Sydney's Dog Training & Behaviour Specialists Since 1994
Fido Flashcards
Obedience Training made easy!
About Mutts with Manners Dog Obedience & Puppy Training
Our Mission: to provide superior dog obedience training, puppy training and dog behaviour training for our canine friends as professional puppy and dog trainers.
With her cheeky boy, Rasta - 23/10/97-25/8/2016
Our very first referral!
Mutts with Manners GUARANTEE that you'll see an improvement in your dog's behaviour by the end of the first lesson - or the lesson is FREE*
* to be agreed upon by all parties at the end of that lesson
Why do dog training with Mutts with Manners?
Gift Certificates available
Maria Cunningham, the chief instructor at Mutts with Manners, has been a professional dog obedience trainer since 1993. She served as the Assistant Trainer at the Sydney Community College in Leichhardt, where she was responsible for running group dog training classes—some of the first professionally conducted classes in Sydney (the Delta Society was not established in Australia until 1997!). Through 1993 to 1995, Maria competed in Obedience Trials with her dog Schatzi, also exploring Agility and Tracking with her.
To deepen her understanding of dogs, dog behavior, and various behavioral influences, Maria completed a range of TAFE and online courses. These courses covered topics such as dog breeding and genetics, grooming and handling techniques, nutrition and its effects on behavior, as well as dog behavior and psychology. Maria was one of the early members of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT Australia) and has personally attended lectures by internationally renowned dog behavioral specialists, including Dr. Kersti Seksel, Dr. Robert Holmes, Dr. Ian Dunbar, Luke Hura, Steve Austin, Cesar Milan, and many others.
Her extensive knowledge and experience have been compiled into three ebooks that she authored: "Ruling The Roost - What Your Dog REALLY Wants You To Know!" (2015), "Raising Fido" (2021), and "7 Days To A Happier Hound" (2024). Additionally, she has created numerous training aids, including 'cheat sheets' for raising puppies and Fido Flashcards to assist with obedience training. All of these resources are available through our 'Shop' page.
Maria works primarily in Sydney's Inner City and Inner West, and prides herself on having a deep and authentic knowledge of, and experience in, the fields of dog training and dog behaviour modification. Given the few (and new) qualifications in dog training, she has no interest in putting irrelevant letters after her name, preferring instead to 'walk the walk'.
About our Think Dog technique:
Maria's beloved 'Schatzi' 20/4/92-3/11/03
