Learn to 'Speak Dog' with Expert Trainer Brett Shelby

It’s often expected of children to take over their parents’ family business when they come of age. That came true for Brett Shelby, a professional dog trainer servicing the tri-state area just like his father, Tom — but not before forging a path of his own.

Shelby, 41, studied education and Spanish in college and eventually became a Spanish teacher, but his lifelong love of dogs slowly pawed its way from being a personal to a professional passion. He grew up with dogs and often jumped in to help his father with lessons, before realizing he wanted to accept his father’s offer to taking over the business. Though going from Spanish teacher to dog trainer might seem like a leap, Shelby says his pedagogical experience actually comes in handy.

“I get to use my teaching background as well, such as how to teach people another language, to reinforce the dog training and to teach people how to train their dogs,” or as he calls it on his website, to “speak dog.”

“While we, humans, are a “verbal breed,” Shelby says, “dogs are not.” So, speaking their language isn’t so much about what we say, he says; it’s more about what and how we react to their behaviors. For dogs, it’s not about words, which, he explains, can be confusing, so he focuses on praise.

“I eliminate human error by using less words,” Shelby explains. He calls it “playfully directing,” adding, “If you do it right, the dog wants to do it … It becomes routine.

“People, we tend to be reactive rather than proactive,” Shelby says. “Think about what you want from your dog …. Dogs want attention. Focus on reinforcing the good. Teach them what you want by guiding them to do it, and then reinforce them and give them love when they do it.”

Shelby has been a full-time dog trainer for over a decade and has worked alongside other renowned trainers nationwide to hone his skills. He offers many services, including online consultations, in-home boarding, and all levels of training ranging from puppy basics for new dog parents to behavioral training and correction for dogs dealing with aggression.

His approach appears to be successful. He recalled one story about a German shepherd that was so aggressive that “no one but the owner was allowed to go near the dog, and she had to wear a gym glove to hold the dog’s leash.” This presented a challenge when the owner became engaged, and the dog was aggressive toward her fiancé. Shelby says that after two sessions, the couple noted a “world of difference.” In the end, the dog was no longer aggressive and eventually was even able to be walked in public.

Many of Shelby’s clients in New York City also spend summers out on the East End, so he occasionally makes the trip out for some summer sessions. Shelby notes another important training point for these clients is how to get dogs accustomed to two very different lifestyles: city apartment life, and suburban home life with a backyard. After all, dogs are part of the family.

“I don’t call it training, I call it parenting,” Shelby says. “Semantics … but words make a difference in our heads.”

For more information or to book a lesson, visit brettshelby.com or call 845-642-7706. Shelby also offers free dog training tips on the first Saturday of every month at Fort Lee Dog Park in New Jersey.