Dari Ferguson

Founder/Trainer

I developed a love for animals from a very young age. I have never NOT had a dog by my side from day one. As I grew, memorizing the encyclopedia of dogs was only one of my goals as I dove into the world of animal behavior and how it pertained to training methods. My approach to training includes a platform of pack mentality combined with clicker and positive reward training that I have developed through research, class and personal experience. I volunteer for local rescue groups offering training to these shelters and rescues giving more opportunities for these canines to find their "Furever Home." I believe that understanding your dog's behavior is the key to successfully bridge the communication gap between you and your pet. I am full member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (member #74832). My approach to each case is different for each dog and each family is different. Each program will be designed to specifically meet each family's goals. It's not what you hope you will achieve it's what you EXPECT to achieve

Examples of my programs are:

  • Basic Obedience Training
  • Behavior Modification
  • Behavior Management
  • Aggression Control and Management
  • Bad Habits (ie. Chewing, Jumping)
Dari

Sean Mahon

Assistant Trainer

Sean is our Assistant Trainer with BackInThePack. He has been training as a behaviorist under the guidance of Dari for the past 3 years. He has trained his own CGC accredited German Shepherd and has attended several seminars related to dog psychology, behavior, and pet training. He works with local rescues and shelters, including the Virginia German Shepherd Rescue, in fostering, rehabilitating, and re-homing rescued dogs. Sean is known for his calmness when working with his animals and you will often find him on his in-line skates with a pack of leashed dogs following.

When not training, Dari & Sean volunteer and foster with Virginia German Shepherd Rescue in Sterling, VA. They perform in a Funk/Rock cover band along with their own music projects, and enjoy Tae Kwon Do and horseback riding.

Visit the sites below for samples of their music:

Sean