It's not my dog...
they're your dog.

Charlotte, NC

In-home dog training and relationship-based, owner focused-coaching that teaches you as much as it teaches your dog — built around your actual life so you never feel like training is simply checking a box or constantly reaching for a treat.

Let's Get To Work!

I'm Genna, Your Canine Coach

Most dog owners don't have a training problem. They have a communication problem. Or they've spent months doom-scrolling training TikTok, trying everything, and wondering why none of it seems to stick for their dog specifically.

I work with owners who are at that "okay, I need real help" moment, whether that's day one with a new puppy or year three with a dog who's been running the show.

My canine coaching approach isn't about performative obedience or barking "BE THE LEADER" from a franchise playbook. It starts with your full picture: where you are, where your dog is, and what's actually standing between you and the relationship you're after. From there we build something that makes sense for your real life, because the bond between you and your dog isn't a nice-to-have.

It's the whole foundation.

Want To Learn More About Me?

What to Expect with Best Good Friend Coaching:

Private In-Home Coaching:

One-on-one coaching where it actually matters — your home, your walks, your real life. This is for the owner who's done the classes, tried the tips, and is ready for something that actually sticks when the trainer isn't standing in the driveway.

Puppy Foundations:

Puppyhood is equal parts exciting and overwhelming; and you shouldn't have to figure it out alone. With a coach in your corner from the start, we cover all the fundamentals: basic obedience, potty and crate training, early socialization, and yes, surviving the piranha phase. Consider this the foundation that makes every stage after it easier.

Off-Leash Training:

You can picture it — your dog running trails with you, exploring fully off leash, coming back every single time. What's standing between you and that isn't your dog's potential. It's trust. Trust in your dog, trust in the process, and trust in yourself. With your "bluetooth leash" and the right guidance, real off-leash freedom isn't just possible — it's the goal we're building toward from day one.

Behavioral Tune-Ups:

Life happens. Training slips. Or maybe you've been DIY-ing it with YouTube and TikTok and just need someone to tell you if you're on the right track. This is the most flexible option in my coaching lineup — whether you need a post-training refresh or a little extra guidance to make sure what you're doing is actually working, we meet you and your dog exactly where you are.

Check Out Coaching Options

Have Some Training, But Something Still Feels Off?

You've done the training, but life has that way of doing life things. And suddenly, you've noticed that your dog's training isn't nearly as tight as it was. You don't have to start your training from scratch--it just means you need a Reset.

The CTRL + ALT + DELETE: Reset Mini-Course walks you through how to bring training back into your every day without overwhelming yourself or your dog. Real life, sustainable tips and coaching that's simple and effective.

$37 | Self-Paced | Unlimited Access

Reset Course

Real Owners.
Real Results.

Cindy & "Saba"

We hired Genna to work with our dog when he was a puppy. We were planning to take him cruising the Bahamas on a boat. He needed to be socialized and e-collar trained. Genna did a fantastic job training Saba and working with us so we could continue and enhance the training. Since then, I have recommended Genna to our grown children for their dogs and to many friends. People often remark about how well behaved our dog is — I always give credit back to Genna!

Let's Talk Dog!

Not sure which service is right for you? Book a free discovery call and we'll figure it out together.

Follow Along for Training Tips & Real-Life Coaching

“My dog is pretty good” is a sentence I hear from sooo many owners who are toying with the idea of getting some training for their dog.

And honestly? It’s more often than not the case. Not all dogs or owners need a huge overhaul.

But when life gets busy, and the slightly annoying habits you’ve noticed suddenly start to add up — and become a little less… well, ignorable. The leash pulling, the incessant jumping… that “expiration date” on “good enough” coms quicker than you may think.

And here’s the thing. It’s not always a dog problem. It’s a communication gap.

The good news? Completely fixable. (But we knew this!!)

When tweaks & tune-ups are built into your everyday, behaviors shift into the more desirable ones; because our dogs finally understand what’s expected of them, and they no longer have to fill those gaps themselves.

So if your dog is “pretty good” but you know you AND them can be better…

Let’s find out what they’re actually capable of.

Pop over to the link in my bio to book your discovery call 📱 🐾

“In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.” — E. Hoagland

The true secret to dog training??

“Be more annoying than they are.”

Every time I say this in a lesson, I get a giggle. Because it’s true!!

When your dog is doing something… well, annoying, you’re going to have to be there with an interruption. And sometimes that looks like *not* giving up if the dog decides they don’t want to do it the first, second or third time.

It’s a matter of the follow-through.

#charlottedogtrainer #charlottedogtraining #caninecoach #cltdogscene #charlottedogsofinstagram

Last year, I was in a townhome with no yard with my three dogs. And while they were angels about the transition overall… I knew they wanted - no, needed - more.

So a quick FBMarketplace search and I was going to pick up a used walking pad for my dogs. Specifically, my border collie, Bindi 😂

Our environments & circumstances don’t remove the fact that we, in our urban world, do not provide enough physical exercise and mental stimulation for our dogs. The 5 minute Sit-Stay “I checked my training homework box” drill followed by a short 20 minute walk around the block while you stare at your phone just isn’t enough.

Hate to break it to y’all 🤷🏻‍♀️

So it pays to get creative — not only is a treadmill a great way to get your dog moving, but it forces a different level of focus on not just the treadmill and keeping pace but on you and your direction. This boosts confidence, trust, and helps strengthen your bond through something as simple as direction.

My favorite part is how many clients have told me they need to move the pad because their dog won’t stop sitting on it asking to get their body moving 😂🤩

💫Training Tip:

🐾 Get the dog on there without thinking about turning it on yet with your “Place” command
🐾 Reward accordingly; rinse & repeat!
🐾 Turn it on and go low & slow. Use your leash & collar to help keep the dog moving and on the pad.
🐾 Ramp up the speed slowly, and only work for short periods in the beginning

You’d be surprised at how much your dog is capable of — even the weird stuff like treadmill trotting 😜

#charlottedogtrainer #charlottedogtraining #caninecoach #treadmill

Leadership isn’t loud. It’s not “alpha” mentality. It’s not being more dominant than your dog.

It’s being firm in boundaries, even the quiet ones you may not even consider.

Training your dog really doesn’t require a huuuuuuge Herculean effort on your part (once you’ve done the teaching & reinforcing) because… wanna know the secret to training that sticks?

It lives in the small moments in your everyday. I call it Lazy Leadership— it’s when you can guide or direct your dog into behaviors you’d rather see inside the moments you catch in your routine.

It doesn’t have to be “textbook” obedience.

It just needs to hold weight, even in the smallest of moments. Make those moments count.

I can almost guarantee you’re making it harder on not just yourself, but your dog.

Wanna know what “lazy leadership” looks like? Reach out to schedule a discovery call with me, OR, better yet? Let’s schedule a coaching call. You can nitpick a trainer’s brain and I can help coach, teach, and guide you and your dog to more meaningful conversations & success.

It doesn’t have to be hard. I can help 💪🏻✨

#caninecoach #coachingcall #caninecoach #lazyleadership

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It's not my dog... they're your dog.