How This Work Begins
We work with families who have already tried training—and are still living with behavior that doesn’t hold up in daily life.
Often, dogs perform well in classes, sessions, or structured programs, but things unravel once routines change, distractions increase, or support is removed. When that happens, life with a dog can feel unstable, stressful, and discouraging.
This work begins after that point.
Not as a restart—but as a deeper examination of why previous training didn’t translate into real life.
Our Point of View
Most training focuses on teaching behaviors in controlled settings: sit, stay, don’t pull.
When those skills don’t carry over into everyday life, it’s easy to assume the dog is the problem—or that the owner has failed.
We’ve found the opposite is usually true.
In our experience, breakdowns happen when training doesn’t account for how dogs experience the world, how stress and learning interact, and how daily environments shape behavior over time.
Without that context, skills may exist—but stability doesn’t.
Our Approach
Our work looks at the whole system a dog lives within: learning history, stress patterns, environment, and relationships.
Training isn’t about compliance alone.
It’s about restoring clarity, trust, and predictability—so behavior holds up not just in sessions, but in real life.
Depending on the dog and the situation, this work may take place through private, in-home sessions or immersive residential training, where learning unfolds across daily routines rather than controlled exercises.
This work is deliberate and individualized.
We take on a limited number of cases so we can stay closely involved throughout the process.
Who This Work Is For
This work is for owners who:
Have already invested time or money in training
Are frustrated that progress didn’t last
Are ready to look beyond surface-level solutions
It’s not for:
First-time training
Puppies just getting started
Quick fixes, guarantees, or hands-off programs
If you’re looking for an introduction to training, there are many great options.
If you’re tired of starting over, this work may be a fit.
About Us
We are Francisco and Amia, a husband-and-wife team based in Northfield, Vermont.
For years, we’ve worked with dogs whose behavior didn’t fit neatly into traditional training models—and with people who wanted more than instructions or techniques.
Our work centers on understanding why behavior breaks down and rebuilding patterns that hold up over time.
Why We Do This Work
We do this work because we’ve seen what changes when dogs are understood rather than managed—and when people are supported rather than instructed.
When clarity replaces confusion, daily life with a dog feels calmer, more stable, and more connected.
If you’re looking for thoughtful, in-depth work after training hasn’t worked the way you hoped, we may be a good fit.
Apply to work with us.
“Francisco and Amia approach each dog with compassion and an individualized plan. They educate dog and human alike. As someone who works a lot with dogs with unknown pasts and plenty of baggage, it’s refreshing to see a pair of people so dedicated to the “underdogs”. Cervantes Dog Training has and will continue to save lives!”
-Meghan Burrows, Burlington, Vermont
“Before training with Francisco and Amia, our dog Tilly had significant anxiety issues and serious reactivity to other dogs and cars. Since working to develop a solid foundation of rituals to ease her anxiety, we have been able to eliminate Tilly’s issues and were confidently able to introduce a new puppy. We could never have done this without the insight and support of the Cervantes training team and we are forever grateful to them.”
- Ben Schweitzer, Bethel, Vermont
