About You Silly Dog

You Silly Dog uses compassionate, effective, pain and force-free training methods based on positive reinforcement. Alisa wants to help you build trust and cooperation between you and your dog, therefore she does not advocate the use of choke, prong and shock collars, or aversive methods such as yelling and hitting. She will teach you how to be proactive rather than reactive, to teach rather than correct, to reward rather than punish, to guide and not force, to show your four-legged friend respect and meet them at their level.

Let You Silly Dog show you how to use a gentler approach to train your dog!

About Alisa

I became a first-time puppy parent in 1997, and knew that I wanted to use the most gentle and compassionate methods to communicate with my puppies, Attila and Fly. At that time, the dog training industry was starting to transition from forceful, punishment-based training methods to a more force-free, positive reinforcement training model. A job layoff as a result of 9/11 put me on the path to a career change, and I became one of the few trainers in the Baltimore area completely dedicated to a purely positive, force-free training approach. I founded my company, You Silly Dog, LLC in 2006, and served the Baltimore metro area until 2021. I’ve since relocated to Pasadena, Maryland.

Certification and Associations

Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (2007-2022)
Professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) (2003-2021)
Member of the Pet Professional Guild (2014-present)
Baltimore Magazine’s Best of Baltimore for Best Dog Trainer 2013

I continue my education through animal behavior seminars and workshops. I’m recommended by rescues, veterinarians, pet sitters, trainers and other pet professionals—and most importantly, by satisfied clients (read what they have to say here).