I have always had a deep love for animals. From childhood through adulthood, I have shared my life with multiple pets at a time, which has given me a strong understanding of their behavior and needs. Pursuing a career as a professional dog trainer was a natural and fulfilling progression for me.”
I am a passionate advocate for positive reinforcement training, which enhances a dog’s ability to learn while boosting confidence, resulting in a well-adjusted pet. My approach to training is rooted in science, compassion, and choice, ensuring that dogs feel safe and empowered in their learning environment. By focusing on positive reinforcement, I aim to create an accessible and effective training experience that benefits both dogs and their owners.
Training Philosophy & Areas of Expertise
I specialize in advanced behavior modification, with a strong focus on helping families better understand their dogs and implement effective, compassionate training strategies that foster lasting change. My expertise spans complex behavioral issues, including fear-based reactivity, aggression, separation and isolation anxiety, generalized anxiety, and compulsive behaviors.
At the foundation of my work is a deeply held belief: Do No Harm, Cause No Pain, Create No Fear.
This guiding principle shapes every aspect of my approach to animal care and training.
All of my methods are grounded in the latest scientific research and are designed to be gentle, respectful, and effective—for both your dog and your family. I understand that, for many dogs, the world can be a confusing and sometimes frightening place. Through personalized, evidence-based behavior modification plans, I aim to help both dogs and their humans gain the skills and confidence needed to navigate life’s challenges together.
My mission is to help you develop a meaningful and trusting relationship with your dog—one built on understanding, empathy, and cooperation. Every dog is an individual, and I draw from years of hands-on experience to create tailored solutions for a wide range of behavioral concerns.
I approach every case with empathy and a commitment to understanding the unique dynamics of your household. From there, I design a clear, step-by-step training plan using positive reinforcement techniques that are free from force, fear, or intimidation. My approach prioritizes emotional well-being while setting realistic, achievable goals.
Instead of focusing on what your dog may be doing “wrong,” I teach you how to proactively set your dog up for success. You’ll learn how to manage your environment, reinforce the behaviors you want, and effectively respond to those you can’t ignore—all while supporting your dog’s sense of safety and security.
A key part of the process involves understanding the powerful role the environment plays in shaping behavior. Through structured techniques such as gradual exposure therapy, systematic desensitization, and counter-conditioning, we work together to transform negative associations into positive, empowering experiences—for a happier, more confident dog and a more harmonious home.
Our little miss Koko is in training classes with mom at Training Your Best Friend LLC! She is doing so Good! If you are looking for the best, most professional training, at an affordable cost look no further!
Check out my girl! I am so proud of Raven! For the ones that know us – Raven was a handful in the beginning and I tried numerous trainers to help me with her. A huge thanks to Christie Fernandez with Training Your Best Friend for believing in her despite her breed and continuing to work with us! Christie is a huge fan of Pit Bulls and is dedicated to helping the dog/owner be successful! Becoming a breed ambassador is as much of a responsibility of the owner as it is of the pit bull at the end of the leash! WE love you!!
Christie Fernandez…her class helped Biscuit (a rescue ) and us so much….her training saved Biscuit’s life…we can now help him navigate over the bridge of trust…thank you again!! This class saved our pet….all of us now know how to intervene and to help Biscuit feel safe…and live with less fear…if you have a pet who is “reactive”…give Christie Fernandez a call…time with your pet can become enjoyable! Biscuit says “Thanks Christie!”
My challenging Mei-Ling graduated from Puppy Kindergarten-it was a lot of work, but so worth it! Highly recommend Training Your Best Friend, if you have a fur baby that needs any kind of obedience training. This was so much fun! Thank you Christie-you have taught me and Me-Ling so much and will be forever grateful!
Christie is awesome!! She has helped us with quite a few fosters that needed behavioral help.
Thank you for the wonderful classes these past 4 weeks. It did go so fast and we hated to see them end. You did so much in helping me get going in the right direction with Glory. Before, I felt like I was floundering and didn’t know if I was helping or hurting her. Now I feel like there is a plan, a slow slow plan, that we are working toward the right goal and that we will get there. I know that everyone else in the class feels the same way and you could see it on their faces when we were walking thru the shopping areas Monday night. Everyone had more confidence and so did the dogs. Before, it was such a hopeless feeling but now we all have hope!
Christie is a very knowledgeable and passionate trainer. There is no doubt that she absolutely loves what she does and wants the best for the animals she works with! She is able to see the good in all dogs and will tell you exactly how it is. I highly recommend her for dogs with behavioral problems and for socialization in general! Thank you Christie for all you do for the dogs in our area!!!
I just wanted to say thanks so much for helping Jeff and I help Mandy to be an even better pet than she already is. We really enjoyed the class and I know that working with her will be the key and we are committed!
We really enjoyed the classes and hope to take another class in the future I’m thinking of trying the “tricks” class but we’ll have to wait until our schedules aren’t quite so busy. You’re a great trainer – thanks for all your help! Kind regards, Hilda
This has been the best training experience. My baby is a very reactive dog. Christie had given me the tools to help my baby.
