- HOME
- ABOUT US
- OUR FORMS
- CONTACT & DIRECTIONS
- TESTIMONIALS
- CLASS SCHEDULES
- FOX40 LIVE with Bethany Crouch Part 1
- FOX40 LIVE with Bethany Crouch Part 2
About Us
Owners: Cindy C. Smith & W. Leland Smith
Business: The Right Steps
Trainer: Cindy C. Smith, CNWI
Location: Madison Plaza, 8516 Madison Avenue, Fair Oaks, CA 95628.
On Site: Inside Pet Supply Store - Pet Supplies & Fittings offered by appointment:
Location Benefits: Heat/air, heat, lights, rubber mats & tile on the floor for comfort.
Products & Services Offered By Appointment: We offer Pet Supplies for sale and Fittings,Puppy/Dog Training, Clicker Training for Cats, and Photography - In-Home/Off-Site, and some On-Site.
Training Methods Offered: Positive Training Methods, Clicker Training, Reward Based Training, and Behavior Modification. Positive solutions are used in solving problem behavior issues.
Training Philosophy: To provide safe and fun training and socialization for puppies/dogs and their human family in order to create a lasting quality bond and good citizen whether home or in public. We strive to assist our Clients to train ultimately a confident, socialized, and well trained/behaved dog that is a true joy to be around. We only use humane & positive methods (no harsh punishment/corrections or use of training tools like shock collars, pinch collars, or choke chains).
You may ask what we mean by "A Well Behaved Dog"? We envision a well behaved dog to be a confident, socialized, well trained dog that is a joy for you, your family, and friends to be around. A best friend that you can take places and have fun with whether going out for a walk, taking over to a friends house for a barbecue, participating/competing in dog sports, or just hanging out around the house.
Goal: Training which is both educational and fun for puppies, dogs, and their family. Assisting our Clients in creating lasting quality and enjoyable bonds and relationships with their puppies and dogs. We love to see animals to remain happily in their homes from Puppyhood long into their Senior years.
The Trainer: Cindy has loved animals her entire life and at a very young age made training animals her lifelong goal. She always seemed to have a natural ability to understand and communicate with animals. Her Husband calls her the "Pied Piper of Animals" as "everywhere she goes they follow her". Animals seem naturally drawn to her personality, true love of animals, and her voice. Her Human Clients are also drawn to her easy going, yet straight forward approach to communication and training.
Memberships/Titles: Cindy and The Right Steps are a Professional A.P.D.T. (Association of Pet Dog Trainer's) Member. Cindy officially became a CNWI (Certified Nose Work Instructor) as of February 1st, 2012! Our next goal is to take the C.P.D.T. (Certified Pet Dog Trainer Test of the A.P.D.T.) in 2012. Cindy has showed/competed with horses for many years (western - halter, western pleasure, horsemanship, and trail).
Over the years Cindy has worked personally with a variety and many Professional Dog/Animal Trainers (including Trish King at the Marine Humane) and Horse Trainers (including Ed Thornton, a triple select certified John Lyon's Trainer) to further her education on animal behavior and training methods with her own animals. As well as attending educational seminars both locally (Nicole Wilde Fear Seminar) and out of the area (many at the Marine Humane Society in Novato, Napa, Davis/Dixon, and U.C. Davis Behavior Department Seminars).
The Right Steps has donated time to Sacramento Animal Control to assist in raising funds for animals in need. We also enjoy building relationships with Rescue Groups and Shelters direct to offer Free Seminars and Personalized Non-Profit Animal Rescue/Shelter Discount Coupons to help animals keep their new homes. We also participate by having Vendor Booths at local Dog Events to assist in raising funds for good animal causes (examples: WoofStock Rocklin & El Dorado Hills, K9 Cancer Walk in Elk Grove, & Local Veterinarian Offices Events to name a few).
The Right Steps works with Veterinarian Offices in the Sacramento County, El Dorado County, and Placer County to give Free Seminars for their staff on Puppy and Dog Behavior.
Cindy had 16 years in the Customer Service Professional Industry of Banking which provided her with a solid foundation in Customer Service skills (how to relate to people and provide a quality experience). On the Animal side of the business Cindy has trained animals (dogs, horses, cats) for friends, family, colleagues, and Clients combined for many years (easily over 20+ years!).
In approximately 1994 Cindy was introduced to the John Lyons Positive Training Methods of Horse Training and a beautiful new world was opened for her! From there she applied those same positive methods to dog training with fantastic results! Training based on respect, relationship bonds, and rewards versus cowboying, corrections, and painful/scary punishment. From there she has never looked back and would never go back. Our goal is to pass on to our students what we have learned over many years and teach students the ability to love and enjoy our relationships with our pets.
She and her husband officially opened their Business as "Cindy C. Smith Horse & Dog Training" in 2003, then in 2004 became the owner of The Right Steps. With every difference we make in a puppy or dog and/or their family's life, it is an exciting and highly rewarding experience, each and every time!
Dog Training is not just a business to us, as it is what we truly love and enjoy doing. Cindy enjoys working with both her dog and human students equally. Quality customer service and providing a great experience is important to us. We are a true small business and wish to continue to succeed for many years to come.
Cindy continues her education by annually attending educational Seminars and Clinics given by other Trainers and Behaviorist (here locally, at the Marine Humane in Novato, and at U.C. Davis Behavior Department, to name a few). We keep up to date on current training methods through reading materials (books, magazines, and newsletters), DVDs, online material, and seminars on DVD (we have an huge library both in magazines, news letters, books, and DVDs 'from the older material to the most recent and up to date material'). If we cannot attend a Seminar due to to our own training schedule, we purchase it and watch it at home on DVD.
Cindy and her dogs also take lessons weekly, on a regular basis, with other Professional Positive Trainers for both Competitive Agility and K9 Nose Work and looks forward to the opportunity to trial as time allows, each and every opportunity possible is fit in around her business working schedule.
Prior with her dogs she has taken lessons in herding, rally, and working on reactivity issues to name just a few. Each lesson gives her the opportunity to not only have something fun to do with her dogs, but keeps in mind every Trainer has something valuable to offer. Training is always kept fun and used as quality bonding time, but is taken seriously as well. Along with training, there is lots of time for fun and play daily for quality fun bonding time! Cindy loves clicker training and playing with her cats, walking, riding horses, photography, and art as well. For proper relaxation and breathing techniques she has taken Aikido Lessons. Her goal is to focus on continuing to learn and grow both as an Animal Trainer and as an Instructor of Animal and Human Students.
We have a Sacramento Business License, a CA Sellers Permit, and Professional Dog Training Insurance.
We are referred by Veterinarians, Pet Professionals, Pet Therapy Groups (examples: Delta & Lend-A-Heart), Animal Rescue Groups, Shelters, Breeders, Trainers, Our Clients, Friends, and Family. Testimonials
We cover Sacramento, El Dorado, & Placer Counties.
On a personal note the Smith Family animals consist of three dogs (all herding breeds) and two cats, who are all a very important and active part of our family and daily lives. We take the time daily to practice what we teach, to insure our animals are well trained, and receive plenty of proper physical and mental exercise. We also spend lots of quality and fun bonding time with our dogs and cats, in turn our animals enjoy spending time with us, whether it be working or just hanging out around the house keeping us company.
