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Crimson Dog Ranch, LLC

Yamhill County, OR | Dog Training | Est. 2018

Contact Us

Meet the crew!

Alysa Rothfuss

Alysa Rothfuss

Head Trainer

I have had a passion for animals for as long as I can remember, and always knew my career would involve them. Initially, I wanted to be a zoo keeper, then a veterinarian, finally -at twelve - I realized my passion was dogs. Living in a rental, we were not allowed pets beyond one cranky old cat. I made up for this canine-shaped absence by hiring myself out as the local dog walker and pet sitter, volunteering at animal shelters, and reading just about every dog behavior book I could get my hands on. When we moved I was finally able to fulfill a life-long dream by getting a dog of my very own - an affectionate, adorable, three-year old cattle dog mix. Little did I know as we left the shelter that he would teach me just how little I really did know. All my reading and responsibilities with neighbor's pets did not prepare me for this feisty little creature. Generally laid-back, my red dog turned into something else entirely when presented with other dogs, critters, and even friendly human visitors. After a few incidents, we reached out for help and soon I found myself apprenticing under both an entirely positive reinforcement trainer and an e-collar-based trainer. With the instruction of these two wonderful, albeit opposing, mentors I came to better understand my confusing little crimson dog; in turn, he helped me to better understand myself. I hope to instill a passion and understanding in other dog owners as well. Whatever your goals are, as long as you want to achieve them with enthusiasm, then you have come to the right place.

Red dog standing in woods.

Lucas

Australian Cattle Dog / Chow Chow

The crimson dog himself - all bite, and no bark.

Grey pit bull standing in field.

Daisy

American Pit Bull Terrier mix

She may not have a business named after her, but she has my heart and in turn she puts her soul into everything she does.

Red dog and person sitting on boulder.

Our Philosophy

Although the goal may only be to create, or get rid of, a certain behavior, the most successful approach will take into account a variety of related factors. By understanding what the dog likes, what they don’t like, how they feel – physically and mentally, how they communicate, and their prior knowledge and skillset (as well as yours) we can create a comprehensive plan so you can achieve anything. 

Owner involvement is key, so we will work together to make sure you have all the resources you need to stay consistent and committed. You will be learning right along with the dog and, just like them, cultivating skills that may prove useful in all walks of life (not just the ones with your four-legged friend), namely: awareness, attention, patience, and thoughtfulness. Most important of all however, is that you enjoy your dog and view training as a fun, and necessary, part of dog ownership.

Read our success stories.

