Aggressive and Anxious Dog Training in Chandler and the Phoenix Area
By Mark Siebel, Owner and Trainer, DOGGIE STEPS Dog Training
Quick Answer: For aggressive dog training Chandler AZ owners can trust, Doggie Steps brings Mark Siebel’s experience with 7,000-plus dogs trained since 2005. About half his caseload is aggression or anxiety, bite history included. Board and Train starts at $2,000. In-Home Dog Training starts at $650, and Mark confirms the real number for aggression cases before you book.
Why Aggressive and Anxious Dog Training Is Mark Siebel's Specialty
Aggressive and anxious dogs are where Mark leans in. About half of his cases since 2005 are aggression or anxiety based, and it is where his psychology background shows up most: an undergraduate psychology course at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and a refresher at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. In Mark’s own words, it is harder to train the person than the dog. Once he understands what is driving the behavior, and who he is working with on the human side too, the training plan gets more precise.
Doggie Steps turns away very little, including dogs with a bite history. That is the work Mark built his practice around. There are no shock collars and no choke chains used ever.
Two Paths for Aggressive or Anxious Dogs
Doggie Steps offers two ways to work through aggression or anxiety: Board and Train or In-Home Dog Training. Which one fits depends on how hands on you want to be and what your dog’s triggers look like.
| Path | Format | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board and Train | Dog stays with Mark, 1 or 2 weeks | $2,000 (1 week) or $3,900 (2 weeks) | Dogs who need a full routine reset away from the triggers at home |
| In-Home Dog Training | Mark comes to your house, 4 weeks | Starts at $650 (once a week) or $1,275 (twice a week), total for the 4 weeks. Aggression and anxiety cases add to the starting cost, and Mark tells you the real number before you book. | Dogs whose triggers are specific to the home environment, and owners who want to be part of every session |
Both paths use positive reinforcement with verbal and hand signal commands. There are no shock collars and no choke chains. No service at Doggie Steps comes with a guaranteed outcome. Results depend on the client keeping up the routine once training ends, the same way a personal trainer’s plan only works if you follow through.
What Makes Training an Aggressive or Anxious Dog Different
Aggression and anxiety cases take more read-and-adjust than a standard obedience program. The first job is finding what is driving the behavior: another dog, a stranger at the door, separation, resource guarding. Mark’s July guide on dog aggression training also starts with ruling out pain, so a vet visit comes first when the behavior is sudden. From there, the plan works on that specific trigger gradually, pairing it with rewards. That is part of why Mark typically works with 3 to 4 training clients at a time. A dog working through a real behavioral issue needs more attention than a dog learning sit and stay.
Signs Your Dog May Need Specialized Training
- Growling, snapping, or lunging at other dogs or unfamiliar people
- Panic behavior when left alone, destructive chewing, howling, or accidents tied to separation
- Freezing, hiding, or shutting down in situations that shouldn't be stressful
- Resource guarding around food, toys, or space
- A bite history, or close calls that make you nervous around other dogs or guests
These signs can show up alone or together. A dog that does any of them regularly, or that is getting worse over time, is a good candidate for a professional evaluation.
Doggie Steps has published guides on specific pieces of this: practical anxiety remedies, the causes and signs of dog aggression, and how to prevent aggression before it escalates. They are a good next read for the day-to-day side of the work. Two newer guides cover reactive dog training and separation anxiety dog training in detail.
What Real Results Take
Doggie Steps holds a 4.9 star rating on Google, and the themes in Mark’s reviews are consistent: easy to work with, real customer service, and honest, lasting results. Aggression and anxiety work takes a real plan and a client willing to keep the routine going once the sessions are over. Both Board and Train and In-Home Dog Training are built to set that up.
How Aggression and Anxiety Training Works
Aggression and anxiety sessions move slower than standard obedience work, because the goal is a calmer response to the trigger. Veterinary behavior groups such as the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommend reward-based training for these cases and warn that punishment can increase fear and aggression. The American Kennel Club also explains the difference between reactivity and aggression, which is a useful place to start if you are not sure what your dog is doing.
For In-Home Dog Training, working in your actual house matters for aggression and anxiety cases, since many triggers, a knock at the door, another pet in the home, a specific room, only show up there.
Service Area for Aggression and Anxiety Cases
Doggie Steps is based in Chandler, AZ and works with clients across the Phoenix East Valley, including Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Phoenix itself. For Board and Train, location matters less since your dog comes to Mark. For In-Home Dog Training, Mark comes to you in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Phoenix.
Getting Started
The contact form is the fastest way to start. Tell Mark what you’re seeing, the specific triggers if you know them, and which path you’re leaning toward, Board and Train or In-Home Dog Training, and he will walk you through which one fits your dog. He reads and answers every inquiry himself, by email or text.
A mild case and a real bite history both start the same way: a plain description of what you’re seeing, what triggers it, and what you want different once training is done. There’s no wrong first step.
Doggie Steps has served Chandler and the East Valley since 2005 and holds a 4.9 star rating on Google. To talk it through, send Mark a note through the contact form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Roughly half of Mark Siebel’s caseload since 2005, across 7,000-plus dogs trained, is aggression or anxiety based, including dogs with a bite history.
No. There are no shock collars and no choke chains used ever. Voice commands and visual signals combined with positive reinforcement is the training method used.
Board and Train, starting at $2,000, removes your dog from the triggers at home for a full routine reset. In-Home Dog Training, starting at $650 for four weeks of once-weekly sessions, works through triggers specific to your house with you present for every session. Aggression and anxiety cases add to the starting cost, and Mark tells you the real number before you book.
Doggie Steps takes dogs with a bite history. Mark starts by finding the trigger, and when the behavior is sudden he recommends a vet visit first to rule out pain. Training uses positive reinforcement and verbal and hand signal commands, and he keeps his training client list small so each case gets real attention.
No service at Doggie Steps comes with a guaranteed outcome. Results depend on the client following through on the routine once training ends, the same way a personal trainer’s plan only works if the client keeps up with it.
Common triggers include other dogs, unfamiliar people, separation from the owner, and resource guarding. Mark builds each plan around the specific trigger.
Tell Mark what you are seeing, the specific triggers if you know them, how long it has been going on, and whether you are leaning toward Board and Train or In-Home Dog Training. He reads and answers every inquiry himself, by email or text.
About the Author
Mark Siebel has run DOGGIE STEPS Dog Training in Chandler, AZ since 2005. He has trained over 7,000 dogs since then, working hands on with every single client himself. Mark teaches the dog training portion of Pet Care Team Training, a certification program for professional pet sitters and dog walkers. He is one of five expert trainers in the course. He never uses shock collars or choke chains, and he still writes a handwritten thank you note to every customer he works with.