Marilyn Ann
Founder & trainer
About me
Ten years, hundreds of dogs, one through-line: connection.
I'm Marilyn — a balanced dog trainer based in Utah with ten years of experience. My work is grounded in aggression rehabilitation and off-leash reliability: the two places where the stakes are highest and the relationship has to be real.
I've taken on cases that other trainers turned away and walked owners through dogs they'd nearly given up on. I've trained puppies from their first week and adult dogs relearning what safety feels like. Different dogs, different roads — same destination.
That destination? A dog you trust, a handler who's heard, and a household that finally feels calm.
What I believe
Four principles that shape every session.
principle one
Balanced, not dogmatic
Purely positive and purely corrective both leave dogs behind. The best outcomes come from the right tool for the right moment — guided by what this dog, in this home, actually needs.
principle two
Relationship first
Obedience is the outcome of a good relationship, not a substitute for one. I build trust, clarity, and communication before I ever drill a command.
principle three
Real-world reliability
A sit in the kitchen means nothing if it falls apart at the trailhead. Everything I teach is built to hold up where life actually happens — outside, distracted, off-leash.
principle four
Honest with owners
I'll tell you what your dog needs from you, not what you want to hear. The hard conversations are why the training lasts.
Where I work
Trails, wildflowers, and the quiet that teaches dogs how to listen.
Utah gives me something most training facilities can't — miles of real trail, real elevation, real distraction. That's where dogs learn to truly regulate themselves. Not in a sterile room. On a mountain, in the wind, with a pack.
When your dog boards with me, they're not sitting in a kennel. They're hiking with me. They're training with me. They're becoming the dog you hoped for.
Ready when you are
Think we'd be a good fit?
A quick text is the easiest way to start. Tell me about your dog — or your situation — and we'll figure out the right path together.