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David Adams

Aug 7, 2026

Dog Trainers

Selena Johnson

Dog trainer in Pittsburgh

#425 in United States, #21 in Pennsylvania, #6 in Pittsburgh

United States

Pittsburgh

https://www.phenomenalcanine.com/

Service areas:

Allegheny County

Support your dog trainer by sharing your story

I am a disabled dog trainer who specializes in basic and advanced obedience. I am hoping to also help others train their own service dog for their disabilities. I've been helping others train their dogs for a year now while training my own animals for 4. Everything from donkeys to ferrets no animal is too big or too small.

Certifications:

CPDT-KA FDM

Dog training services include

  • Reactive dog training
  • Service dog training
  • Board and train
  • In home training
  • Puppy training

More info about Selena Johnson's dog training:

Group classes for manners and reactivity, board and trains for puppies and service dogs, service dog training specializing in psychiatric service dogs, private in home training for manners, behavior, and service dog.

Behavioral issue focus:

Reactivity mostly! We work to address the core emotions and not suppress them. Kinda like therapy for dogs.

Dog training methods:

I take a LIMA approach to dog training so I try everything I can do before using +P. I always try to reward the good that the dog does and manage my environment to help set them up for success. I'm also pretty into errorless learning for dogs so we always set them up to make the right choice. Pet parents receive training plans, video evaluations, and even emotional support from me at times. When I get stumped I often reach out to other qualified trainers to help me work through an issue so I can continue to avoid punishment in my training.

Why I became a dog trainer:

I created this business to help others like myself. Service dog training is so specialized and there's a lot of conflicting information out there. I also felt that dog trainers were missing out on the human end of the leash and felt like I was just another number in their book. Dog training is a way to give people what I wanted from a dog trainer. Someone who was empathetic, kind, and most of all knowledgeable about service dogs.

My favorite part of being a dog trainer:

Seeing the light bulb moment between dog and handler. When things just start to make sense and they grow closer together.

My #1 dog training tip:

Training for 5-10 min a day really does help and prevents burn out. Training doesn't have to be a chore that takes up hours of your day.

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Aug 7, 2026

Dog Trainers

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