Kytha Gernatt, the founder of SF Dog Pack, came to training through her own struggle with a reactive pit bull. After years as a dog walker in San Francisco, she found that physical corrections weren't helping her dog Goldie, so she turned to positive reinforcement methods instead. That personal experience shaped her approach, and she's continued building her expertise over 27 years working with dogs, completing coursework through programs like the Canine Behavior Academy, a shelter behavior program, and more recently a master course focused specifically on dog aggression.
According to their website, SF Dog Pack emphasizes changing how a dog feels about situations, not just how it behaves. Gernatt describes her method as grounded in current behavioral science, with an understanding that meaningful change takes time. She offers both private lessons and group classes, the latter run through a partnership with a local Pet Food Express location. The site notes that each client receives a training plan tailored to their specific dog and living situation rather than a standard curriculum.
Services cover foundational skills, recall, loose leash walking, staying calm around distractions, as well as more challenging issues like reactivity and problem barking. Gernatt also works with young puppies who haven't finished their vaccinations. Her site mentions a discount for recently adopted rescue dogs and a free initial consultation before any training begins.
