About Us
Welcome to our blog! We are a dog training company based in Phoenix, Arizona, and our company name is Apex Dog Training Center LLC. My name is Melissa, I am the CEO of the company, and I am the Chief Website Officer of the company, primarily responsible for the operation of our company's website.
Drawing on decades of experience and a commitment to science-based, humane training methods, we offer more than just solutions; we provide a fresh perspective on understanding your beloved dog's behavior and potential.
Effective Dog Obedience Training in Phoenix, AZ: Tailored Solutions for Every Challenge
At Apex Dog Training Center, led by Gene Duncan, a seasoned certified dog behavior consultant and behaviorist, we’re more than just trainers – we’re your allies in the journey of pet parenting. With decades of experience and a commitment to science-based, humane training methods, we offer more than just solutions; we offer a new perspective on your dog’s behavior and potential.
We understand that each dog and pet guardian has unique needs and preferences. That’s why we offer a comprehensive range of training options to suit various requirements. Our services include obedience training, catering to different levels of skill and control. Whether you’re looking to establish basic manners or advance to more complex skills, we have the expertise to guide you every step of the way.
Additionally, we specialize in all forms of behavior modification. From addressing nuisance behaviors like excessive barking to tackling complex emotional issues such as dog anxiety or dog aggression, our tailored approach ensures effective and lasting results. Recognizing the diverse needs of our clients, we offer both in-home private training lessons and virtual training sessions. This flexibility allows us to provide you and your dog with personalized training and behavior modification solutions, regardless of your location or schedule. Our goal is to make dog training accessible and convenient, ensuring that you and your furry companion can enjoy a harmonious and fulfilling relationship.
Our mission
Our mission is to create a partnership between dogs and owners
Our mission is to alchemize the chaos of life into harmony and symmetry for owners and dogs alike. We’ve created a tried and true method of training routines for dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds to cultivate a relationship of respect, trust, and understanding between them and their owner. As dog owners ourselves, we understand first hand the trials, tribulations, and frustrations that go paw-in-hand with dog ownership. It’s what led us to create Apex Dog Training Center and brings you this message today.
Our hope is to convert frustration into harmonious partnership in which your dog is innately tuned into your leadership and guidance, making your relationship effortless, fun and liberating! After a solid foundation of training with us, you and your pup will be able to enjoy all that life has to offer both on-and-off leash together, the possibilities and adventures truly become endless!
We use a balanced training methodology here at Apex Dog Training Center, which means we use both positive and negative reinforcement to gently guide each dog. The positive reinforcement is introduced day one, and includes things such as rewards, treats, and affection. Then, after we’ve built a strong and clear understanding of communication, and cultivated a relationship of trust and respect with your dog, we slowly introduce the negative reinforcement or rules of the game (i.e Ecollar, prong etc). This is why we take our time introducing these tools to each dog, so that negative reinforcement can be implemented at the lowest level possible to give guidance and direction. We pride ourselves on creating a solid foundation of communication first before introducing pressure or rules. Much like a coach introducing a sport to a child for the first time, by first building confidence and engagement, then adding the rules of the game later on to make it more challenging and fun!
The most important factor in accomplishing true harmony between you and your dog is you. Even though we can work with almost any dog regardless of issues, dog training is a team sport and we can’t get incredible results without your support and consistency so there will be homework and things to practice along the way. By taking the extra time to empower you with the tools to communicate clearly, effectively, and directly with your pup, you will be able to experience a long-term symmetry and partnership with your dog allowing you to fully enjoy the many adventures that await. We alchemize from the inside out so that even the most intense chaos can be overcome and metamorphosed into harmony!
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Services Content
Base Lessons
Base lessons in your home addressing any combination of behavior problems your dog may have, such as aggression to humans, aggression to other dogs, separation anxiety, and/or house training, barking, jumping, chewing, digging, biting, pulling on the leash etc. This package corrects any and all nuisance behaviors, along with teaching your dog to successfully.
- ”Come” when called
- “Walk” on a loose leash
- ”Stay/Wait”
- “Sit”
- ”Down”
- ”Watch” or Pay Attention
- ”Off” or No
- ”OK” or Free Dog
- Go to “Place” or “Bed”
- Go to ”Kennel”
- ”Load Up” into the vehicle
- Distraction Proofing
- Distance Proofing
- Duration Proofing
- Address the problems that are a priority for you and your family first.
