Connected Conversations
A 10-week program for the human side of dog training
A 10-week program for the human side of dog training
A Different Way to Think About Client Conversations
When a client isn't following through, it's easy to think:
They aren't listening. They aren't doing the work. I've explained this three times. Why won't they just do what I recommend?
Those reactions are understandable. But what if the client isn't working against us? What if they're stuck, too? Those reactions don't tell us the whole story.
There may be something happening beneath the conversation that we haven't noticed yet. The client may be overwhelmed. Our recommendation may not fit their life. We may be solving a different problem than the one they're worried about. Or we may simply be seeing the situation from different perspectives.
That's why one of the foundational ideas at Beyond Behavior is:
Awareness before action.
Before deciding what to say or do next, pause long enough to notice what is actually happening - with the client, with the dog, and with yourself. That small shift can change a conversation.
The Skills Behind Better Client Relationships
The work at Beyond Behavior Coaching focuses on several interconnected skills.
awareness
Learning to notice what's happening before deciding what to do about it.
mindset
Recognizing the assumptions, expectations, and interpretations we bring to our interactions.
emotional understanding
Recognizing how emotions - ours and theirs - can influence communication, decision-making, and behavior.
Communication
Listening with curiosity, asking better questions, explaining clearly, and creating conversations where people can participate rather than simply receive instruction.
Purposeful action
Choosing what to do next based on the individual person, dog, situation, and goal.
Putting It All TogetherConnected Conversations brings all five skills into your real client sessions.See What's Included →
A quick example
A client nods, says, "I'll try," and never follows through. The easy read: they're not committed. But Awareness means noticing your own frustration before it drives the conversation. Mindset means questioning the assumption that "I'll try" always signals resistance. Emotional Understanding means recognizing that the client might be overwhelmed, not uninterested. Communication means asking what feels hard, instead of explaining the plan a fourth time. And Purposeful Action means responding to that - not the story you told yourself.
That's the shift Beyond Behavior Coaching teaches.
These aren't "soft skills." They're professional skills. And like any other professional skill, they can be learned and practiced.
Connected Conversations Program — $34910-week Deep Dive into the Human Part of Dog Training✓ 90-minute onboarding call to map your client challenges and set 2–3 goals✓ Three 1-hour 1:1 coaching calls with Delores on your real cases✓ Three 1-hour small-group workshops with other dog pros✓ Six online modules: Awareness, Mindset, Emotional Understanding, Communication, Purposeful Action, and Putting It All Together (practical implementation)✓ Access to the private Connected Conversations community groupWhat to expectConnected Conversations lays the foundation. Over 10 weeks, you'll learn a new way of thinking about client conversations, start practicing it with real cases, and begin noticing the shift in yourself.Changing how we respond takes time, and that's normal. When you finish, you can choose to keep going with 1:1 coaching, where we build on that foundation together.Next cohort begins January 14, 2027 at 4 PM ET. Enrollment opens December 1 and closes January 7. Limited to 10 participants per cohort, so the coaching stays personal. $349 is an introductory price, and it will go up as I add more content. Or pay in 3 monthly installments of $119.Early bird bonus: Enroll by December 14 and get a 60-minute 1:1 follow-up call with me within 30 days of finishing the program.“Delores was such a gift to work with and even generously offered her time to meet with me outside of class. I’m very grateful for her mentorship!”Jamie RamosBook a Free Call to See If It's a FitWho it's forThis program is for you if:• You're a trainer or behavior consultant who's confident with dogs, and less confident with the conversations• You're newer and want to build good habits early, or experienced and feeling the wear of hard client sessions• You're willing to look at your own responses, not just your clients'• You'd like your clients to feel like partners, not people you have to manageIt may not be the right fit if:• You're looking for scripts to get clients to do what you say• You want a quick fix. This work takes practice, and we'll do it together.Frequently asked questionsHow much time does it take each week? Plan for about 2–3 hours a week, including the modules, practice with your own clients, and the live calls.Is this therapy? Will I be expected to act as my clients' therapist? No. You'll learn to support clients with compassion while staying in your role, and to recognize when to refer out.I'm not a trainer. I'm a groomer / shelter worker / walker. Will this help? Yes. These skills apply anywhere your work with dogs depends on conversations with people.Will I get scripts? Not scripts to memorize. You'll learn a way of thinking that helps you respond to the person in front of you.What if I miss a live session? Everything is recorded, so you can catch up on your own time. 1:1 coaching calls can be rescheduled with 24 hours' notice.What's your refund policy? If you change your mind before the program starts, you'll get a full refund. Once we've begun, if you complete the onboarding call and the first module within the first 14 days and decide it's not the right fit, I'll refund you in full. After that, refunds aren't available, but if life gets in the way, you're welcome to move to a future cohort.
Why I created Connected ConversationsMy MA in Communication has shaped every client conversation I've had. Before opening my own training business, I spent years in animal rescue and shelters, talking with volunteers and adopters, and I've spent my life coaching and mentoring people.Over time, I kept hearing the same thing from fellow dog pros, including people I mentored: the hardest part of the job is the people. It reminded me of a decade of my own client conversations.Just as my clients needed to connect with their dogs, dog pros needed to connect with their clients. That's why I created Connected Conversations.MA in Communication · CDBC · KPA-CTP · L-FDM · Host of Learning Dog Radio · Author of Why Does My Dog Do That?!Read my full story →
