Just Dogs Training was founded over 30 years ago by Gina Lyn Hayes with the belief that dogs need training that fit their family's lifestyle and allows them to be a participating member of the family. Gina believed that families should have a well-behaved dog with the unlimited potential to go where the family goes and do what the family does. 

As a child, Gina grew up with field Irish Setters who provided humor and companionship for her throughout the day. They were the family dogs who also had a job to do on the farm she was raised on. She learned from a young age that dogs can provide unconditional love and perform jobs that help the family.

Gina began working Bloodhounds as an adult, showing in confirmation and working them in law enforcement. She believes it is important to not only have a dog who is a great specimen under breed standards, but also capable of performing the job they were bred to do. Gina eventually became a police officer in Massachusetts and participated in many criminal cases that utilized her Bloodhounds for local, state and federal governments. She dedicated over 8 years to schooling and seminars pertaining to all areas of dog training, working dogs, body language, and psychology. Over the years Gina became an American Bloodhound Club Trailing Judge and Instructor, serving on the ABC Trailing Trial Board Committee. 

Gina returned to her original breed, the Irish Setter, later on. As a member of the Irish Setter Club of America and Irish Setter Club of New England, she remains active in breed education and rescue, even establishing the Cape Cod Irish Setter Rescue group. Gina is an advocate for the breed; many of Gina’s own Irish Setters have been featured in several ads.

In the 1990’s Gina became a National Evaluator for Therapy Dogs International, combining her love of dog owners and their dogs with the desire to help the community. She is an active participate in Therapy Dog work and frequently visits schools, residential cancer centers, museums for children’s hours, libraries, nursing homes, rehab centers and assisted living facilities. Most recently she has partnered with public schools and colleges throughout Massachusetts to establish permanent therapy dog programs with the help of state grants.

Gina has established the first academically accredited high school mentorship program in Massachusetts for dog trainers. She has participated in mentorship programs with Becker College and Wheaton College, as well as taught at the Cape Cod Community College and Bridgewater State College.

Gina has been featured in multiple television segments and written about in national newspapers and breed publications, including Fox TV, Dog World and the Japanese dog magazine, One. 

What first began as a small, local business has since become an internationally operated company. Gina travels frequently to meet her clients around the world to ensure they will have a successful partnership with their dog in their own homes and lifestyles. By recognizing that training doesn't just happen in one location, but rather in many different places she can confidently send her clients back into the world knowing they will be successful.

We currently serve Naples, Florida and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. For national and international inquiries, please reach out via phone or e-mail. 

Private in-home training

Personalized and custom, this is the most popular training program we offer. Gina will work one on one with both you and your dog(s). Utilizing Gina's expertise you will be guided through commands designed to fit your specific needs and enable you to have a well-behaved dog in your life. This option brings quicker results and improvements along with an individualized plan of progress.

Puppy obedience class

This is a 6-week long structured course that teaches the foundation commands of obedience training. Commands learned include: Walking nicely on a loose leash or beginning heeling, Sit Stay, Down Stay, Recalls (Come, Front Sit, Swing or Return Finish), Place, Off (for jumping problems), Leave It (for getting out of things we don’t want our puppies in!), Quiet (for barking), housebreaking issues, diet and exercise. This class is for puppies under 6 months, depending upon size, former training experience amongst other details. As with all of our classes, this course is based upon a more positive training method. The emphasis is on Education or Teaching, rather than bribing. We teach a command over and over, until the puppy clearly understands what we are asking for. The minute the puppy understands and does as we ask - the praise comes! 

Basic obedience class

This is a 6-week long structured course that is geared towards the adolescent or older dog. The same commands are taught as above in the Puppy Class, but with more emphasis on further improvement and better handling skills with the owner. Additional commands learned include: one hour Down Stays in a Place position, not barging out of the door, not lunging at other dogs. We might finish the course with a Canine Good Citizen Test from the AKC or participating in a graduation ceremony in a prominent community area to show off skills learned.

ADVANCED OBEDIENCE CLASS

This 8-week long structured course is the perfect choice for those wanting to challenge themselves and their dogs upon a completing Basic Obedience Class. The class varies based off of the participants skills and the time of year. Commands learned include: Off-leash heeling, Distance Downs, and training with a high level of distractions. Past classes have included visits to farms with Down stays and chickens as distraction, outdoor dining at busy bistros while dogs learn to do down stays and trips on ferries surrounded by flocking seagulls and big waves. This is the most challenging course designed to truly implement what has been learned into everyday life. 

therapy dogs 101 training workshop

This exciting workshop is geared towards the beginning handler and dog team. The goal is to learn as much about therapy dog handling, while in a practical hands-on intensive 2-day learning environment. Each attendee dog must be at a Basic Obedience skill level. These workshops are not for profit and stress the volunteer nature of what a therapy dog team does. (This workshop has no correlation with Therapy Dogs International, based in Flanders, New Jersey).

residency training program

This is a personalized and custom option that is often the best choice for many of our clients. Your dog is treated just as one of Gina's own dogs in this program. She is able to begin what can be the very difficult start of training and work through many behaviors from the beginning only to quickly move onto the more lifestyle based commands. This is a suitable option for someone having difficulty training their dog, have a very limited schedule, are traveling for work or vacation or just would like someone to jump start the training. However, keep in mind that this program is entirely personalized so no experience is like the other. Some dogs come for puppy beginnings, housebreaking difficulties, developing a therapy dog, medical/dietary adjustments or even behavioral issues. Often times this is the absolute best choice for many of Gina's clients. *This custom program accepts a limited number of clients at any given time. Not to sound too discouraging, but sometimes there are waiting lists as we want to ensure each client gets the best experience and utmost attention. 

BEHAVIOR EVALUATION AND RETRAINING

For those dogs with problems, such as OCD behavior, car chasing, dog aggression and some human aggression, extreme dominance, obsession with chasing shadows and more - let Gina's expertise help you make the right decision for your dog. Is your dog a manage dog or a dog severely needing more advanced training? How do you know the difference? If you are perplexed and confused about what your dog does, this is the program to look into. 

DOG SELECTION ASSISTANCE

Gina offers assistance to both new and familiar dog owners on how to pick the right dog, how to choose an upfront and honest breeder, how to tell the important factors on a pedigree, how to determine if a rescue is telling the truth about a dog, what questions to ask a shelter, rescue or breeder, and how to read between the lines. Gina has working relationships with multiple shelters, rescue groups and breeders throughout the world to help select the right dog for you and your family.