If you hire this pro, you’re covered by a money-back guarantee. Learn more
If you hire this pro, you’re covered by a money-back guarantee. Learn more
About
Calm and control; physical and mental energy in balance; being a confident and respectful pack leader . I train a family's puppy or dog for obedience and good manners, behavior issues, pack walking, establishing rules and boundaries in the home, Canine Good Citizen certification, and so much more; the training is customized based on each dog's individual needs. I also worked privately with Veterans to train their service dogs for obedience/directional/task training, CGC, and public access training. (emotional support dog and therapy dog training is also available) My educational background is in special education, so I have experience working with people who have special needs with brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, autism, ADHD, PTSD, and other cognitive and physical disabilities.
I love my job because not only do I have the opportunity to meet and help a lot of great people, I especially get to meet and help some amazing dogs. I love seeing the transformation that happens and the bond that is formed between pack leader and their furry companion; leading their dog from chaos to calm.
Overview
Current Top Pro
Hired 314 times
24 similar jobs done near you
Background checked
1 employee
12 years in business
Business hours
SunClosedMonClosed
Payment methods
This pro accepts payments via Cash, Check, Credit card, and Zelle.
Top Pros are among the highest-rated, most popular professionals on Thumbtack.
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Services offered
Dog training package
Dog size
Extra Small (1 - 15 lbs)
Small (16 - 25 lbs)
Medium (26 - 40 lbs)
Large (41 - 70 lbs)
Dog training type
Private lessons
Projects and media
Projects and media
Reviews
Customers rated this pro highly for professionalism, work quality, and responsiveness.
Exceptional 5.0
180 reviews
5
96%
4
3%
3
1%
2
0%
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Your trust means everything to us. Learn about our review guidelines.
Read reviews that mention:
Emily E.
3 weeks ago
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Hired on Thumbtack
Denise did a wonderful job helping Max—and us—better understand what it takes to manage a rambunctious new member of the family! She is patient, explains everything clearly, and uses a gentle approach with the dog. Each session included plenty of opportunities for us to practice what we were learning. Her recommendations for training tools, treats, and equipment were spot-on, and her excellent written materials reinforced each lesson. After eight weeks, we are very pleased with Max’s progress and highly recommend Denise!
Details: 1 - 2 years old • Medium (26 - 40 lbs) • Private lessons • General obedience training • Leash pulling • House training • Barking • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc.
Peaceful Paws Puppy and Dog Training's reply
Emily.
Thank you for all your hard work with Max. He’s such a fun, smart, and sweet dog. I enjoyed working with him and seeing all his great progress. Please keep in touch with updates!
Dog Training
Marcia A.
2 weeks ago
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Hired on Thumbtack
I highly recommend Denise, owner/operator of Peaceful Paws, for dogtraining. Denise helped me with my 7yo Yorkie and 5mo old toy poodle. Because the dogs were at different stages developmentally, she had to come up with a plan that would help them both, as they were training together. Denise’s training methods teached me how to effectively ease my Yorkie’s anxiety and calm my toy poodle, when needed. They are getting along much better now and they listen to me better as well. I’m happy I hired Peaceful Paws and would recommend them for anyone desiring 1:1 dogtraining.
Details: 0 - 6 months old • Extra Small (1 - 15 lbs) • Private lessons • Puppy training • House training • Crate training • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc.
Peaceful Paws Puppy and Dog Training's reply
Marcia,
Thank you so much for your dedication to Onyx and Daisy’s training! You did such a good job with them and they made a lot of progress. Keep up the great training that you’re doing and I’m always here to answer any questions. Please keep in touch with updates.
Denise
Dog Training
Kaisy P.
Feb 24, 2026
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Hired on Thumbtack
Denise has truly been a blessing for Milo and for me. From the very beginning, she was patient, knowledgeable, and incredibly attentive to Milo’s specific needs. She took the time to understand his personality and tailored her approach in a way that really worked for him. The progress Milo has made is amazing. He is more focused, more confident, and so much more responsive. I’ve seen such a positive change in his behavior, and it has made our daily routines so much smoother and more enjoyable. Denise not only trains the dog, she also empowers you as an owner with the tools and confidence to continue the work at home. If you are looking for a trainer who genuinely cares, communicates clearly, and delivers real results, I cannot recommend Denise enough. Milo and I are so grateful for her dedication and support.
Details: 2 - 10 years old • Extra large (70+ lbs) • Private lessons • General obedience training • Leash pulling • Barking • My home, venue, etc. • At the pro’s location
Dog Training
Rhianna M.
Nov 21, 2025
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Hired on Thumbtack
Denise is incredible! She is so knowledgeable, resourceful, and encouraging, and she gave both me and my dog, Harley, the confidence and tools we needed to succeed. She helped transform the way we work together, and I genuinely looked forward to every session — even when I was dealing with an injury, she made the training feel manageable and supportive.
Denise not only helped Harley make amazing progress, but she also taught me how to give myself and my dog grace when we needed extra practice. Thanks to her guidance, Harley was able to graduate from the program, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.
I already miss our sessions, and I’m so grateful that Denise will always be a resource if I need guidance in the future. Working with her was such a positive experience — she’s patient, professional, and passionate about helping dogs and their humans thrive. She’s absolutely worth it, and I would recommend her to anyone looking to improve their dog’s behavior and strengthen their bond.
Details: 2 - 10 years old • Medium (26 - 40 lbs) • Private lessons • Aggressive behavior modification • Leash pulling • Barking • My home, venue, etc.
Dog Training
Hunter F.
Dec 4, 2025
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Hired on Thumbtack
My dog and I both learned a lot and I am already seeing a much calmer dog. Bad habits are getting less and less common, and he seems proud of himself and the work he has put in. Would recommend for anyone struggling with their dog’s behavior issues
Details: 2 - 10 years old • Large (41 - 70 lbs) • Private lessons • General obedience training • Barking • My home, venue, etc.
Dog Training
Credentials
Background Check
Denise Michele Chalnick Marquez
FAQs
What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Prices are subject to change but are in a general range as follows:
(increased rates for long distance travel and multiple dogs)
Family Companion training, Community Training, or CGC training packages:
$180/2 hour initial training consultation
AND
$1100/base price for 8-1 hour private in home sessions package
OR
$850/base price for 6-1 hour private in home sessions package
SAVE $100 AT CONSULT FOR PREPAY IN FULL FOR EITHER PACKAGE
ESA/TX dog training:
$3600-$10,800+ (6 months to 1 1/2 years : therapy dog or emotional support dog training programs)
SD training:
$10,800-$14,400+ (1 1/2 -2 years(+) : service dog training program)
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
We will set up an initial consultation to meet and talk about your puppy/dog; what your individual needs are, how I do training, and rates for training sessions.
The basic training program includes obedience, manners, behavior modification, leash walking, potty training, pack walking, and how to establish rules and boundaries in your home. I will also meet your puppy/dog(s) and do an evaluation for temperament and motivation for learning.
This consultation is at your home and takes two hours. Training sessions can be at your home or at my training site, one day a week, for one hour. It takes approximately 8 sessions to complete the obedience training program.
Service dog, therapy dog, and emotional support dog training includes the above program; as well as, community training, GGC training, public access training, and task training (if applicable).
Perception modification training is also a separate training program.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am continually reading books about dogs and dog training. I work with other trainers and attend several behavior modification and dog training workshops throughout the year. I also do volunteer work, working with Veterans with disabilities and teaching them to train their own service dogs.
