Dog Behavior Modification and Fun!
SPEAKING DOG IS RUFF
"Science that builds lasting relationships, One paw at a time!"
Services
What does Speaking Dog Is Ruff offer that is different from the rest? Well, we offer comprehensive consultations that include finding out if your dog or puppy thinks Analytically or Abstractly. This is important information that gives us and you the window needed to bridge the language barrier.
We offer classes that include puppy growth of all stages...even a teenager support class, because lets face it teens are HARD work. You can join one of our many sport classes from scent work through rally to trick dog. Want private sessions? We do that too! If you are having difficulties with aggression or behavior problems you are in luck. We have specialized in these areas for over a decade. Our modification program and classes are created by our main specialist with an Animal Behavior Degree.
We are passionate about helping owners learn how to connect and teach their dogs to live in a human's world. We understand the unique needs of every dog and work closely with owners to address their, needs be it: puppies, manners, service work, conformation, aggressive behaviors, and other challenges. Our approach is to create a harmonious relationship between dogs and their owners, ensuring a happy and balanced coexistence. So what are you waiting for? Are you ready to start speaking dog?
Click on the boxes to learn more!
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Aggressive Assessments
Cat Behavior/Training
Speaking Dog Is Ruff is dedicated to use the most up to date scientific studies in our sessions.
MEET THE CREW
KATRINA SIM
OWNER/BEHAVIOR Modification Specialist
Hello! My interest in training dogs started when I was 12 years old. I began in 4-H which turned into an obsession. The experience had me competing in dog shows shortly after. As I continued to grow my knowledge, opportunities to help others with their dogs began to present themselves. Throughout those years I wanted to do the best I could for my clients and obtained my BAS degree with a focus on animal behavior science. I have been helping owners and their dogs understand each other for over a decade and I continue to use updated information to give clients the most effective methods.
LUCI JOHNSON
Behavior Specialist
Hi! My life has always had dogs in it. As I grew I quickly became enthralled in how dogs live and think. I have spent years learning about dog behavior through my own experiences. After meeting Katrina I immediately became fascinated by her methods and impressed by her depth of knowledge. I am currently expanding my knowledge by seeking a degree through the university in animal sciences, as I truly enjoy discovering the inner workings on how animals see the world.
HOW SESSIONS WORK/ WHAT WE OFFER
Sessions that are customized to fit your dog and lifestyle within the comfort of your own home or virtually online.
CONSULTATION
Our consultations are the first step in understanding you and your dog. Consultations will take place in the comfort of your home. During this session, we assess behavior, discuss your goals, and make sure we’re a good fit to work together. You’ll leave with new insights and starting points. Consultations usually last around 2 hours.
SESSIONS
After we’ve established that we’re the right match to work together, we’ll move into sessions. Sessions are typically 45 min - 1 hr. long, where we focus on helping you learn how to work with your dog. Each session is designed to give you practical tools and strategies to create meaningful change toward your goals.
PRICING
We make training affordable by not requiring a large upfront payment. We get paid for sessions at the time of each session for services rendered.
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Due to our specialized services please contact us for pricing
Most clients finish between 6-9 sessions.
We accept Paypal, Credit/Debit cards (3.5% processing fee), Venmo, CashApp, Checks, and Cash.
FREE
Free 20 min. phone consultation with tips when you contact us.
We include several perks once you are a client that is for the life of your dog.
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FREE 30min. phone call for advice/support
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FREE unlimited texting for advice/support
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Option for in your home dog sitter service (extra charge, within a certain distance.)
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Keep up to date on our social media pages on training techniques, health, and events.
For other inquires or to book an appointment, call or text us at:
(208) 791-4165
Common Areas We Cover:
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Potty training and daily routines
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Biting, barking, and jumping
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Kennel and crate training
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Early socialization
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Handling and confidence building
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General puppy care and communication
Program Details:
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Designed for puppies under 6 months old
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Typically runs 6–9 sessions (fully customizable to your needs)
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Sessions start weekly, then gradually space out as your puppy progresses
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Pay per session—no long-term commitment required
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Includes free 24/7 text support for questions for the life of your pet
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Clients receive a Puppy PDF Guide, covering solutions for common challenges
Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, but it can also comes with challenges. Our Puppy Head Start program is designed to guide you through those early stages of puppyhood, helping you build a strong foundation and a positive relationship from the very beginning.
We’ll work alongside you to address common puppy struggles and teach you how to communicate effectively with your dog. Each puppy is unique, so we’ll also help you discover your puppy’s individual learning style, giving you the tools and insight to teach in a way that best fits your dog’s personality.
