German Shepherds hold a special place in my heart and I have dedicated over twenty years of my life to
rescuing and training them.

I am a proud dog mom of three beautiful German Shepherds including Tosca: 10 years old, Rebel: 6-7 years old and the newest addition, Aria: 2 years old.

So many dogs end up abandoned, left in shelters due to behaviors they learned before moving to a shelter or kennel, oftentimes these behaviors only get worse upon arrival due to the stressful environment they find themselves in.

So many rescues pull these dogs to give them a second chance. I volunteer for several NYC rescues  providing training when fosters need behavior and/or training for the dog they are providing a safe and loving home to.

This has helped me develop a highly personalized program for dogs and their owners in the city to live their happiest, healthiest and most stress-free lives.

MY PACK

Aria

Aria is the niece of my former girl Bella.  When I lost Bella and had the opportunity to get a piece of her back my heart could not resist.  Aria came to us with a level 3 heart murmur but I knew we would give her the best home no matter her health condition.  She has a feisty personality and loves her brother and sister so much.

Rebel

Rebel is a 6-7 year old that I met during a Second Chance Rescue NYC transport from North Carolina.  He spent the first 3 years of his life in an outdoor pen.  After his “owner” decided they didn’t want him anymore he was dropped off at a no-kill shelter where he spent the next 3-4 years in a cement box.  An entire life never being in a home. When I met him I knew he was special. I got to know him over a couple of weeks and discovered he knew zero commands, was afraid to be touched, didn’t know how to take a treat from my hand, terrified of stairs and sceptical to trust. So I decided to bring him home to foster and train him. Well, we couldn’t let him go and decided to make him officially a part of the family. His favorite activities are long walks in Central Park, being pet and massaged all over, laying on his favorite bed and learning new commands.

Tosca

Tosca is 8 years old and my rock. She has been an amazing big sister/mentor for Rebel and Aria.  We rescued Tosca from a hoarding situation when she was a puppy while living in Ohio. Tosca was approached to become a drug sniffing dog due to her amazing nose but I couldn’t let her go.  She is so dependable and works hard daily on her obedience/training. Her favorite activities are long walks in Central Park, very long naps during the day on the sofa and working on obedience solely for the treats.

My pack that crossed the Rainbow Bridge

Bella

Gus

Max

Mia

Stanley

Testimonials

"Erica is an amazing, thorough, caring, and compassionate trainer. Erica listens to her client's concerns and immediately sets up a foolproof sustainable plan. Rest assured, at the end of her sessions, Erica manages to give her clients the knowledge and tools required to help both the owner and the dog(s). Erica loves animals and will do anything she can to help them and their owners, she continues to follow up because she cares deeply about the outcome. She is genuinely here to help the animals and her communication and commitment are unparalleled."

Denise D.

"Erica is an amazing, thorough, caring, and compassionate trainer. Erica listens to her client's concerns and immediately sets up a foolproof sustainable plan. Rest assured, at the end of her sessions, Erica manages to give her clients the knowledge and tools required to help both the owner and the dog(s). Erica loves animals and will do anything she can to help them and their owners, she continues to follow up because she cares deeply about the outcome. She is genuinely here to help the animals and her communication and commitment are unparalleled."

Denise D.

"When we first adopted our rescue dog, Mr. Boo, we were in need of a trainer to set us up for success and help him learn his basic commands. Erica was incredibly thorough with us, even staying far later than our scheduled training time to work with us in our home. She had endless tips and tricks when it came to methods for getting our pup to grasp harder concepts, and I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for quality, compassionate training for their dog."

Elysee Inzunza

"Erica was a lifesaver. We were new dog owners who felt in over our heads,and through a VC and two in-person meetings, she helped get us on the right track on training our 1 yo rescue pup. Erica has a gentle authority that our dog responded to immediately. With her help and guidance, we've made a ton of progress on our dog's walking and in-home skills, and we're looking for to working with Erica even more."

Matt C.

"Even though my dog is 95% perfect, I needed Erica to help me work on the remaining 5%. Erica taught me how to teach my dog, which ultimately is the most important tool. Erica is kind but firm, patient and consistent. She used positive reinforcement with my dog and made it fun for him! He is a happier dog now with structure and guidance in his life. We will continue to practice and refine our new skills and tools on our own and with Erica. "

Charlène v.S.

"Erica has been an invaluable resource to us and our pup, Jamie. After living a few months in the suburbs, Jamie’s behavior has deteriorated: She is very difficult to handle while on walks and will consistently lunge and bark at approaching people or dogs. We had just one session with Erica and we already see improvement! Erica encouraged us to go back to the basics with Jamie, create more structure and build back trust. Erica recommended that we use the clicker while on walks to help divert her attention away from approaching people or dogs and so that she’s focused on us instead. Jamie was ready to work and was much less likely to focus on the “scary” environment around her. We are so grateful for Erica’s guidance and we now have hope that Jamie can live comfortably again in the city!"

Bobby and Julie

"I started lessons with Erica because our 6 month old German Shepherd Athena was fearful of other dogs and people. She would also lunge and jump at runners, bicycles and cars going by. Erica broke down Athena’s issues and patiently resolved them. Not only did she teach Athena to be confident and look to us to respond but she taught us how to be more confident in handling Athena’s issues. We are truly grateful for all her training and wisdom. "

Christine H.

