We’ve coached thousands of families and dogs like yours!

My name is Leslie and I’m the founder and lead trainer at IT’S YOUR DOG School for Dogs.

Our School has been firmly rooted in Sussex County, New Jersey and the surrounding area for close to 20 years.  During that time, we’ve coached thousands of families and dogs thru group classes and private in-home lessons.

This means that we know a thing or two about family-dog dynamics.  And we’ve encountered a huge array of training and behavior challenges involving a variety of temperaments, breeds, sizes, ages and unique situations.

But even more importantly, we recognize how confused and frustrated you may be by your dog’s behavior and by the conflicting training advice that’s out there.

Perhaps your attempts to fix the problems have failed or you’re afraid to do more harm than good.  Or maybe you just want to be proactive and ward off problems down the road.  Either way, we’re here to help!

Leslie Wiesner, CPDT-KA, ACDBC, CSAT

Leslie Wiesner, CPDT-KA, ACDBC, CSAT

Founder & Lead Trainer

Did you know that dog training is an unregulated industry?  Yikes! That means no licensing, regulatory oversight or educational requirements!  So you absolutely need to align yourself with a trainer who is transparent about their techniques and chooses to attain formal credentials.  At our School, we pride ourselves in using only reward-based, fear-free, training methods built upon science-based learning principles.  And all of our trainers maintain credentials which require mandatory continuing education. That’s a win-win for you!

CPDT-KA

IAABC – ACDBC

CSAT

AKC Evaluator

Mentor Trainer

Kelly Della Rosa, MA, BCBA, CPDT-KA
Kelly holds a
Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst specializing in the education of adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum in academic, employment, and home settings.  Coaching families to work with their dogs was a natural step for Kelly.  In 2018, she completed an intensive 1-year internship with It’s Your Dog and has been teaching group classes and private lessons ever since. She is also an AKC Evaluator.  Kelly’s warmth and love of teaching is obvious and you’ll be thrilled to have her as your coach!  She is currently servicing in-home manners clients in the Vernon, New Jersey area.

Nicole Pesce, MA, BCBA, CPDT-KA
Nicole holds a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst specializing in the education of adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum in academic, employment, and home settings. Her schooling and experience working with families made her a perfect fit for dog training (so much of it is, after all, about the humans).  In 2020, she completed an intensive 1-year internship with It’s Your Dog and has taught group classes and remote private lessons ever since. She is currently living in Bergen County New Jersey and is available for in-home or remote manners coaching.

Remote Privates

When we were referred to It’s Your Dog, we were at our wit’s end from attempting to house train our dogs, RORY & MACKENZIE. Working with Leslie remotely set us on the road to success.  She also followed up several times after our initial session and was always available to answer questions. Thanks to her expertise, order has been restored to our household!

Caryn R. (Mountain Lakes, NJ)

Day Training

Simply put, It’s Your Dog’s Day Training Program was exactly what our busy family needed to help with our energetic new puppy, PIPER. Leslie’s calm, kind, intelligent approach and patience added so much positivity to the training process.  Leslie’s experience, together with her ability to listen, implement solutions and effectively transfer training to the entire family made this an excellent private training experience.

Michelle C. (Sparta, NJ)

Separation Anxiety

DRUFFY developed anxiety issues to the point we no longer felt safe leaving him home alone. His excessive vocalizations were disturbing neighbors and he was destroying our carpet.  Our local vet suggested we reach out to Leslie for help. She designed a remote program tailored specifically for Druffy which now enables us to leave him alone longer than we ever thought possible.

Rachael & CJ G. (Sparta, NJ)

Group Classes

My wife and I took BUDDY (left) through the Recall Clinic last Fall and what a difference it made in the field! While other hunters were struggling to manage their dogs, Buddy was responsive when called and checked in frequently. I was very proud! I highly recommend this clinic to my fellow hunters.

Carl R. (Vernon, NJ)

Behavioral

We discovered It’s Your Dog when SNICKERS was a puppy and brought her through several levels of obedience class.  We were very pleased with the improvements Snickers made under the guidance of Leslie so, when we noticed Snicker’s had become reactive to other dogs while on her walks, we got in touch again about Reactive Rover Rehab. We were eventually able to introduce Snickers to the dog park environment where she now spends time romping and playing with the other dogs!

