About | The Educated Dog

My Story

Deanne Romano

CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, CSAT, FPPE

My interest in dogs began with training, but over time my focus shifted toward understanding behavior. Like many trainers, I started by thinking primarily about how to teach new skills and change unwanted behaviors. As I continued my education and worked with a wider range of dogs and families, I became increasingly interested in the many factors that influence behavior, including learning, emotions, environment, health, and welfare.

This shift changed the way I approach training. Today, I see behavior not simply as something to change, but as something to understand. Barking, pulling on leash, fear, anxiety, reactivity, and other behavior challenges often serve a purpose for the dog. By understanding why behavior occurs, we can develop more effective and humane solutions that address the underlying issue rather than simply suppressing the behavior itself.

My work continues to be shaped by ongoing education in animal behavior, learning, welfare science, and behavior change. The more I learn, the more I appreciate that meaningful progress comes not from quick fixes, but from helping dogs and their people develop the skills, understanding, and confidence needed to thrive together.

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.