About our dog trainers
BlackPaw Dog Training is a small team focused on bettering the lives of both dogs and their people in the Denver and Boulder areas. We are passionate about dogs and have literally built our lives around them! Founded by a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, we enjoy sharing our knowledge of animal behavior to help families better understand why their dog is doing what they are doing and how best to get their dog on a better path. We love seeing the lasting, positive changes in the relationship between dog and family that comes from the right coaching. We are caring and empathetic to the struggles that come with some dogs and strive to help every family we work with have a peaceful and enjoyable relationship with their four-legged companion.
Bernadette Pflug
Founder / Head Trainer
Hi everybody, I’m Bernadette Pflug, founder and owner of BlackPaw Dog Training. I founded BlackPaw Dog Training with two big goals: to help dog owners struggling with their pups and help those pups to live the most fulfilling lives possible. I’ve used my experience as a Search & Rescue trainer and handler to develop a unique program that gets real results, real fast – even for the most challenging dog issues. We create some of Colorado’s most amazing family dogs!
Bernadette became passionate about training when she got her first really challenging dog “Ranger.” Her German Shepherd puppy had serious separation anxiety and a great desire for a job. After destroying Bernadette’s house several times, she discovered an occupation he loved: Search and Rescue. With an outlet for his energy, Ranger stopped his destructive behavior and soon became Bernadette’s trusted partner on search missions.
She has been twice honored by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office with a commendation award for her work in the community. She enjoys hiking and kayaking with her German Shepherds.
Bernadette is also an accomplished equestrian and currently competes in both Western and English riding events at American Paint Horse Association horse shows across the country. She is also an avid trail rider and can often be found enjoying the Colorado mountains on horseback. Bernadette studies natural horsemanship and applies many of those techniques in her work with dogs.
Bernadette is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer who has worked with and studied under some of the best trainers in the world, both past and present.
She uses many gentle training techniques, enabling her to customize a training plan that works for your individual dog. Since no two dogs are alike, a cookie-cutter training approach doesn’t work for every dog. From Chihuahuas to Great Danes, Bernadette trains them all. She specializes in natural dog behavior and psychology, functional obedience, rehabilitating aggressive dogs, and off-leash control.
Her credentials include:
- Search & Rescue Trainer/ Handler for 10+ years
- Assisting Colorado law enforcement agencies with rescue missions around the state.
- CPDT(Certified Professional Dog Trainer) Requires more than 300 hours of teaching group classes, an extensive written test, and recommendations from vets, clients, and other trainers.
- Certified in the E-touch & Force Free Method™
- Graduate of Martin Deeley’s International Schools For Dog Trainers
- Professional Member of the IACP (International Assoc. of Canine Professionals)
- Contributor to Equus magazine with articles on dogs and horses.
In order to stay current on the latest training techniques and animal behavior research, Bernadette attends various seminars and workshops throughout the year, taught by some of the top professionals in the field of dog training.
She has handled dogs and has been featured on Animal Planet, Channel 9 KUSA Denver, WB2 News Denver, Dog Fancy magazine, Equus magazine, and the Denver Post.
Lexie
Dog Trainer
Growing up in Idaho, Elexis developed a passion for dogs when her mom began fostering pups from the local shelter. So, it’s no surprise that she started her career in dogs at the Humane Society and it’s where she first began learning about animal behavior. Her passion for canine cognition grew from there and Elexis immersed herself in learning as much as she could about dogs and gaining understanding of why they do what they do. She continues studying dog behavior and growing her knowledge of animal learning through books and workshops. She has a passion for helping dogs and their families build strong, positive relationships and loves creating a fun and supportive learning environment for both the person and the dog. She has two dogs of her own, her heart dog Ruca, a wicked smart and intuitive Border Collie and a loving but mischievous Cattle Dog named Rage.
Sadie
Dog Trainer
Elianna
Assistant Dog Trainer
Elianna started riding horses at the tender age of two years old and her love of dogs started just as early. Her parents bred and raised Boxers and they remain her favorite breed. She has always been passionate about animals which led her to study Equine Science & Animal Science in college. She also enjoys helping others with their dogs and horses and became a professional horse trainer while still in high school. Today, in addition to training horses, she competes with her own in Barrel Racing and breakaway roping. She also starts colts and breeds barrel racing prospects. Elianna owns six horses of her own and four dogs, all of which she has trained herself. She is a huge asset to us at the training center and we can’t imagine functioning without her anymore!