Opportunity Barks Behavior & Training

Specialties

Our speciality is teaching dogs and people what really matters. An enormous number of clients come to us saying, «My dog is great but…» They go on to tell us everything the dog knows and then they tell us why they are seeking help. (And for at least ¹⁄₃ of our clients, we are not the first trainer they’ve hired. Eeesh!). Invariably, our solutions include things no one would deny are basics for children but, until now, most dog education doesn’t formally teach. We’re changing that.

We’re on a mission to reduce the number of «My dog is great but…» situations by teaching dogs the things that really matter. Whether you learn with us in group classes, private training or boarding school programs, the goal is the same – a well-​behaved dog. Whether your dog is pretty good already or has some behavioral challenges, you’ll learn our B-​Dog Approach that will help your troubleshoot problems and will put you light years ahead of what you’d learn from most other trainers. (We’re not chest-​beating – we used to think like some of them and have created a better system.)

–Leigh Siegfried, Owner and Training Director

History

Established in 2003.

Leigh Siegfried, CPDT-​KA, started Opportunity Barks after years of apprenticing, teaching classes, and reaching the top levels of certification. While gaining experience, she saw noticed an all too common problem: people were learning «stuff» but it rarely prepared dogs for good behavior the real world. She started Opportunity Barks to bridge this gap. Hundreds of dogs and a decade later, our B-​Dog Approach is now helping a new generation of dog owners understand how to connect, communicate and create a well-​behaved (not just a «well-​trained» dog). Whether you are just getting started with a pup or new dog, considering getting a dog or if you are struggling with behavioral challenges we can help.

Meet the Business Owner

Leigh S.

Business Owner

Leigh Siegfried is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT-​KA) and is the owner of Opportunity Barks Behavior & Training, serving Greater Philadelphia area — offering private tutoring, behavior modification, group classes and clinics, and animal welfare consulting.

Leigh’s past experience includes:

* Starting Opportunity Barks in Northern VA

* Behavior & Training Manager at the Washington Animal Rescue League in Washington, DC

* Working with 11 of the seized Michael Vick dogs

* Featured Speaker for:

— Humane Society of U.S. Conference, 2009 & 2011

— PetFinder​.com Adoption Options Tour

— Pet Sitters International

— Monthly webchats on philly​.com

Awards:

— Washingtonian Magazine: 2011 & 2013 Best in Behavior & Training

— 2011 American Dog Magazine Humanitarian Award for Role Model Trainer

— Philly Tails 2009 & 2010: Favorite Dog Trainers & Agility Instructor

— Northern Virginia Magazine 2009: Best Pet Therapist