Meet Your Trainer
At Teach a Dog to Fish, we’re all about helping you and your dog understand each other better. Whether you're navigating big behavior concerns or just trying to get through the day a little easier, we’re here to support you with care, curiosity, and a whole lot of patience.
Our lead trainer, Angelina McCaster, has over a decade of experience working professionally with dogs and their people. Angelina works closely with a trusted network of professionals - including assistant trainers, pet sitters, veterinary behaviorists, physical therapists, and accessibility coordinators - who all share a commitment to thoughtful, welfare-centered care.
You won’t find any shaming, aversive tools, or intimidation here, ever. Our approach is built around trust, communication, and science. We take time to understand your dog as a whole being, with physical, emotional, and social needs. That includes making sure pain or discomfort aren’t being overlooked.
Our job is to help you feel supported and confident in learning how to work with your dog in a way that feels right for both of you.
Our Training Philosophy & Continuing Education
We align with the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior's position that "reward-based techniques should be used for teaching common training skills as well as to address unwanted behaviors. The application of aversive methods…should not be used in canine training or for the treatment of behavioral disorders." We also recognize the importance of addressing underlying physical discomfort and ensuring any animals needs are met as part of a care and behavior plan.
We’ll never be using tools like prong collars, shock collars, or any intentional forms of intimidation to train your dog. If those tools or tactics are currently the only way you feel safe or in control, we get it - we’ve been there too. All that we ask of you is a commitment to growing and changing as we offer a different approach.
L.I.F.E. Based Training
A LIFE based approach to teaching and solving behavior concerns refers to the Least Inhibitive, Functionally Effective framework. We base all our interactions with you and your pet on this principle. This means we won’t ever use force, intimidation, or intentionally cause stress, pain, or anxiety in an effort to reach training goals. And above all, will promote optimal welfare for the animals under our care and in our lives.
Continued Education
This work is always evolving—and so are we.
Our learning doesn’t stop at basic certifications. Currently, our focus continues to deepen in areas that matter most to the people and animals we support. That includes ongoing education around accessibility in training, species-specific pain awareness, and a more comprehensive understanding of how people access support.
Angelina is currently working toward a Dynamic Dog Practitioner certification, which emphasizes recognizing subtle signs of pain and discomfort that often go unnoticed in behavior and veterinary work. This training is part of our broader commitment to putting dogs' physical and emotional welfare at the center of everything we do.
We're also actively working on building a more accessible and affordable practice—with most of our support offered virtually to reduce cost, increase flexibility, and meet people where they are.
