Olaf and I on "gotcha" day!
February 14th, 2024

                                   
✨Meet Your Trainer✨


Hi! I’m Ginger Morris, CTP-KPA, a Certified Training Partner with the Karen Pryor Academy and a Team Facilitator for Atlas Assistance Dogs, currently completing my Service Dog Training Certification.

I’ve worked with dogs of all breeds, ages, and temperaments for over 25 years, and since 2019 I’ve been dedicated exclusively to positive reinforcement training methods backed by modern science. I’m a cross-over trainer — meaning I transitioned away from outdated, punishment-based techniques after learning how much more effective (and humane) positive methods are.

I’ve also raised puppies for major service dog organizations like Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

🐾 My Role: Your Interpreter Think of me as the translator between you and your dog. Through layered, strategic game-based training, I help add clarity to your communication — using concepts like transfer of value, where we teach your dog that everything they want or need comes through you. The best part? Training is fun!

🐾 What Do You Want Your Puppy to Be When They Grow Up? That’s one of the first questions I ask, because it shapes the best-fit training plan for you. Whether you dream of a loving family companion, a Service Dog, or a Therapy Dog, I can create a package tailored to your goals. For busy families, I also offer Walk & Train Sessions — reinforcing positive behaviors and leash skills even when you’re short on time.

🌻 The Sunflower Method Growing Reliable Behaviors 

I use a training approach I call The Sunflower Method — because just like a sunflower starts from a small seed and grows in stages over time, my training plans help you and your dog develop skills step by step.  
🌰 Seed Stage → Introduce the concept in a calm, distraction-free space.
🌱 Sprout Stage → Add the cue and layer in distractions, distance, and duration. build fluency and resilience.
🌻Sunflower Stage → Proof the behavior in the real world with confidence! This keeps training clear, fun, and achievable — helping you both bloom beautifully! 🌼✨

Instead of rushing or overwhelming you and your dog, we move thoughtfully from introduction, through practice and problem-solving, all the way to success. It’s positive, practical, and keeps your partnership flourishing.

This layered approach naturally establishes boundaries and tells your dog what they can and can’t do — not through punishment, but by setting up the environment so good choices are easy and rewarding. Dogs are opportunistic scavengers by nature, but they’re also deeply social animals with a desire to connect.

Drawing from Kim Brophey’s L.E.G.S. model (Learning, Environment, Genetics, Self), Leslie McDevitt’s pattern games, and Susan Garrett’s micro-games—which teach your dog that all good things come through you—I help you understand your dog as a whole being. These trainers (and many more!) are a constant source of inspiration, and I’m often humbled by how much there is still to learn.

I’m deeply grateful for the people in my life who’ve encouraged me to keep going and reminded me why this work matters.  My goal is to help you understand your dog’s needs—not as a small, furry human, but as a dog. When we meet those needs with thoughtfulness and intention, your home can become a place of increased peace; a result of clarity and improved relationships across the board.
 
💛The Power of Positive Reinforcement There’s a myth that using treats is just “bribery.” In reality, positive reinforcement is a precise, skillful process that relies on good mechanics, creativity, and incremental progress — not just handing out snacks. Dogs don’t understand “No!” the way we do — especially after the fact — but they do understand clear setups, consistent reinforcement, and the satisfaction of making the right choice.

Dogs are contextual learners, and their emotions drive their behavior. They do know when our tone of voice changes and they see changes in our body language when we are upset with them. They aim to please, so punishing them for expressing an emotion can cause potential fallout within the relationship.  They have a hard time generalizing skills (this is why your dog won't listen to you outside).  

Training is 90% mechanical skills. Using a marker (like a word or clicker) with precise timing—paired with something your dog truly finds reinforcing—at the exact moment your dog does what you want is key to improving behavior. It also builds your dog’s trust in you and strengthens your relationship. Practicing these skills in a variety of environments, at your dog’s pace, is crucial to success. As you stay consistent and responsive, your dog’s trust in you will continue to grow!

✨ My favorite moments? That “Aha!” spark when you and your dog both realize: “You hear me. You understand me.” I fuel those breakthroughs with game-based learning that keeps both ends of the leash engaged, motivated, and connected.

🌱 Why Start Now? Early training + safe, thoughtful socialization = fewer headaches (and expenses!) down the road. Trying to “correct” unwanted behaviors later usually means untangling patterns that were accidentally reinforced — and that’s much harder for both you and your dog. Together, we’ll layer simple games and strategies that build autonomy, confidence, and rock-solid communication — setting you both up for success and a lifelong, joyful relationship.
 
💛 Ready to unleash the best in your dog? Let’s get started!

The Power of Evidence Based Dog Training
Confident Paws Dog Training supports and agrees with The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior and their position statements on humane dog training. These position statements were developed through the members of the AVSAB.