I am so impressed with Alysa, she is incredibly knowledgable about dogs and training. She is professional and practical, and is wonderful with my pittie mix who can be stubborn but is so willing to learn. Alysa has done wonders working with my pup to train her to behave better around other people and dogs, and most importantly, training _me_ on how best to work with and keep training my dog so that we understand each other. Alysa is so patient and provides clear instructions, and makes you feel very comfortable with training and working with your dog. She's awesome, I highly recommend her!
Grey and white dog holding stick.
Wendy K.
Stella's Owner
Alysa helped me with my rescue dog who had aggression problems towards people and other dogs. After he bit several people, including me, I knew I didn't have the tools to help him, and got a recommendation to talk to Alysa. Gizmo spent 3 weeks with Alysa learning to calm down, focus his energy, and most importantly learning he could trust someone to advocate for him. After his first board and train session Alysa worked with me to understand what I needed to do to keep him on the upward path. Gizmo goes back to Alysa when I'm travelling for tune ups and cuddle time. She is one if his favorite people. With Alysa's help, Gizmo has gone from a dog that I was constantly on guard with, to an obedient, reasonably calm dog, who goes for walks without much drama, meets people who are willing to let him take his time, and engages with many doggie, and human friends.
Tania N.
Gizmo's Owner
A bulldog and a boxer, barely two years old and both rescues. We wondered, "What the #*!!were we thinking?" At our wit's (and patience) end, we happened upon Alysa and the Crimson Dog Ranch. Within 24 hours, she had them walking obediently by her side, and within days, making visits to various remote locations--Petco or a dogpark, for instance. This began with a home visit, something she has done on several occasions, to get the lay of the land and see what our needs might be, specifically. Her training is for owners and pets alike. She has made numerous follow-ups and given us "refreshers" as needed, and our boys both love her. They are not perfect (this is largely on us), so the follow-ups have been very helpful. More than once we've visited a park together with Alysa as part of her service, and several times she's brought another dog with her to add in a distraction. These two are a challenging pair, and we're so grateful to have found a dog whisperer. Her dedication and expertise are the real deal.
Boxer and bulldog sitting side by side.
Ron M.
Duke and Earl's Owner
Alysa at Crimson Dog Ranch was incredibly helpful with our dog's leash manners, house behavior, fear aggression, and prey drive. She is knowledgeable, experienced, and professional. She came to us at our home and offered flexible days/times for training sessions. She would first explain, then demonstrate techniques, and then provide us corrective feedback as we practiced. After each session she also provided a detailed summary so that we could continue practicing independently. Our dog is much better behaved and more confident, and people are impressed by how well he listens to us.
Allison B.
Steve's Owner
Alysa has been helping me with my rescue dog from the start. I adopted a rescue dog that had many social issues due to being abandoned at an early age and living in a dog rescue for two and a half years. My dog Kate could not be around men, other dogs, and especially not cats. Kate could also not go on a walk with me without pulling me the entire time. Working with Alysa on Kate's issues was the best thing I could have done for Kate. Alysa is truly a dog whisperer!!! Kate now is wonderful to take on a walk, she can now be around other dogs (at least in the sense that she really doesn't want anything to do with them, but that's Kate's preference), and there is now a cat our life. This last one is still something we are working on, and will take some time, but the two of them can be in the same room and for the most part Kate is learning to not want anything to do with the cat.
There was a time when I thought I might have to return Kate to the shelter, because I didn't think I could handle her and give her what she needed. I'm so happy that I found a trainer that has the patience, the kindness, and especially the knowledge on how to train Kate, and me so Kate and I can have the best relationship we can possibly have.
It's also so nice to have a place to board Kate when we go out of town. Alysa also takes Kate out for day excursions. I couldn't be any happier!!!
I highly recommend Alysa for trainer your dog, even if you are at your wits end, there is always hope!!!
Orange and white dog with pointy ears looking at camera.
Shiree B.
Kate's Owner
My dog, Nelly, and I were struggling with very severe leash aggression which increased overtime. After meeting Alyssa, we opted for the 3 weeks of board and train to really work on her leash issues and overall impulse control. Alyssa posted several videos each week, showing her progress and was quickly able to hone in on Nelly's issues and correct her poor decision-making. Nelly and I are continually working to make our experiences around other dogs positive and smooth and Alyssa has continued to offer advice and has met for additional trainings to tune up Nelly's skills. Alyssa knows dogs and is willing to learn each pup's issues and adjust her training accordingly!
Black bully breed looking toward edge of screen.
Haley G.
Nelly's Owner
Over the years we have worked with about 8 dog trainers. Alysa is by far the most effective trainers we have had. She is eclectic in her approach, and tailors training to your needs and your dog's personality. I am familiar with different training approaches and Alysa is well versed in many of them. She was extremely responsive, gave us detailed written summaries, responded quickly to questions, and was realistic about our goals. We were actually considering rehoming one of our dogs before we worked with her, but not any longer. We had reluctantly decided to try an e-collar. I know how controversial that is, but nothing could have been worse for our dog than having to rehome him. She trained US how to use the collar correctly, minimally, and gently. I can't believe how much happier and calmer this dog is now.
Petrea H.
Lucky and Dodger's Owner
Alysa at Crimson Dog Ranch absolutely knows dogs and dog training! I have two poodle mix rescue dogs who are good tempered, but were terrible to walk. They just pulled and pulled on their leashes and made walks a miserable experience. One of our dogs was highly reactive to other dogs we would encounter on walks. Alysa worked with us and our schedule to help us reach a solution that has changed everything about our dog walks. Now, our dogs are a pleasure to walk and we enjoy taking them on long walks. Alysa also showed us many other dog training techniques that have worked out very well. Alysa has a real depth of knowledge of many different techniques that enables her to modify her approach to fit the dog and the situation as needed. She was responsive, reliable, and we especially appreciated her follow-up to help us reinforce what we learned. I cannot recommend her highly enough!
Elizabeth V.

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