About | The Educated Dog

My Story

Deanne Romano

CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, CSAT, FPPE

I’m curious by nature. I like evidence, I ask a lot of questions, and I’m rarely satisfied with knowing that something works - I want to understand why.

Animals and their welfare have always mattered deeply to me. But it’s working with dogs and their people that makes this work so rewarding. I love helping people understand their dogs better, particularly when behavior is confusing, frustrating or simply not what they expected.

Teaching and coaching are a big part of that. My goal isn’t simply to show you what to do, but to help you understand what you’re seeing and why - so you can make good decisions long after our work together ends.

Science is an important part of how I approach behavior. My continuing education takes me deeper into animal behavior, learning, emotion, welfare science and behavior change. The more we understand, the better decisions we can make for the individual dog in front of us.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that I came to dog training after a very different career in economics and finance. I also spent a few years teaching economics as an adjunct professor. Different subject matter entirely, but some familiar instincts came with me: curiosity, analytical thinking and a tendency to ask why.

My Approach

Understanding Behavior

My approach is grounded in the science of behavior. Learning, emotions, stress, environment, physical health, and past experiences all influence how dogs behave. While behavior is what we observe, it is often only part of the story.

For this reason, I begin with careful observation and assessment. By looking beyond the behavior itself and considering the factors influencing it, we can develop a more complete understanding of the problem. This allows us to focus on the underlying causes of behavior rather than simply addressing the symptoms.

Building Skills

Once we understand the problem, we can focus on developing practical solutions. Meaningful change often requires helping dogs learn new skills, build confidence, develop resilience, and navigate everyday life more successfully. It also involves helping owners develop the knowledge and skills needed to support learning outside of training sessions.

Building skills is about more than teaching behaviors. It is about helping dogs become active participants in the learning process. When dogs learn that their actions matter—that they can make choices, solve problems, and influence outcomes—they become more confident, resilient, and better equipped to handle life's challenges.

My goal is not simply to stop unwanted behaviors, but to help dogs and their owners develop the skills needed to succeed together in the real world.

Strengthening Relationships

Learning occurs through everyday interactions. When behavior is better understood and practical skills are in place, communication becomes clearer, confidence grows, and relationships naturally become stronger.

Training is not something that happens only during formal sessions. It is an ongoing process of learning and adaptation. By helping dogs and their owners better understand one another, we can create meaningful and lasting change that extends far beyond any individual behavior or training goal.