Bringing home a new puppy should be a joy, not a source of stress. Whether you're dealing with a "Land-Shark" nipper, potty training challenges, or a dog that won't listen, I'm here to help with a system perfected over two decades using love and logic.
Three dogs mid-program — neutral, focused, and calm.
Services
Three Ways to Work Together
Each level builds on the one before it — start with the blueprints, add the gear, or hand the whole thing over.
01
The Puppy Survival Digital Kit
Everything you need to survive the first 48 hours and beyond. Don't wait for "vaccine windows" or a miracle. Start training the second they walk through your door with proven blueprints.
The 7-Day Potty Blueprint — no more guessing games or enzyme-covered carpets.
The "Phooey" Rule — clear communication that eliminates the word "No."
The Top 5 Mistakes — avoid the common traps that set puppies back by months.
Socialization Checklist — a step-by-step guide to building a neutral, calm dog.
Investment
$50
02
The "Golden Class" Gear & Prep Bundle
Professional tools you need, with a guarantee that grows with your dog. Stop wasting hundreds on gear puppies outgrow in weeks.
The Digital Survival Kit — all blueprints and schedules included.
Professional Gear — Icefang Vest (control & anxiety), Bungee Leash (shoulder protection), Pro-Training Clicker.
Lifetime Gear Exchange — swap your vest or crate for the next size up at no extra charge. Keep the final adult-sized version forever.
Investment
$150
03
Professional Board & Train Programs
The "done-for-you" solution for total transformation. When life is busy or your puppy is particularly "hard-to-crack," let me do the heavy lifting in my home.
The 1-Week "Jumpstart"
Focused on the tough stuff: potty training resets, crate confidence, and house boundaries.
Includes full gear starter pack + digital manual
The 2-Week "Total Transformation"
My signature course for a rock-solid foundation. Off-leash recall, loose-leash walking, social focus, and advanced manners.
Includes full gear starter pack + digital manual + lifetime support
$2,000 per dog
Investment
$2,000
2-week program, per dog. 1-week pricing on consultation.
Exclusive: Graduate-Only Boarding
Emergency & vacation support — no cold kennels or strangers. Your dog returns to a familiar home with a trainer they trust.
Training reinforcement — we polish their manners while you're away.
The graduate rate — special discounted pricing exclusively for our training family.
$50 per night, per dog
Available to dogs who have completed a Board & Train program.
About
About Kathy
My life has revolved around dogs for decades. I've been breeding and training since 2000, starting in Upstate New York where I bred Golden Retrievers. This wasn't a business decision — it was a labor of love born from my adoration for the breed.
2000 · Upstate New York
Cuervo: Where It All Began
It all started with our first owned family Golden Retriever, Cuervo. Because she was family first, I was incredibly careful with my breeding program. I wanted to keep the line "clean" and healthy. We waited until her third heat to ensure she was mature enough, never bred her back-to-back, and prioritized her health above all else.
Long before "dog trainer" was a common career path, I was already doing the work. I took such pride in my litters that many puppies were completely housebroken before going to their new homes at just 8 weeks old.
2013 · A Life-Changing Moment
Learning to Train From the Other Side
In 2013, a major accident required brain surgery. Before discharge, I was told a service dog would be invaluable in my recovery. My daughter Caitlin immediately began researching — but we hit a wall: nobody would work with me without $30,000 in the bank.
Caitlin took my hand, and we started the training process ourselves. She understood something profound: you can't just train the dog. You have to teach both the human and the dog how to communicate. As she helped me train my new puppy, she referred to us as her first "Service Companions."
The Mission
Breaking Down Barriers
That experience changed everything. I realized the bond between a person and a dog is a partnership. As soon as my brain healed, I made a vow: I would ensure no one else had to face the barrier I did.
This is why A Touch of Golden Class offers a sliding scale. My goal is helping clients and dogs — not just "selling dog training." I don't want people to go without, and I never want to see a dog end up in a shelter simply because quality training was out of reach.
Boomer
Why This Work Matters
The hardest decision I ever made involved a dog named Boomer — and his story proves that the bond we build creates a relationship that cannot be broken. Once we build a strong working relationship, anything is possible. I know personally how strong this bond is.
Our goal is to teach you how to get your dog ready for the real world so that they fit your lifestyle — creating a "Family Pack" founded on love, loyalty, and mutual respect.
Our Ambassador
Meet Boomer
Our heart, hero, and ambassador. Every great trainer has a canine partner who defines their journey, and for Kathy, that partner is Boomer.
Boomer, full-grown.Ears first.
Breed
All-black German Shepherd
Weight
110 lb
Method
Force-free, positive reinforcement
Role today
Family companion & boarding ambassador
Boomer is a stunning, 110-pound all-black German Shepherd with an incredible presence and a deep, innate drive to serve. Trained extensively by Kathy through pure positive reinforcement and force-free communication, Boomer became her devoted service dog, supporting her through the critical stages of recovery following her 2013 brain surgery.
The Decision
Putting Boomer's Needs First
As Kathy healed, a bittersweet reality emerged: Boomer's working drive was as powerful as ever. Taking off his working vest left him visibly unfulfilled — he was born to work, protect, and assist. Putting Boomer's needs first, Kathy made the difficult, selfless decision to find someone who needed Boomer as much as Boomer needed a mission.
