Our mission

We are here to help dogs and humans build thriving relationships.

At Amanda Gagnon Dog Training, we don’t fix dogs. And we don’t fix people. Because we don’t think they are broken.
Dogs are fundamentally good, and people are too. But we all have needs, and sometimes those needs conflict. That’s when problems arise.

At AGDT, we help solve those problems by first witnessing the good in every dog and person and then providing solutions that help us to thrive together in shared spaces.

Working with us is about rediscovering the miracle of the ancient bond between dogs and humans. Yes, you can speak dog. We'll help you remember how. It's the work we've been doing on the Upper West Side of Manhattan since 2009, and it remains the most meaningful thing we do.

We're also here to provide support. Lean on us when you are exhausted from midnight potty outings with your puppy. Call us when you are at your wits end trying to find a decent dog walker. Join a group class when you need support from other dog lovers because your dog's behavior is driving you crazy. We're here to help, and we will do anything in our power to ease the burden of care you've shouldered for your beloved dog.

We strive for all of these things…

  • In every session, we encourage presence.
    How? We ask folks to focus on the details of this moment, this dog, their breath, their connection to the earth and the world around them. We listen deeply. We remember to breath. We teach people how to listen deeply to the things their dogs are saying.

  • We believe in building trust.
    We under-promise and over-deliver. We are welcoming and kind.
    We listen to dogs and give them opportunities to make choices and take the time to earn their trust before asking them to trust us themselves. We never intentionally hurt or harm other animals (dogs or humans), and we go out of our way to use methods that build trust instead of eroding it. That means, we never use tools that cause pain.

  • We love people by always assuming the best of each person, treating each other with kindness, and being fully present in conversations whenever possible.
    We love dogs by listening, treating them with kindness, and giving them 100% of our care and attention.
    We love the community by being generous with our time and energy.
    We love all spaces by leaving them better than we found them and giving thanks for the opportunity to dwell in them.

  • We believe in the power of play!
    Lighten up.
    Joke around.
    Take joy from the mischievous antics of dogs. These are the stories we’ll tell for decades!
    Get down on ground, jump up in the air, design games, and have fun.
    Frolic in this wonderful wild world, and absorb every blesséd moment!

  • We remain grateful to our community for trusting us with the care and well-being of their relationship with their dog.
    We give back to our community whenever possible.
    We dwell in our community — on the Upper West Side, in New York City, in person, in real life.
    We do everything we can to stay informed and to help members of our community stay informed.
    We believe in the power of community to bust isolation and division and we do whatever we can to facilitate that process.
    We gather. We come together. We commune.

  • We believe in giving more than we take.
    Generosity begets generosity and builds trust.
    We always leave places, conversations, activities, events, and even the small things better than we found them.

  • We stay present.
    We practice gratitude. Real gratitude.
    We engage with our environment and are grateful for all that it offers.
    We notice when something is good and mark it.
    We speak of good things.
    We let toxic gossip run its course without participating in it.
    We assume good intent.
    We stoke the fires of goodness.

  • We strive to show up and deliver our very best selves in every way possible.
    We speak when our thoughts are organized.
    We listen or carefully consider our thoughts when they aren’t clear.
    We speak with intention.
    We continue to educate ourselves and be open to improvement.
    We seek and relish feedback that makes us better.
    We spend time in focused practice.
    We seek to create clear communication and thoughtful collaboration that raises the tide for all ships.

  • We shut up and listen, deeply to all sentient beings (and sometimes the trees too!)
    We remind ourselves to open our senses and engage with the present world around us.
    We seek first to understand, then to be understood.