Puppy Head Start Program - Sessions
At Speaking Dog Is Ruff, our goal is to help you feel confident in raising your puppy while nurturing a healthy, lasting bond. Together, we’ll set you and your puppy up for lifelong success!
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Service Dog Program - Sessions
For handlers training their own service dogs
Our Service Dog Program focuses on building strong, confident teams by teaching you how to train your own service dog. We’ll guide you through each step of the process so you can develop the skills, understanding, and connection needed to reach your individual service goals.
Time between sessions can vary depending on the training needs of your team. While we recommend weekly sessions for the first three sessions to help build consistency and momentum, this is not required. We understand that every client’s schedule is different, and we strive to be flexible and accommodating to your individual time needs.
Because of the specialized nature of service dog work, most teams require nine or more sessions, though you can train with us for as long or as little as your team needs.
Our goal is to empower you with the tools and confidence to continue your dog’s training independently, strengthening both your bond and your teamwork along the way.
Program Details:
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Designed for handlers training their own service dogs
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Typically 9+ sessions, fully customizable program
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Flexible scheduling based on team progress and availability
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Weekly sessions recommended (but not required) for the first three sessions
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Pay per session
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Focus on teaching handler skills and team communication
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Learn how to progress your dog’s training toward your specific service goals
Classes
Class Schedule:
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Puppy Support Class (0 - 8 months old)
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This is a 45min. 5 week course, meeting every Sunday
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We focus on confidence building, early social skills, and engagement. The goal is to build solid habits early and teach your puppy how to learn.
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Impulse Control
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This is a 45min. 5 week course, meeting every Sunday
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For dogs who need help slowing down and making better choices in exciting or distracting moments. We work on patience, focus, frustration tolerance, and building thoughtful responses instead of impulsive reactions.
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Channel the Chaos
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This is a 45min. 5 week course, meeting every Sunday
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A structured outlet based class for dogs with strong instincts like prey drive, chase behaviors, or high energy outlets. This class is not behavior modification, it’s about giving dogs appropriate ways to express natural drives through structured games.
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Intro to Scent Training
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This is a 45min. 5 week course, meeting every Sunday
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An introduction to nose work that taps into your dog’s natural ability to search and problem solve using scent. This builds confidence, focus, and engagement while giving your dog a fulfilling, mentally enriching activity.
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Start Dates of every Sunday Course:
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June 7th
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Aug. 2nd
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Sept. 27th
Private Classes:
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Our private classes offer the same structured curriculum as our specialty classes, but in a one-on-one setting tailored specifically to you and your dog. These are not individual private sessions, but progressive private classes designed to help you build specific skills through focused, personalized instruction.
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Private classes are priced at our specialty class rate and are ideal for owners who prefer individualized coaching or for dogs who learn best outside of a group setting.
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Private class options include:
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All Around Good Dog:
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Build the skills every dog needs for everyday life. This class focuses on teaching your dog how to turn work mode on and off, build engagement, and gradually increase duration in a focused working state while also learning how to settle appropriately when work is done.
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Recall Class:
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Develop a reliable recall through progressive exercises designed to strengthen responsiveness, motivation, and consistency around real-world distractions.
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Advanced Scent Work:
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Expand your dog’s scenting abilities through more advanced search challenges, scent discrimination, problem-solving, and independent working skills.
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If there is a specific skill you are interested in teaching your dog and would like to explore as a private class, just ask. We are happy to discuss custom private class options based on your goals.
Class Details:
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All dogs are required to complete a consultation prior to joining classes. We assess behavior, social skills, and potential concerns like reactivity or aggression to ensure your dog can safely and successfully participate. If your dog does present with behavior concerns don't worry we will cater to your dog's specific needs to keep them included and growing. We offer two consultation options:
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Class Consultations: $100
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1-hour evaluation to determine if your dog is ready for a group class setting.
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The Class consultation will be done at the Latah County Fair Grounds.
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Passing this evaluation grants access to our group classes and particular events.
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Personalized Session Consultations: (Specialize pricing)
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1.5-2 hours long, offers a more in depth evaluation and understanding of your dog.
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This consultation will include the class consultation, giving your dog the opportunity to join classes if approved and start in-home sessions right away.
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In order to do personalized sessions, a personalized session consultation is required. A class consultation does not count as a personalized session consultation.
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If a dog doesn’t pass the class consultation, completing a personalized sessions consultation is the pathway to behavior modification work and potential future class participation.
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All dogs are required to be up to date on vaccines prior to starting class (this will be confirmed during consultation)
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All classes (unless otherwise specified) will meet at the Latah County Fair Grounds in Moscow, ID
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For scheduling or further inquiries on our classes, please call, text, or email us.
