was aggressive to dogs and people and has significant separation anxiety. Seeking help from many different dog training establishments, vets and behaviourists with no success she landed brought no relief. In fact she was told he was too old, to put him down, he might have a tumour and he was too aggressive to attend classes. The very people who should be offering help were the ones giving speculative advice or giving up before they started. By chance she came across Alpha Dog Training which would forever change things – they not only offered hope, but the confidence, explanations and results to back it up. It sounded too good to be true- but it wasn’t. She attended with Odin and diligently applied all that she was told. Within 3 weeks Odin ceased being aggressive to people. Within 4 ½ months he reached the advanced level – a record for the time. Several months in, and he was a changed dog. The experience from being without hope for her dog and being turned away to finding something that worked and worked quickly was transformative and she was hooked on dog behaviour. She wanted to learn and pay it forward to others and thus began the journey of learning about dogs. She left her job and commenced study in training and behavior with Alpha Dog Training, and volunteered to learn grooming. She worked at Hallam Park Boarding kennels where she honed her skills and developed a reputation among the staff for being able to handle the difficult dogs. This lead to working as a veterinary nurse and by 2000 she was conducting in home behavioural consultations and puppy classes for the vets. She continued to attend behavioural lectures veterinary seminars to learn as much as she could. Then she took up a full-time opportunity at Alpha Boarding Kennels looking after the Boarding School for Dogs service. She was the first person ever to pass Advanced level 3 with her Rottweiler Zac – a highly skilled off lead level of training, obedience and behavior under high level distraction. After 5 years of learning and dedication and move to the country, it was time to branch out and Lifestyle Dog training (as it was then called because the training system was known at the time as The Lifestyle Canine Communication System) borne. She continued to work both as Trainer at Alpha Dog Training and as a veterinary nurse while conducting puppy schools for various vets including Diamond Creek Veterinary Hospital, Stud Park Veterinary Hospital, Beaconsfield Vet, Balwyn veterinary Surgery and Eltham Vet Practice, as well as one-on-one in home lessons to help dogs with behavioral problems. Demand became so great that Lifestyle Dog Training took over veterinary nursing and the rest is history…. After working with thousands of dogs, rescue groups and pounds began to call for help and advice. She devoted time to fostering difficult dogs on behalf of various rescue groups as training foster carers how to improve the behavior of dogs in their charge. She was seeing more than her fair share of nutty dogs that had developed issues and had wound up the the foster care system. This close working relationship with these “damaged” dogs lead her to develop techniques and protocols that worked for even the most extreme cases. This new hands on understanding combined with study lead to her developing Canine Cognitive Calibration techniques that she uses in conjunction with The Canine Leadership Obedience System (formerly the Lifestyle Canine Communication System) to get results. She has also become somewhat of an authority on training deaf dogs. Renee has written articles for Australian Dog Lover Magazine as well as other publications. She regularly speaks at vets helping veterinary staff to learn how to help owners and their dogs. She has been invited to make comments on radio. Renee has assisted and advised councils, and dog rescue groups on behavior, training, rescue rehabilitation and rehoming. She has also advised in legal cases involving dogs. In 2015 alongside Greg and Amy Fontana and George Visentin, she co-founded The Alpha Canine Centre, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest privately owned indoor dog training and day care centre, housing Alpha Dog Training classes and Alpha Doggy PlayCare. Since 1998 she has conducted more than 2500 puppy classes, 2500 group classes and 3000 in home one-on-one lessons.