The Brunell Family

Behavioral

Thank you for the wonderful improvement that we have seen in WATSON over the past 3 months. The pictures at the dog park say it all – we would not have believed that Watson (left) would be lying next to Samson as calm as could be. His response to other dogs is much more controllable and his reactive distance has decreased at least by 75%. Your professionalism and willingness to custom tailor the conditioning and training program to our needs and Watson’s personality are what have made this such a success. Your written reports on his progress were a great tool to gauge how far we have come.

Nick and Kathy Zayatz

Group Classes

After the first beginner class with our dog ZUZU, I thought – this is never going to work! My little 5 lb chihuahua/Yorkie mix is more interested in the other dogs than paying attention to me! Well after 3 classes, and continued at home practice, we could attend class and she would focus on me. Now, in the middle of the intermediate class it is like the light bulb went off and she listens to all my commands! Positive reinforcement training has worked for Zuzu. Leslie has made the class informative, fun and constantly gives tips on how to work with your dog’s individual problems. Thank you Leslie

Mary Lou C. (Sussex, NJ)

1:1 Privates

We get compliments on SADIE’s behavior all the time….she’s such a great dog!

Marybeth F. (Budd Lake, NJ)

1:1 Privates

Our puppy, HAPPY, enjoyed every training session with Leslie and quickly learned with the methods she uses. Her approach is painless and even we humans learned better behaviors!

Rich, Jude & Mark C. (Newton NJ)

1:1 Privates

We originally contacted Leslie for HALEY’S stubborn potty-training problem. Frustration was getting the best of us and we were questioning our decision to adopt her. Not only has housebreaking been successful, but Haley has come a long way with her obedience skills. She goes to her bed on command, behaves at the front door and greets visitors politely. Overall, our relationship with Haley has improved and we enjoy having her as part of our family. 

Steve & Kara R. (Hamburg, NJ)

Group Classes

We are so thankful we signed LANDO up for classes at It’s Your Dog.  We adopted him from a local shelter as a 9-week old puppy who was scared of absolutely everything – from other dogs to adults and especially children. Classes helped Lando during his very crucial socialization period and we can confidently say he is a different dog from the whole experience.  It helped him to come out of his fearful shell and molded him into the great dog we knew he could be.

Allie S. (Highland Lakes, NJ)
Photo credit Alexandra Stonely

Classes/Privates

SCOUT is a different dog which I attribute to Leslie’s classes.  She creates a positive, goal-oriented environment and works closely with both dog and owner.  She is a dedicated professional who truly loves her job!  John M. (Oak Ridge, NJ)

Classes/Privates

When we adopted RINGO he was full of energy, didn’t know how to control his biting/chewing, and started eating our food off our plates! Since completing basic obedience and one private lesson with Leslie, Ringo is a different dog. Leslie taught us practical tools and lessons to implement in our environment. As a former teacher I can say first-hand Leslie is a first-rate teacher who knows how to adapt her lessons to every dog and every situation. Ringo’s a better dog, and we’re better owners.

Jennie and Lee G. (Newton, NJ)

1:1 Privates

Leslie was so good with HARRY – I always joked that she should move in with us! 

Leslie P. (Sparta, NJ)

Behavioral

PATCHES (formerly a dog-reactive dog) now gets along with other dogs and has become a joy to be around. Thank you Leslie!

Joanne D. (Montague, NJ

Behavioral

Wanted to thank you again for all your help with BEAR and training. Bear just encountered a person on the walk way and had zero reaction and was able to walk by with no issue!! This is the first time we’ve really encountered it and he did great! He just looked for treats.

Dana B. & Ian T.
Vernon, NJ

 

Cat & Dog

We adopted GINGER in March and immediately had a problem with her and our cat FRED. She chased the cat and even had it by the neck once. We feared she might hurt the cat.  Leslie came to our home to help us. She taught us what we could do to train Ginger to get used to Fred. We had to keep them separated for several months but we were finally able to trust Ginger to be with Fred in the same room without worrying about Fred getting hurt. Now in the evening they both sleep together on the couch by us.

Francine S.
Hamburg, NJ

 

Our Northern New Jersey Service Area
(excludes Day Training)
Please Note:  Travel is limited to areas west of Oak Ridge Road (off Rte 23 South)
and west of Canistear Road (off Rte 23 North).