Class Pricing:
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Puppy Classes (i.e. Baby Puppy Class or Pre-Teen Puppy Support Class):
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$250 for a 5 week course
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$50 per class
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Session clients are eligible to receive discounted class rate of $225 for the 5 week course or $45 per class
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Specialty Classes (i.e. Trick Dog or Scent Work):
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$325 for a 5 week course
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$65 per class
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Session clients are eligible to receive discounted class rate of $275 for the 5 week course or $55 per class
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Cat Training and Behavioral Help
We offer professional cat training and cat behavior consultations. Whether your cat is struggling with litter box problems, scratching furniture, aggression, anxiety, fear-based behaviors, or difficulty adjusting to changes at home, we provide practical, relationship-based behavior support designed to help both cats and their people.
Our cat behavior services focus on understanding why your cat is displaying certain behaviors and creating realistic training plans that fit your household. We work with cats of all ages, from kittens needing early training foundations to adult cats with established behavioral concerns.
Pricing:
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Cat Behavior Consultation - 1-hour (In Moscow, ID or Pullman, WA) : $75
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If you are outside of Moscow or Pullman, please contact for specialized pricing
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Cat Training Sessions - 35-minute: $50
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If you are outside of Moscow or Pullman, please contact for specialized pricing
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Additional cats: $10 each
CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES
"I’ve been working with Katrina for a while with my 105 LBS puppy. Our puppy was a tough case, resource guarder and a bully. I don't know what I would have done with Katrina’s incredible guidance and support. She cares and is committed to her clients. I'm truly grateful we found her!
She knows the right tools and techniques to train even the most stubborn pup. My bond with Bernie is stronger than ever, and he is a happy puppy!
I highly recommend Katrina for everything from the basics to advanced training and aggression issues.
Thank you, Katrina!"
"Bodhi is my first dog. Like any first timer, I went into it dog ownership by listening to tons of dog training podcasts, watching YouTube videos, and reading training books.I learned a lot and Bodhi is a fantastic pup but we still had some ‘bandaged’ parts of our relationship. AKA being nervous someone would walk in the wrong way and spook Bodhi into a growly state.Enter Katrina: She truly blew my mind with so much good knowledge. I was shocked at all the things I hadn’t learned. It’s resulted in a more relaxed and loving relationship. I understand what Bodhi is trying to do and say far more. The training was so customized and specific that I couldn’t have learned it without an expert in the room. And Katrina is definitely an EXPERT!It’s a gift that is going to make the rest of our years together richer and more beautiful. Thank you Katrina 💛"
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"We started working with Katrina because my 5 month old pup was showing signs of aggression towards people, and being a bully towards my other dog. After just meeting with her for the initial consultation we have learned so much, the dogs are playing well together again, and best of all no aggression! our puppy has been much more calm and well behaved. Katrina is friendly, knowledgeable, and explains things in a way that make total sense. It was impressive to see how our dogs responded to her in just a short amount of time. I would highly recommend her services"
"Katrina worked with our two golden retrievers during a short visit to family. Our primary goal was teaching our 9-month-old pup to walk properly on a leash, follow basic commands, be respectful of other dogs & people, etc. while also refreshing our older dog's training. I'm beyond impressed with Katrina's positive reinforcement methods and her ability to handle complex scenarios. Her expertise shines through in every situation, regardless of the dog or challenge. Katrina's professionalism and upbeat attitude made each training session both informative and enjoyable. Despite our tight schedule, she adapted wonderfully to our needs. The results are remarkable: our younger pup now responds to 'out,' 'come,' and 'leave it' commands—areas where she previously struggled. Her leash walking has also improved tremendously.
As owners of field golden retrievers, we face unique challenges due to their high energy and working dog nature. Katrina's approach emphasizes smart at-home reinforcement and maintaining positive energy during training, which makes the process enjoyable for both dogs and humans alike. I can't recommend Katrina highly enough. Her methods are effective, her knowledge is comprehensive, and her passion for dog training is evident in every interaction. If you're looking for a trainer who can deliver results while keeping the experience fun and engaging, Katrina is the perfect choice."
Upcoming Events
Not sure we're right for you? Come meet us in person!
Sometimes the best way to decide is to see for yourself. Our events are the perfect chance to ask questions, see us in action, and get a feel for what we’re all about.
We’d love to meet you!
Speaking Dog is Ruff at the Latah County Farmers Market!
We’re excited to now be part of the Latah County Farmers Market most Saturdays. Stop by to browse our homemade dog treats, learn about upcoming classes and events, and talk with us about building a better relationship with your dog.
You can also find Speaking Dog is Ruff at the Pullman Starlight Market on select Fridays throughout the season. We’ll be there with homemade dog treats and information about our training programs and services.
For exact market dates and details, visit the official schedule: https://starlightmarketpullman.com/