Genetic Canine owner Amanda Callahan and her expert team of trainers want to let Long Islanders know that they are the spot for board and train services.
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Amanda Callahan grew up on Long Island, surrounded by dogs.
Lots of them. Consider her mom was a dog groomer and breeder who also worked with show dogs.
“I literally spent my childhood growing up in a kennel,” she said. “I would help handle and groom dogs all day.”
And for how many years?
“She started bringing me in a car seat; I kid you not,” Callahan said.
Along the way, this little girl learned to speak the dogs’ language.
She has since spent her entire adult life as a trainer.
And now she’s in business for herself.
Callahan recently opened Genetic Canine in Coram. She and her expert team of trainers now want to let Long Islanders know that they are the spot for board and train services.
“We’re not a huge facility,” she says of the 2,500-square foot space, which can house up to 10 dogs, “but our board and trains are very unique.”
“We probably take these dogs on an obnoxious amount of outings,” she added with a laugh.
That includes walks to local villages, parks and shops, wherever she and her trainers can reinforce the foundations being learned at the center.
Keep reading to learn more about Callahan and her Genetic Canine, which offers 2- and 4-week board and train programs.
There’s also a contact form to get in touch.
Her philosophy
Callahan says setting boundaries is the best thing you could do for a dog, and its owner.
“A lack of boundaries is the biggest issue with people and their dogs,” she explained. “And I think that clients appreciate when they’re told setting boundaries is OK.”
That’s because, she added, the best thing for a young puppy especially, is to build a relationship through engagement.
“Relationship and engagement are my two biggest words,” she says.
Think about your relationship with your best friend, she said. It’s built on boundaries. In simpler terms: knowing how not to annoy each other.
From there, the relationship grows upon a foundation of trust and mutual respect.
The same goes for dogs and owners.
“You need to know where your dog’s boundaries are, and if a client knows that, like knowing your best friend, there’s no situation they can’t navigate,” Callahan said.
For example, a lack of crate training, flooding your dog with toys, being over-accommodating or creating a situation where your dog needs constant attention and stimulation, are just some examples.
“We’re in the era of doggy daycare,” she said. “It’s the worst thing to happen to dogs.”
Why?
Because they never learn to settle down, or self soothe.
“That creates anxieties, anxious behaviors, which lead to poor behaviors,” she said. “Even with us as people, if we’re very anxious and not settled, we’re probably not handling life accordingly.
“If you can teach that off switch, we can help the dogs a lot.”
That’s the thrust behind the Genetic Canine board-and-train program.
And the results have been spectacular for clients.
Her background
Callahan has never stopped working with dogs. She became a full-time trainer at just 17 years old, while still helping her mom with her doggie endeavors.
She considered becoming a nurse, but really preferred helping animals.
In turn, she ends up helping the owners as well.
Callahan also apprenticed under Master Trainer John Browne for 10 years before opening her own business.
Along the way, something else happened — consider she’ll often take a dog home to, for example, learn how to get along better with cats.
“Dog training isn’t just a job or a hobby,” Callahan said. “It’s a lifestyle.”
And for dog owners, life is easier with a well-mannered companion.
“For any behavior issue, we are here to help,” she said.
Start your training journey
Simply fill out this form to get in touch.
