Wonders never cease for Wonder Puppy, NW Portland’s favorite place for training.  Kerry Ryan, a Wonder Puppy trainer, won first place again this year, while four other Wonder Puppy trainers placed in the Top 10.  The facility itself took first place in the Playgroups/Spaces category.

The Wonder Puppy philosophy holds that a solid foundation in basic skills lays the groundwork and that anything can start from that.  Owner Casey Newton says training if offered in individual and group sessions, all designed to make puppies and their peeps successful.  Puppy-people teams gain a foundation for pups to grow into healthy, happy, dogs who successfully function in a human-oriented urban environment.  While everyone is welcome, the focus is on pups from when they are just a twinkling idea to age two.

Ryan, who teaches private lessons at Wonder Puppy and has her own training company, Dog Adventures Northwest, offers her recipe for success:   More exercise, managing the environment and positive reinforcement of desired behaviors.  Ryan believes most local dogs get maybe a quarter of the exercise they need.  As for managing the environment, she says slippers don’t get eaten when they’re kept out of reach.  Positive training, positive environment and positive attitude — that’s the Wonder Puppy way.  - Gail Krueger