Welcome to
OPTIMAL TRAINING
Science-based dog training in Chula Vista for real-life manners, behavior help, and therapy dog goals.
OPTIMAL TRAINING FOR YOUR CANINE
​Expert Dog Training and Behavior Support in Chula Vista, CA
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When your dog is struggling with anxiety, reactivity, aggression, or other challenging behaviors, experience matters.
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Optimal Dog Training is led by Molly Krutkramelis, B.S., CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, a certified canine behavior consultant and professional dog trainer with nearly 30 years of hands-on experience. Molly has helped more than 7,000 dogs through over 28,000 training interactions, working with everything from everyday manners to serious and complex behavior concerns.
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We specialize in helping dogs with:
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Anxiety and fear
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Leash reactivity
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Possession and resource guarding
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Dog-to-dog aggression
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Aggression toward people
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Barking, lunging, and growling
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Low confidence and difficulty coping in new environments
Private training is also available for everyday challenges such as jumping on guests, pulling on leash, ignoring commands, bolting through doors, poor household manners, and difficulty behaving calmly around distractions.
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Every dog and household is different. We take the time to understand what is contributing to the behavior, identify safety and management needs, and create a practical training plan tailored to your dog, your family, and your lifestyle.
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Our goal is to help you better understand your dog, improve safety, reduce stressful behaviors, and build a calmer, more enjoyable relationship at home and in public.
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Optimal Dog Training offers private training, behavior rehabilitation consultations, and small group classes in Chula Vista and surrounding San Diego communities.
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​Behavior Consultations - Private Training -
Therapy Dog Certification Training
The Optimal Training Approach
Experienced, Science-Based Dog Behavior Modification
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Successful behavior modification requires more than teaching commands—it requires understanding why a behavior is happening and knowing how to create meaningful, lasting change.
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Optimal Dog Training is led by Molly Krutkramelis, B.S., CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, a certified canine behavior consultant and professional dog trainer with nearly 30 years of hands-on experience. After helping more than 7,000 dogs through over 28,000 training interactions, Molly brings extensive practical experience to both everyday training challenges and complex behavior cases.
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Our training methods are science-based and supported by established principles of animal learning, canine behavior, and positive reinforcement. Training plans are informed by both current behavioral research and decades of real-world experience working directly with dogs and their families.
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Behavior modification services may help dogs experiencing:
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Anxiety, fear, and low confidence
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Leash reactivity, barking, and lunging
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Resource or possession aggression
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Dog-to-dog aggression
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Aggression toward people
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Frustration and impulse-control challenges
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Jumping, pulling, and other difficult manners
Every behavior serves a purpose for the dog. We begin by identifying what may be triggering and reinforcing the behavior, evaluating the dog’s environment, and understanding the needs and goals of the household. From there, we develop an individualized plan that improves safety, reduces opportunities to practice unwanted behaviors, and teaches the dog more appropriate ways to respond.
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Our training is grounded in positive reinforcement. Dogs are rewarded with food, praise, play, toys, or access to activities they enjoy when they make desirable choices. Consistently reinforcing those choices helps dogs develop calmer, safer, and more reliable behavior.
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Positive reinforcement does not mean ignoring dangerous or unwanted behavior. Effective training includes clear expectations, thoughtful management, appropriate consequences, and preventing the dog from continuing to benefit from problem behaviors. We then teach and reinforce an alternative behavior that is safer and more successful.
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Our science-based methods are designed to build trust, confidence, communication, and cooperation without relying on choke chains, pinch collars, or shock collars.
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The goal is not simply to stop a behavior in the moment. It is to help you understand your dog, address the factors contributing to the problem, and gain the practical tools needed to create lasting improvement.