Calm. Clarity. Connection.
Dog Training & Human Coaching on Massachusetts’ South Shore
A Calm Dog Changes Everything.
You love your dog. You want to enjoy life together. But maybe the jumping, pulling, barking, or constant excitement is making everyday moments harder than you expected. Or perhaps you’re preparing for a puppy and want to feel ready before those little paws come through the door. I’m Donna Dunlop, founder of The Daily Dog in Marshfield, Massachusetts. I help dogs and their people build practical skills, clearer communication, and a stronger relationship. Together, we look at the dog in front of you, the habits happening at home, and what you want life together to look like. With puppy preparation, personalized private lessons, relaxation training, Hybrid Board & Train, and virtual coaching, we can choose an approach that fits your dog and your everyday life.
Training for the Life You Share
Training happens in the little moments: how you greet your dog, what happens when the doorbell rings, how a walk begins, and what your dog does while you sit down to dinner. Those everyday interactions help shape the behaviors you live with. My work combines reward-based learning, practical guidance, and human coaching. I help you understand what your dog is learning, what you may be reinforcing without realizing it, and how to make your communication clearer. We work on useful skills while also paying attention to how your dog feels. Whether you’re starting with a puppy, welcoming a rescue, or working through habits with an adult dog, you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
Puppy Prep & Training
Before puppy comes home and through the months ahead.
Prepare your home, plan your first days, and build good habits from the beginning. Get personalized help with potty training, puppy biting, crate comfort, socialization, early manners, and learning to settle. I coach you through puppyhood so you understand what to do, why it matters, and how to practice in everyday life.
Private Dog Training
Personalized lessons where everyday habits happen.
Work with me in your home on the skills that matter to your family: calmer greetings, better leash habits, coming when called, and settling into daily life. We look at your dog’s behavior, routines, and your communication, then build a practical plan you can continue between lessons.
Relaxation Foundations
Help your dog learn how to switch off.
Does your dog seem to be always on, following every movement, demanding attention, or struggling to settle? Learn how to recognize and encourage relaxation, reduce patterns that keep excitement going, and support calmer responses at home. This work helps both ends of the leash slow down and communicate more clearly.
Hybrid Board & Train
Professional training with you involved along the way.
Your dog works with me during weekday training stays, and you learn how to continue that progress at home. This collaborative format combines hands-on practice with owner coaching and home practice between blocks. We build useful skills together so training becomes part of the life you share.
Virtual Dog Training
Personal guidance, wherever you and your dog are.
Meet with me online for puppy preparation, everyday training questions, and help understanding the routines shaping your dog’s behavior. We talk through your goals, use observation and demonstrations where practical, and create manageable next steps you can practice in your own home.
Communication Is Training
Even when you don’t realize you’re training. Your timing, attention, body language, and everyday responses all give your dog information. Sometimes a small change in what you do can make a big difference in what your dog understands. I help you recognize those patterns and practice clearer ways to guide your dog. You’ll learn how to reward the behaviors you want, create manageable opportunities for success, and build skills gradually. Dogs are not robots. There will be easier days and harder days, and your consistency between lessons matters.
A Calmer Dog Starts with Learning to Settle
A dog can know sit and down and still struggle to relax. Relaxation Foundations focuses on the moments between activities: resting while you work, settling when the household slows down, and learning that every movement doesn’t need a response. We look beyond the cue to help you recognize what calm actually looks like for your dog.
Meet Donna Dunlop, Your Dog Trainer & Human Coach
I started as a dog owner who loved her dogs and wanted to understand them better. That curiosity grew into more than 20 years of learning and hands-on experience, and led me to found The Daily Dog in 2012. With a Bachelor of Arts in Human Psychology and a continuing interest in how dogs learn, I care about both ends of the leash. I love helping owners have those aha moments, when something finally makes sense and everyday life starts to feel more manageable.
In-Home Dog Training on the South Shore
The Daily Dog is based in Marshfield, Massachusetts, and provides in-home private dog training in Marshfield, Duxbury, Scituate, Norwell, Hanover, Pembroke, and Kingston. Working in your home lets us address the routines, distractions, and everyday interactions that matter to you and your dog. Outside these towns? Tell me where you’re located. We can discuss whether travel arrangements or virtual coaching may be a good fit. Additional travel charges may apply.
Let’s Start with Your Dog
Tell me a little about your dog, what’s going well, and where you could use some help. If your puppy hasn’t come home yet, I’d love to hear about your plans, too. We’ll start with your questions and work out the next step together.
We begin with a Behavior & Relationship Assessment to talk about your dog or puppy, your questions, and your goals. I offer advice, explain how I work, and help you choose a program that fits. Typical puppy learning and building good habits are welcome reasons to begin. Tell us about your dog or puppy to request an appointment.
Tell us about your dog or puppy. We begin with a required Behavior & Relationship Assessment to understand your dog, the relationship you share, and how you communicate. From there, we recommend a training plan and show you how to practice in everyday life. If your puppy has not arrived yet, we begin by discussing your household, preparation needs, and timing; observing your puppy and your interactions follows once your puppy is home.
Private puppy and dog training lessons begin inside your home, where we build communication, engagement, household skills, and the ability to settle. As your dog becomes ready, we can practice off property in settings that fit your lifestyle goals, such as neighborhood walks, suitable beaches, woods or trails, and downtown locations. We build the challenge gradually and choose environments where you and your dog can learn successfully.