Loretta Cleveland, CPDT, owner and trainer of The Positive Pooch, is a certified dog trainer with the Council for Pet Dog Trainers and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).
She has been training dogs for over 20 years and is committed to providing the most effective, convenient solutions to meet all her clients’ dog training needs.
Loretta avidly pursues ongoing professional development, including continued education classes and keeping current on all industry standards. In addition, she has completed Living & Learning with Animals by Dr. Susan Friedman and Brenda Aloff’s The Engaged Dog courses.
When she is not helping her clients, Loretta enjoys competing in obedience trials with her black Labrador Isaac and taking daily walks and runs in the park.
Watch Mason, Loretta’s black Labrador, compete in an obedience trial where Mason gets first place.
Watch Video
2020 High in Trial 199.5 in Open B
Cleveland All Breed Dog Training Club
2021 High in Trial 199.5 in Open B
Wilmington Kennel Club
2021 High in Trial 200 in Open B
Wilmington Kennel Club
Our training philosophy is based on very simple common sense. Every dog deserves a well-balanced life, which includes daily exercise, a good training program, socialization, and a lot of love! We at The Positive Pooch train with positive reinforcement. We use food reward, toys, and a lot of verbal praise. Dogs also need to learn in their training that there are boundaries.
We teach the owner how to find this balance between praise and correction. We believe that with obedience training you are teaching the dog who the leader is. They learn to respect you in a fun and positive environment
“My dogs have been going to Loretta, at Positive Pooch, since 2012. Her classes are fun and informative and the dogs love them! You will see such a difference in your pup, only a few weeks in the Puppy class! Loretta teaches new things to keep it exciting for the dogs, as they move up to the more challenging classes. Positive Pooch is a five star dog training school!”
Ann P.“Adding a new puppy to our family has been fun...and challenging! Loretta Cleveland expertly addressed "the puppy issues" in class and provided sage advice to make home life easier. From nipping and chewing to jumping (on everyone and everything!), The Positive Pooch offered real-life solutions to successfully navigate puppy-hood and to help our little guy become a cherished and well-mannered family member.”
Kelly Hanlon“I took the beginner class with our new 6 month old rescue, Bree. In only 5 classes, she learned a number of commands, but more importantly, I learned how to have her do them too. I’m amazed at how well she remembers, and we have fun working on the commands at home. I really didn’t expect Bree to learn that much because she was so frightened the first time, but she caught on quickly, and I gained confidence in handling her.”
Laney Durland“The training classes have made a tremendous difference for my dog, a 2-year old adult rescue, when first adopted didn't even know basic commands and has since not only learned them but has moved on to the advanced training. The best part is he looks forward to the sessions, familiar people & pets and has fun, especially with the agility tunnel.”
Mike Cerio“I highly recommend Loretta from the Positive Pooch for both her group training classes and her private sessions. My puppy was exhibiting behaviors such as nipping, stealing, and jumping that turns out are completely normal but somewhat jarring for a novice puppy owner. She has helped me to understand what is behind my dog's actions and to literally "nip" them in the bud with practical solutions. Her approach is very positive and fun for the dogs, but also lets them know who is boss in a clear way with gentle corrections. In addition to helping my dog learn to obey and behave in a group setting, we also get to socialize with other pups and owners in the Puppy and Intermediate classes. It is amazing how quickly he has been able to learn in class and also translate the learning at home.”
Marie GouldLoretta is the best of the best! My fiancé and I started training our mini goldendoodle Remmy with her when he was a puppy and he has come such a long way. She taught us how to be firm with him (which was tough for me in the beginning!), but he has learned to listen very well and we are so grateful. He loves going to class every week and enters with his tail wagging. It is apparent that Loretta is a dog lover and all the dogs love her back. You won't regret training with her - it will improve the relationship between you and your furry best friend!
Mandy Martignetti