- Receive in-home, customized, one-on-one instruction.
- Save precious traveling time.
- A comprehensive course. Four one hour lessons.
- Home visits weekly at your convenience.
- Available 5-days a week, including weekends and evenings.
- All household members are encouraged to attend.
- Everything you and your dog need to know to live “Happily Ever After.”
Board & Train
Our board & train programs offer a full-service structured school for your dog. Your dog gets the opportunity to build genuine independence during their stay with us and will be integrated into a healthy and consistent day to day routine so they can flow back into your life with their new skills and confidence in tow. The essence of Apex Dog Training Center lies in cultivating true autonomy and unshakable calm, even amid distractions, for everyday life. This way you and your dog feel confident tackling the unpredictable situations that can be arise. While it may sound challenging to part with your dog for such a long period of time, it can also provide a fully immersive training experience for them without one of their biggest distractions, you! Your dog will be exposed to all kinds of distractions such as home depot, parks, restuarants, and many more while learning to remain calm and be a joy to have alongside you every step of the way. They will have lots of socialization with the other dogs and be exposed to a plethora of different breeds, personalities, and behaviors. Plus, you will be able to follow along on their progress through our social media posts! This package is a great option if you want a calm, socialized and fully off leash trained dog you can take anywhere, but don’t have the time to do the heavy lifting yourself. At pick up, we spend several hours going over all the communication, tools and knowledge learned so you leave feeling empowered and capable with your newly dialed and off leash trained dog. This is a great option for families and busy work schedules!
Private Lessons
Private lessons are a one-stop-shop for learning the skills necessary to train your current dog and all future friends who will join your pack. This vital skill will give you the confidence to become the alpha amongst your pack and is something you can carry with you from dog to dog. Our private lessons are perfect for high-energy dogs and puppies with erratic personalities in need of more gentleman and ladylike behaviors. This package gives your pup the understanding that their choices are important. Our private lesson packages assist you and your dog with a strong understanding of proper on-and-off leash behaviors and responsibilities, how to be courteous and respectful around people, have impulse control and the ability to direct their attention to you with distractions present and many other wonderful skills. We also recommend this package for any dog looking for the groundwork in a healthy on-and-off leash relationship. This is non-coincidentally one of our most popular packages.
Daycare/Boarding
We offer Boarding to all dogs who have completed one of our programs or are crate trained and approved by the owner.
We also offer a daycare option (8 am-5 pm) to approved clients/dogs.
Apex Dog Training Center scene
Internationally Renowned Dog Behavior Expert: Gene Duncan
Welcome to Apex Dog Training Center, led by Gene Duncan, Arizona’s only Certified Canine Behaviorist (CAB-ICB) and one of just three in the U.S. With over 20 years of expertise, Gene Duncan is a:
- Certified Canine Behaviorist (CAB-ICB)
- Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CBCC-KA)
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)
- Fear Free Certified Professional (FFCP)
- Author of two books & over 100 articles
- Expert witness & dog bite legal consultant
Gene Duncan is recognized as one of America’s Top 50 Dog Professionals. He specializes in scientifically validated behavior modification for:
- Aggression
- Anxiety & fearfulness
- Separation anxiety
- Reactivity
- Phobias
- Obsessive compulsive behavior
Unlike other Phoenix dog trainers, Gene Duncan offers personalized, evidence-based training tailored to each dog’s needs.
Gene Duncan holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and has completed advanced postgraduate coursework in canine cognition through Harvard University. His academic foundation includes specialized study in applied behavior analysis (ABA), canine ethology, neurochemistry, psychopharmacology, diet, and nutrition, disciplines that inform his integrative, science-based approach to behavior modification.
As a published author, Gene Duncan has written two books and more than 100 articles on dog behavior and training. He frequently serves as a legal consultant and expert witness in dog bite litigation
Award-Winning Apex Dog Training in Phoenix – 12 Years Running
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Key members of Apex Dog Training Center
Melissa
CEO & Chief Website Officer
Hi and Welcome! My name is Melissa. I am the CEO here at Apex Dog Training Center, and I am the Chief Website Officer of the company, primarily responsible for the operation of our company's website.
