The Fairy Dogmother

Stephanie Woodle brings an unusual path to dog training. According to her site, she spent more than two decades as a handler, walker, and sitter before realizing she couldn't answer the training questions her clients kept asking—or solve problems with her own dog. That gap led her to the Victoria Stilwell Dog Training Academy, where she graduated with distinction and earned certification as a professional trainer.

The Fairy Dogmother, her San Diego-based business, offers private lessons, in-home sessions, and day training across neighborhoods like Ocean Beach, Point Loma, and Pacific Beach. Woodle describes her method as reward-based but not limited to treats; she says she looks for what actually motivates each dog and builds training around that. Her site emphasizes working in clients' homes so she can address behaviors where they happen—reactivity on a particular street corner, for instance, or trouble with crate training in the actual crate.

Services range from puppy programs covering socialization and basic cues to behavior consulting for adult dogs struggling with anxiety or reactivity. For owners short on time, day training sessions let Woodle work directly with the dog, followed by a transfer session to teach the owner what the dog learned. She states she avoids aversive tools like prong or shock collars, relying instead on positive reinforcement and clear communication between dog and owner.