That search led to a friend, John. During a trial week together, the bond was undeniable. When Boomer returned looking to John for direction and permission with the exact same trust and respect he showed Kathy, she knew the match was meant to be.
Two and a half months later
The Protocol He Never Forgot
Knowing his massive size might frighten strangers if he rushed them for help, Kathy had trained Boomer with a specialized emergency protocol:
Go to the middle of the street.
Sit.
Wait for someone to approach.
Lead them back to his handler.
That specific task had not been reinforced in two and a half years. Boomer executed it flawlessly during a medical emergency, led help straight to John, and saved his life.
Today
The Best of Both Worlds
Boomer now enjoys a shared partnership between Kathy and John. Because of John's work schedule, Boomer regularly returns home to Kathy and A Touch of Golden Class, where he steps into his favorite dual role: beloved family companion, and calm, neutral ambassador for boarding and training guests.
Off duty, at home.
Boomer is living proof of what force-free, relationship-based training can achieve: a powerful, deeply intuitive dog whose training, trust, and devotion never fade.
Free Resource
The Puppy Survival Guide
A preview of the system — the mistakes to skip, the crate to set up, and the clock to run by.
Study time.
Top 5 Common Puppy Owner Mistakes
Too much freedom, too fastDon't let a new puppy roam the whole house. Treat your home like "unlockable levels" — they earn more space only when they prove they are potty trained.
The "waiting for vaccines" trapIf you wait until 16 weeks to socialize, you miss the learning window. Use "safe exposure" — carry them, or sit in the car at a park.
Being reactiveScolding after the fact is useless. If you didn't catch them in the act, it's your fault, not theirs.
The "repeat command" trapSaying "Sit, sit, sit…" teaches them to ignore you. Say it once, then reset.
Play vs. socializationReal socialization is teaching your puppy to be neutral and calm, focusing on you rather than the dog across the street.
The Potty Training Blueprint: Crate Setup
The sanctuaryThe crate is never for punishment. Leave the door open during the day as a voluntary retreat.
The fitOnly big enough for the puppy to stand, turn, and lie down.
The fitted sheet hackUse a lightweight, breathable fitted sheet over the crate. The elastic keeps it snug so they can't pull it through the bars, ensuring safety and airflow.
The heartbeat babyUse a "Snuggle Puppy" to mimic littermates and reduce crying.
Potty Time & Timing
The 10-minute ruleA puppy can hold their urine for 10 minutes for every month of age — 2 months = 20 minutes of active time.
The phone timerSet a timer for every 30 minutes during play. Trust the timer.
The 7:30 PM cutoffPull all food and water at 7:30 PM sharp for a dry night.
The "voice" — bells & buttonsEvery time you cross the door, ring the bells or hit the potty button and say "Potty." Use them every time until the dog learns to ask on their own.
Post-meal ruleStay outside after meals until they poop. Movement stimulates the bowels.
Questions
Before You Book
Where do you work, and do you travel?
A Touch of Golden Class serves Colorado Springs and the surrounding Front Range. Board & Train programs take place in my home, so your dog is in a household — not a kennel. Call to talk through logistics for your area.
What training methods do you use?
Force-free communication and positive reinforcement — the same approach that built Boomer, who executed an emergency protocol flawlessly two and a half years after it was last practiced. The system is built on relationship, not correction: love and logic, taught to the human and the dog together.
What if the programs are outside my budget?
A sliding scale is available. The whole reason it exists is that I once hit a $30,000 wall myself. My goal is helping clients and dogs — not just selling dog training — and I never want a dog to end up in a shelter because quality training was out of reach. Ask about it directly; it isn't a secret.
My puppy isn't fully vaccinated yet. Should I wait to start?
No. If you wait until 16 weeks to socialize, you miss the learning window. Use "safe exposure" instead — carry your puppy, or sit in the car at a park — and start the training the second they walk through your door.
What happens when my puppy outgrows the gear?
The Gear & Prep Bundle includes a Lifetime Gear Exchange: swap your vest or crate for the next size up at no extra charge, and keep the final adult-sized version forever.
How long is a Board & Train program?
Two options. The 1-Week "Jumpstart" focuses on the tough stuff — potty training resets, crate confidence, and house boundaries. The 2-Week "Total Transformation" is my signature course: off-leash recall, loose-leash walking, social focus, and advanced manners, plus lifetime support.
Can you board my dog while we travel?
Boarding is reserved for graduates of a Board & Train program, at a discounted graduate rate. Your dog returns to a familiar home with a trainer they already trust, and we reinforce their manners while you're away.
What does it all cost?
The 2-week "Total Transformation" is $2,000 per dog. The digital kit is $50 and the gear bundle is $150. Boarding is $50 per night, per dog. Pricing for the 1-week "Jumpstart" is set during consultation, since it depends on what your dog needs — and a sliding scale is available.
Do you offer hourly sessions?
Hourly isn't usually how I work. The results come from the board & train programs and the take-home blueprints, where the training is built into the dog's whole day and you learn the system alongside them. If you think hourly is what you need, call and we'll talk it through.
How do I get started?
Call 719-896-1464 or send a note using the form below. Tell me your dog's age and the one behavior that's making life hardest right now — that's usually enough for me to point you at the right level.