I've owned and trained my own dogs for as long as I can remember. I grew up with a border collie named Buddy and this is the dog that started me on my love for dog training.
I trained dogs for people on and off growing up and even worked with a rescue for several years.
I fell further in love with Aussies during undergrad and after earning my BA in Communications, went to work full time.
I am an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and canine sports competitor in conformation, barnhunt, dock diving, and enjoy teaching my dogs tricks and earning titles with them. I've been a 4-H leader for the dog project and have mentored multiple AKC Juniors in the conformation ring.
For training, I specialize in working with Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Miniature American Shepherds, Corgis, and Mini Aussies but also have a wide range of experience with different breeds including (but not limited to) Belgian Tervurens, German Shepherds, Doodles, Poodles, Terriers, Newfoundlands.
I can help you and your dog with basic obedience, off leash commands, house manners, and behavior modification.
My training focuses on you having a good, stable, balanced relationship with your dog with the goal of letting you have the freedom to do all the fun things with your dog and without the stress of them misbehaving!
Gene Duncan
Head Trainer
Hey! I am Gene Duncan, Head Trainer at Apex Dog Training Center! I started working with animals at a very young age. I competitively rode working cow horses and have been training horses and dogs for over 12 years. I love working with animals and have had a dog at my side since birth. I have two beautiful rescues, Maia (half German Shepherd half Rottweiler) and Sai (border collie mix). Sai followed me over 20 miles as a 10 week old puppy through Havasupai in the Grand Canyon. It was the heat of summer and this pup didn’t leave my side. He even slept outside my tent and tried to climb down a 200ft wall because sometimes a dog knows they belong with you better than you do. He was scared and running wild all over the camp. The tribe woman told me that he was to be euthanized, and me being me, I couldn’t let that happen. My love for animals runs deep, I’m positive that he saved me, not the other way around. He needed a lot of extra reassurance and guidance but I was able to rehabilitate him and now he goes everywhere with me. That is where my passion for training dogs really started coming through. Dog’s can be incredible companions when loved through leadership and shown how to be calm and balanced despite what’s going on around them. It makes life harmonious and peaceful for all involved. I’ve worked elsewhere before but I pride myself on being apart of what we do here at Apex Dog Training Center, it’s home!
Richard Dyson
Trainer
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Richard Dyson and I am a trainer here at Apex Dog Training Center! “Choose a job that you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This statement could not be more true for me and my work. My love for dogs started early in my high school years with my first dog Misty. A loving companion that helped my step father through brain surgery and a liver transplant. Anchoring his recovery. After spending the last decade playing and coaching baseball (currently as the head pitching instructor at Seton Catholic Prep) I’ve honed in my skills and patience to teach and instruct young athletes to be the best they can be. It’s here I decided to shift my focus to another one of my aforementioned loves. Training Dogs!!! This really began when our pup Maia came into the picture. Since then it has been constant learning and growth for our Pack! This accompanied by Devon’s vast knowledge of dogs and all animals for that matter has allowed me to grow and flourish as a trainer.
Kylie Schroer
Trainer
Hello! My name is Kylie Schroer, I am a trainer here at Apex Dog Training Center! I grew up around animals and have always had a passion for them. I spent a lot of my free time as a child volunteering at local rescues as well as fostering. I started working with dogs professionally in my high school years when I got a job at a doggy daycare. I knew instantly that I was on the right career path and wanted to work with animals for the rest of my life! It was then I got my first dog Zhara (German Shepherd/Rottweiler/Sharpei mix). She’s a rescue pup with a difficult past that needs a lot of extra guidance, but it has been beautiful to be apart of her rehabilitation journey. Shortly after, I adopted my second pup Zeke (Chihuahua/Italian Greyhound mix). Zeke is a very special boy! Unfortunately, he was mistreated and is missing his two back paws. He now wears prosthetics and it has been such a blessing to be apart of his life, helping him learn to walk and just be a dog again! These two incredible dogs really did change my life for the better! I continued to grow in the animal industry, taking on a management role at a dog daycare, I also began fostering/training dogs professionally for a rescue. It’s here I shifted my focus toward rescuing, rehabilitation, and dog training! This, alongside Gene Duncan’s coaching and knowledge, have allowed me to learn and flourish as a dog trainer!
