Thanks to the clients who responded to my survey about classes they would like and benefit from, I learned that you are interested in joining a monthly training club. I am in the process of designing it based on your input and look forward to sharing the final plan with you soon.
If you are interested in learning more about this new offering—starting in the first quarter of 2026 —or to find out if it is a good fit for you and your pup, please reach out via my contact form on this website and tell me a bit about yourself, your goals, and your pup.
Scroll through the calendar below to view upcoming events and classes. Please note that classes are planned a quarter in advance.
“By attending “C.H.A.C.O Dog Training & Behavior Consulting LLC” classes, we learned a lot and so did our standard poodle Dash. Almudena has a first-class facility with a large field for classes, within a larger securely fenced area that readily adapts to the wide range of activities she incorporates in her teaching. She is a personable and caring individual as well as a very knowledgeable professional totally committed to helping owners and their dogs.
The classes are usually small, 4 owners with their dogs, which allows some one-on-one time with Almudena when needed, and the classes are nonthreatening and fun for the dog. With her extensive knowledge, she is able to address any special problems encountered. For example, our dog had spent the first nine months of his life in a kennel being mostly ignored. Almudena really helped socialize Dash and he’s become a confident, happy dog, who likes to play and he enjoys the company of other dogs and people.” – Robb & Kate Palmer, Tesuque, NM
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From participants of the Developing the Confident Dog class.
“Thanks so much for the excellent recall class that Roxie and I attended. I really enjoyed it. You teach important concepts in interesting ways, and your class is a very different experience than other classes I have taken over the years. It was very helpful and thought provoking.” – Patty Sciarrotta & Roxie
View more testimonials here.
We’d love your feedback! Share your thoughts in this short survey.
Join us for a convenient five-week Basic Obedience Live ZOOM course, right from the comfort of your home.
Class is full, registration is now closed.
Registration closes on Tuesday, December 27th
Over the five weeks, we’ll cover a comprehensive range of skills, from basic obedience like Sit, down, and stay, to more advanced techniques like walking on a loose leash, impulse control, and settling on its bed.
Sit, down, and stay, but also walking on a loose leash, impulse control, and settling on its bed.
This course is ideal for dogs five months and older, senior dogs, and dogs that cannot attend a group class.
The Details
Requirements
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You will need a room in your home that has good lighting (I will provide you with a handout on how to set up your space upon registration)
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A good internet connection
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Attendance at the orientation is mandatory.
The class is open to four handlers and their dogs. One registration is valid for one handler and one dog. If you have more than one dog, you are encouraged to work with your other dogs with the training plans provided outside class time. These plans are designed to be flexible and can be integrated into your daily routine.
Tuesdays, January 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th and February 3rd. 2026. 10 am -11 am MST.
Fees: $267.20 (Santa Fe County tax included).
Note: To secure your spot in the class, you must submit the form/questionnaire, agree to the terms, and pay before the closing deadline of December 27th. Once your registration is complete, I will email you with further details.
Basic Obedience Live ZOOM course
$267.20
The Emotionally Sensitive Dog Course
Registration closes on Thursday, March 26th, or when the class is full.
Introduction
Working with emotionally sensitive dogs and their owners has been a passion of mine since I began working professionally with dogs twenty years ago. While each dog is unique, emotionally sensitive dogs often face extraordinary challenges as they try to adjust to life in our world and meet its daily demands.
Throughout my experience working privately with clients and their emotionally sensitive dogs, I have witnessed both the frustration and the hope that pet parents feel as they strive to understand and care for their companions.
Unfortunately, our society does not serve these dogs well. The number of emotionally sensitive dog cases encountered by seasoned professionals continues to rise rather than decrease.
In response to this growing need, I developed this course and accompanying community to help as many pet parents and their dogs as possible. My goal is for us to come together to appreciate, learn, and discover how best to teach, advocate for, and support the dogs in our care.
Course Description
Each lecture topic has been carefully chosen to provide pet parents of emotionally sensitive dogs with a strong foundation. The course helps participants appreciate both the general challenges these dogs face and the specific needs of their own pets.
In designing this course, I have drawn not only on my formal education in dog behavior, ethology, behavioral sciences, and neurobiology, but also on contemporary literature regarding trauma (PTSD) and its manifestation in dogs.
My years of experience working with emotionally sensitive dogs continue to guide me in applying what we have learned from the dogs themselves.
Participants will learn practical procedures for everyday situations, allowing them to empathize with their dogs and make a meaningful difference in how their sensitive pets navigate life’s difficulties.
While this is not a training course, weekly handouts and assignments will be distributed after each lecture. Participants can apply these materials to their own situations to help their dogs become more resilient, confident, and well-adjusted.
The course runs for 12 weeks, alternating each week between lectures and Office Hours. Office Hours follow a Q&A format and offer opportunities to review material and to submit videos demonstrating participants’ application of the course concepts.
