Beyond the Dog Training
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Beyond the Dog Training

Our immersive Behavioral Wellness Retreat goes beyond traditional Board and Train programs.

Rather than staying in a traditional boarding facility, your dog will receive a personalized training plan while living with Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage. With high-level obedience, manners, and behavior modification training taking place not just at their home, but throughout the Tampa Bay area. Helping your dog to be comfortable in any environment and around distractions. Your dog’s training will be led by Dr. Echterling-Savage, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a PhD in Behavioral Psychology, specializing in animal behavior, who has over 25 years of experience providing personalized training programs.
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What we do

Personalized Training Programs Focused on Behavioral Wellness

Dog Trainer - Beyond the Dog Training

Beyond the Dog offers our Board and Train Retreats to clients nationwide. With many of our clients from Washington D.C., Bethesda, Arlington, New York City, and Nashville.

These programs provide more than just high-level obedience training. They support behavioral wellness by providing lifestyle restoration, helping you regain control over your daily life. This includes treating problem behaviors including:

  • Addressing reactive and fearful behaviors so you can take your dog out for walks and visiting parks
  • Treating separation anxiety behaviors, so your dog can be left at home alone without having potty accidents from stress or injuring themselves from attempting to break out of the crate or door.
  • Teaching dogs to be less touch sensitive, making vet examinations and grooming appointments much easier and less stressful.
  • Resolving resource guarding behaviors, so your dog isn’t aggressive over bed, toys, or other high-value items.

An Immersive Experience

During the Board and Train Retreat, your dog will train and live with co-founders Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage at their home in Tampa Bay, Florida.

Training takes place in a variety of distractions and across various environments. This includes sessions at their home, in parks, on dog-friendly beaches, in shops, on hiking trails, and at restaurants.

Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a PhD in Behavioral Psychology and Sean Savage is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant. Together, they bring over 50 years of hands-on experience in dog training and behavior modification.

Seamless Transition Back Home

After completing their training, Dr. Echterling-Savage or Sean Savage will return your dog to your home, no matter where you live in the United States and provide follow-up lessons with you. These sessions will teach you everything your dog has learned and show you how to maintain their newly learned skills. We will focus on teaching you how to improve their behavioral wellness so you can best raise your dog to be a sociable and confident dog that thrives at home and confidently experiences life wherever it takes you.

Who We Are

Beyond the Dog provides personalized training programs that combines science-based training methods with a focus on your dog’s behavioral wellness.

Led by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Kristyn Savage and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Sean Savage, our focus is on science-based training that supports your dog’s behavioral wellness. All of our personalized programs are conducted through one-on-one sessions designed to meet the unique needs of your dog. Using scientifically proven methods, we apply functional behavior analysis and positive reinforcement to address the underlying causes of behavior, rather than just treating the symptoms. This helps to ensure long term success after training has been completed. Training takes place at home and in local neighborhoods, ensuring your dog can apply their skills effectively in real-world settings.
Our goal is to teach your dog the confidence, social skills, good manners, and obedience to have the best quality of life by supporting their overall behavioral wellness. This approach also helps prevent common behavioral issues from worsening as your dog matures, including separation anxiety and resource guarding. Our training will teach you how to maintain what your dog has learned and to strengthen the bond between your dog and their family. This will help your dog both at home and when you go out in public, whether it’s socializing, exercising or taking your dog to vet or grooming appointments.
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Where we train

All of our training programs are conducted in one-on-one sessions

Our programs are not limited by a facility, this allows us to customize your dog’s training down to the exact location that meets your needs and training goals!

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Locations

Tampa Bay

Service Areas

We provide Dog Behavioral Wellness Retreats nationwide. The retreat takes place in Tampa Bay, where your dog will stay at Dr. Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage’s home. Return and follow-up lessons are conducted at your home and local neighborhood. 

We have offices and offer in-person training programs in Kansas City, Houston, Dallas, Tampa Bay, and Sarasota.