About Our Facility

Our 2,500 square foot training facility is located at 85 Pearl Street in downtown Burlington. There are several parking options within walking distance of our facility:

Metered parking spaces are available on Pearl Street directly in front of our building. On-street spaces on Pearl Street, upper Pine Street, and a large parking lot behind Dunkin Donuts across the street are free after 6pm and on Sundays and holidays.
The College/Lakeview public garages are located just one block south. Parking in these garages is inexpensive (and free on Sundays and holidays). Entrances are on Cherry Street next to Hotel Vermont and on Battery Street next to the Hilton.

Our Training Methods

We train with positive, rewards-based methods to help dogs develop the skills they need using treats, toys, and praise. We never use painful collars or other outdated training devices or techniques. We continue to develop our knowledge of dog behavior, as well as stay current with the latest humane training and handling practices.

Maria squatting next to her yellow lab, Jared.

About Maria (she/her)

A lifelong lover of animals, Maria grew up with a menagerie of dogs, cats, hamsters, and goldfish in downtown Atlanta and learned from a very early age what a delight it was to experience animals using their minds to get things that they wanted. Through various twists and turns she discovered her true love in life: training dogs and their humans.

Maria is the owner and head trainer at Fetch the Leash. She is an honors graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and holds a Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC), as well as a PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Guild, an organization which represents pet industry professionals who are committed to results based, science based force-free training and pet care; and a CSAT (Certificate in Separation Anxiety Training) from Malena DeMartini, the industry leader in separation anxiety training.

Maria’s experience includes working with a wide range of shelter animals at various shelters in Northern California since 2007 (the East Bay SPCA, Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF), Berkeley Humane, and Contra Costa Animal Services-Martinez). From 2010-13 she also taught classes for puppy raisers of puppies in training to become assistance animals for Canine Companions for Independence. Her specialties include raising behaviorally healthy puppies, helping adopted puppies and dogs transition well into their new homes; working with special challenges such as resource guarding or separation anxiety; and task-based service dog training. Maria also has a Ph.D. in human education from Emory University, and an undergraduate degree in music from Yale University. Maria enjoys helping people and dogs meet each other’s expectations through training!

Maria’s heart belongs to many dogs: her current three dogs, Noodle, a scruffy little guy with a long tongue; Gideon & Bentley, a bonded pair of seniors who were recently adopted to enjoy their best life; and two dogs who have crossed the rainbow bridge: a chow-chow/lab mix named Argie who was very shy and very sweet; and Jared, a yellow lab with a heart of gold to match his fur.

About Olivia (she/her)

From a young age, Olivia has always been captivated with understanding behavior and behavior change. She completed two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Missouri, one in biology and one in psychology. She spent her undergraduate years in a research lab working to better understand the theory behind associative learning which now serves as the foundation for the training she does every day.

Olivia started her training adventures with her own heart dog, Kenna. While she has always been passionate about behavior, she did not realize that what seemed like a “fun hobby” in training a “wonderful pet” (Kenna) was actually the perfect fit for these passions. While assisting a local dog walking business and working at a local pet store, she felt herself mesmerized by the applied behavior science of teaching and helping both dogs and their humans create happy and healthy relationships using the principles of learning that she spent years researching. She knew she had found her calling.

Empowering people with the information they need to raise behaviorally healthy puppies, find solutions to behavior problems and build better relationships with their dogs is Olivia’s favorite part of her job. She loves helping people find their “a ha” moments as she sees the frustration dissipate for both human and dog whether it be in class or through day training.

Olivia is a graduate of The Academy for Dog Trainers and holds a Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC). She is committed to continued education, staying up to date on the most humane, science based and effective approaches to dog training and behavior modification.