Weekly Lecture Topics
- Week 1: Defining Emotion and Cognition. Why learning about them matters
- Week 2: Arousal, Triggers, and the Role of Neurochemistry in the Emotionally Sensitive Dog
- Week 3: Memory, Learning, and Dog Communication
- Week 4: Management and How to Implement a Trauma-Informed Environment to aid our dogs. What do “Support” and “Dog Needs” really mean?
- Week 5: Desensitization and Counterconditioning — the Jewels of Behavior Modification. Understanding their relevance and practical applications in helping anxious, fearful, and/or aggressive dogs.
- Week 6: Psychopharmacology — Does My Dog Need Medication? Teaming Up with your DVM or Behaviorist for the use of psychotropic drugs.
Course Dates
The course begins on Thursday, April 2nd, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM MST, and ends on June 4th, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. All sessions will be conducted live online.
Note: Lectures will be held on alternating weeks and will be recorded, while Office Hours will not be recorded.
Tuition
The course fee is $375.00, which includes Santa Fe County sales tax.
To join this course, you MUST fill in the questionnaire, accept the cancellation policy and terms, and submit payment. Your space will not be saved if payment is received alone.
Sensitive Emotional Dog Support and Learning Community
$375.00
C.H.A.C.O.’s Monthly Training Club
Join the Revolution! If there were a dog training program that delivers laid-back yet effective training and solutions for everyday situations with minimal time investment? Would you join it?
C.H.A.C.O.’s Monthly Training Club aims to deliver just that and much more. In today’s world, clients want to do fun stuff with their dogs but do not want the commitment, energy, and time that a six-week class demands.
The Monthly Training Club meets in person once a month for a one-hour class. At the end of the monthly class, you will receive a training plan (video demonstrations will be provided when applicable) outlining what you and your dog learned in class, so you can practice the new skills throughout the month.
Each month, the training topic either builds on the previous month’s lesson or introduces new training games. Slowly and with little pressure, you and your dog will build a repertoire of useful skills that can range from basic obedience challenges to impulse control, confidence building, mental stimulation, and canine fitness, all while having fun with a committed group of folks who hope for more meaningful time spent with their pups.
Who Can Join?
The training club is open to only a select number of participants and offers two levels of membership.
There are certain requirements to join the club. In essence, your dog must be comfortable working around other dogs and people without excessive barking and without lunging at people or other dogs. Your dog must be at least 5 months old, and either current vaccinations or a titer test is welcome.
The best candidate for the club is someone looking for a cohesive group of people who enjoy spending time with their dogs, teaching them new skills, and training them using reward-based methods.
In addition…
If you and your dog meet the requirements above, you must:
- Submit a one-time application to be considered for membership,
- Sign the waiver release, and
- Submit payment.
NOTE: If you are not sure your dog meets the requirements above, please reach out via email. Together, we can decide if this is a good fit for your pup.
Membership Options:
- One-month membership and a three-month membership.
If you choose the one-month membership, you can renew for the following
month if there is an opening at the club.
- A three-month membership enjoys a price discount.
Where does the Club meet?
For most of the monthly class, we will meet at C.H.A.C.O.’s training hub in Tesuque (precise directions will be sent once you are accepted to join the club). Depending on the skills we are working on, the club might meet in selected sites in Santa Fe.
Meetings are held on Saturday morning. NOTE: The class start time will be adjusted based on the seasons. With Summer classes meeting earlier and Fall and Winter later.
Meet Up Dates:
Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 8 am -9 am
Saturday, June 6th, 2026 8 am – 9 am
Saturday, July 11th, 2026 8 am -9 am
Future dates TBA.
REGISTRATION closes on Saturday, April 4th, or when the training club is at capacity.
To join this course, you MUST fill in the questionnaire, accept the cancellation policy and terms, and submit payment. Your space will not be saved if payment is received alone.
Tuition:
Monthly Membership: $ 53.44 (Santa Fe County tax included)
Three Month Membership: $128.56 (Santa Fe County tax included)
C.H.A.C.O.’s Monthly Training Club
Join the Revolution! If there were a dog training program that delivers laid-back yet effective training and solutions for everyday situations with minimal time investment? Would you join it?
C.H.A.C.O.’s Monthly Training Club aims to deliver just that and much more. In today’s world, clients want to do fun stuff with their dogs but do not want the commitment, energy, and time that a six-week class demands.
The Monthly Training Club meets in person once a month for a one-hour class. At the end of the monthly class, you will receive a training plan (video demonstrations will be provided when applicable) outlining what you and your dog learned in class, so you can practice the new skills throughout the month.