"We want to thank Erica of Salinas K9 Training for sharing her time and expertise for the rescue dogs in our care. Erica provides detailed, individualized in person visits to help our dogs and teach better communicate with our rescue animals. Erica sends an extensive follow up plan with what was discussed, areas to target for training, as well as tools to assist and promote our dogs success which is incredibly helpful. We highly recommend her services to anyone interested in professional dog training!"

Meagan Kobielski, Founder & Executive Director at strongpawsrescue.org

Although growing up around dogs my whole life, enrolling them in a training program was something we never considered. Fry came to us from a rescue organization and presented with high anxiety towards humans and dogs, as he would often bark and lunge at them. After assessing Fry, Erica explained the triggers and signs our dog was communicating, unbeknownst to us. She prescribed a plan to work out Fry’s issues through confidence-building as well as helping us to effectively communicate with him. He has since flourished when taking him on walks as well as when guests come over. It was truly an eye-opener to learn from Erica and to see the tremendous growth in our dog. Thank you so much Erica for your love and dedication, as well as your expertise, to help our family!

Andrew C.

It has been so incredible working with Erica. My 4 year old, 70lb, American Staffy mix was new to the city and afraid of just about everything. His anxiety meant hypervigilant walks and randomly jumping up on people or lunging at other dogs. As someone who has a lot of experience working with difficult dogs (dog sitting and fostering), I really appreciated how thorough Erica was on explaining behaviors and how to best support my dog. She is so patient and warm in her approach and offers guidance that can be applied to various behaviors/challenges. But it's not just changing behaviors, it's building trust and confidence in my relationship with my dog. We've made so much progress and our walks are so much easier and calmer (for both of us!). It really is about providing the best life for my dog and less about just making his behaviors go away. I absolutely recommend Erica to anyone hoping to build an even stronger bond with their dog and creating a happy, less stressful life for both of you!

Michelle Chen

Erica has been fundamental in building my confidence as a first time dog owner, as well as setting me up for success to help my dog build HER confidence as a fearful, anxious dog. Millie was rescued from the south, so getting her used to the city has been a big adjustment for her. Erica has taught me how to build Millie's confidence through obedience, enrichment, structure, and exposure to the city in a positive way. Millie is a completely different dog now that she has these things in her daily routine. She is calmer, more fulfilled, feels safer, and is most importantly happier. Erica has happily and thoroughly answered my quite literally hundreds of questions and taught me so much about dog behavior. She has been so encouraging in my journey of being a first time dog owner and Millie and I would not be where we are today if it weren't for her!

Madison F.

"I started lessons with Erica because our 6 month old German Shepherd Athena was fearful of other dogs and people.  She would also lunge and jump at runners, bicycles and cars going by.  Erica broke down Athena’s issues and patiently resolved them.  Not only did she teach Athena to be confident and look to us to respond but she taught us how to be more confident in handling Athena’s issues.  We are truly grateful for all her training and wisdom. "

Christine H.

"We want to thank Erica of Salinas K9 Training for sharing her time and expertise for the rescue dogs in our care. Erica provides detailed, individualized in person visits to help our dogs and teach  better communicate with our rescue animals. Erica sends an extensive follow up plan with what was discussed, areas to target for training, as well as tools to assist and promote our dogs success which is incredibly helpful. We highly recommend her services to anyone interested in professional dog training!"

Meagan Kobielski, Founder & Executive Director
strongpawsrescue.org

"Erica is an amazing, thorough, caring, and compassionate trainer. Erica listens to her client's concerns and immediately sets up a foolproof sustainable plan. Rest assured, at the end of her sessions, Erica manages to give her clients the knowledge and tools required to help both the owner and the dog(s). Erica loves animals and will do anything she can to help them and their owners, she continues to follow up because she cares deeply about the outcome. She is genuinely here to help the animals and her communication and commitment are unparalleled."

Denise D.

"When we first adopted our rescue dog, Mr. Boo, we were in need of a trainer to set us up for success and help him learn his basic commands. Erica was incredibly thorough with us, even staying far later than our scheduled training time to work with us in our home. She had endless tips and tricks when it came to methods for getting our pup to grasp harder concepts, and I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for quality, compassionate training for their dog."

Elysee Inzunza

"Erica was a lifesaver. We were new dog owners who felt in over our heads,and through a VC and two in-person meetings, she helped get us on the right track on training our 1 yo rescue pup. Erica has a gentle authority that our dog responded to immediately. With her help and guidance, we've made a ton of progress on our dog's walking and in-home skills, and we're looking for to working with Erica even more."

Matt C.

"Even though my dog is 95% perfect, I needed Erica to help me work on the remaining 5%.  Erica taught me how to teach my dog, which ultimately is the most important tool.  Erica is kind but firm, patient and consistent.  She used positive reinforcement with my dog and made it fun for him!  He is a happier dog now with structure and guidance in his life.  We will continue to practice and refine our new skills and tools on our own and with Erica. "

Charlène v.S.

"Erica has been an invaluable resource to us and our pup, Jamie. After living a few months in the suburbs, Jamie’s behavior has deteriorated: She is very difficult to handle while on walks and will consistently lunge and bark at approaching people or dogs. We had just one session with Erica and we already see improvement! Erica encouraged us to go back to the basics with Jamie, create more structure and build back trust. Erica recommended that we use the clicker while on walks to help divert her attention away from approaching people or dogs and so that she’s focused on us instead. Jamie was ready to work and was much less likely to focus on the “scary” environment around her. We are so grateful for Erica’s guidance and we now have hope that Jamie can live comfortably again in the city!"

Bobby and Julie

If you believe your dog could benefit from my services, please get in touch.

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