Each month, the training topic either builds on the previous month’s lesson or introduces new training games. Slowly and with little pressure, you and your dog will build a repertoire of useful skills that can range from basic obedience challenges to impulse control, confidence building, mental stimulation, and canine fitness, all while having fun with a committed group of folks who hope for more meaningful time spent with their pups.
Who Can Join?
The training club is open to only a select number of participants and offers two levels of membership.
There are certain requirements to join the club. In essence, your dog must be comfortable working around other dogs and people without excessive barking and without lunging at people or other dogs. Your dog must be at least 5 months old, and either current vaccinations or a titer test is welcome.
The best candidate for the club is someone looking for a cohesive group of people who enjoy spending time with their dogs, teaching them new skills, and training them using reward-based methods.
In addition…
If you and your dog meet the requirements above, you must:
- Submit a one-time application to be considered for membership,
- Sign the waiver release, and
- Submit payment.
NOTE: If you are not sure your dog meets the requirements above, please reach out via email. Together, we can decide if this is a good fit for your pup.
Membership Options:
- One-month membership and a three-month membership.
If you choose the one-month membership, you can renew for the following
month if there is an opening at the club.
- A three-month membership enjoys a price discount.
Where does the Club meet?
For most of the monthly class, we will meet at C.H.A.C.O.’s training hub in Tesuque (precise directions will be sent once you are accepted to join the club). Depending on the skills we are working on, the club might meet in selected sites in Santa Fe.
Meetings are held on Saturday morning. NOTE: The class start time will be adjusted based on the seasons. With Summer classes meeting earlier and Fall and Winter later.
Meet Up Dates:
Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 8 am -9 am
Saturday, June 6th, 2026 8 am – 9 am
Saturday, July 11th, 2026 8 am -9 am
Future dates TBA.
REGISTRATION closes on Saturday, April 4th, or when the training club is at capacity.
To join this course, you MUST fill in the questionnaire, accept the cancellation policy and terms, and submit payment. Your space will not be saved if payment is received alone.
Tuition:
Monthly Membership: $ 53.44 (Santa Fe County tax included)
Three Month Membership: $128.56 (Santa Fe County tax included)
C.H.A.C.O.’s Monthly Training Club
Join the Revolution! If there were a dog training program that delivers laid-back yet effective training and solutions for everyday situations with minimal time investment? Would you join it?
C.H.A.C.O.’s Monthly Training Club aims to deliver just that and much more. In today’s world, clients want to do fun stuff with their dogs but do not want the commitment, energy, and time that a six-week class demands.
The Monthly Training Club meets in person once a month for a one-hour class. At the end of the monthly class, you will receive a training plan (video demonstrations will be provided when applicable) outlining what you and your dog learned in class, so you can practice the new skills throughout the month.
Each month, the training topic either builds on the previous month’s lesson or introduces new training games. Slowly and with little pressure, you and your dog will build a repertoire of useful skills that can range from basic obedience challenges to impulse control, confidence building, mental stimulation, and canine fitness, all while having fun with a committed group of folks who hope for more meaningful time spent with their pups.
Who Can Join?
The training club is open to only a select number of participants and offers two levels of membership.
There are certain requirements to join the club. In essence, your dog must be comfortable working around other dogs and people without excessive barking and without lunging at people or other dogs. Your dog must be at least 5 months old, and either current vaccinations or a titer test is welcome.
The best candidate for the club is someone looking for a cohesive group of people who enjoy spending time with their dogs, teaching them new skills, and training them using reward-based methods.
In addition…
If you and your dog meet the requirements above, you must:
- Submit a one-time application to be considered for membership,
- Sign the waiver release, and
- Submit payment.
NOTE: If you are not sure your dog meets the requirements above, please reach out via email. Together, we can decide if this is a good fit for your pup.
Membership Options:
- One-month membership and a three-month membership.
If you choose the one-month membership, you can renew for the following
month if there is an opening at the club.
- A three-month membership enjoys a price discount.
Where does the Club meet?
For most of the monthly class, we will meet at C.H.A.C.O.’s training hub in Tesuque (precise directions will be sent once you are accepted to join the club). Depending on the skills we are working on, the club might meet in selected sites in Santa Fe.
Meetings are held on Saturday morning. NOTE: The class start time will be adjusted based on the seasons. With Summer classes meeting earlier and Fall and Winter later.
Meet Up Dates:
Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 8 am -9 am
Saturday, June 6th, 2026 8 am – 9 am
Saturday, July 11th, 2026 8 am -9 am
Future dates TBA.
REGISTRATION closes on Saturday, April 4th, or when the training club is at capacity.
To join this course, you MUST fill in the questionnaire, accept the cancellation policy and terms, and submit payment. Your space will not be saved if payment is received alone.
Tuition:
Monthly Membership: $ 53.44 (Santa Fe County tax included)
Three Month Membership: $128.56 (Santa Fe County tax included)