Your dog is showing you
what you haven't seen yet
Mobile dog trainer and coach in Canton Zug — coming to your home, into your everyday life, with a written action plan.
Do you recognize yourself in this?
THINGS ARE ACTUALLY GOING WELL. BUT WHEN OTHER DOGS SHOW UP, HE LOSES IT.
A dog who's relaxed at home, who reliably comes when called in the forest — and suddenly turns into someone else on the leash. That's not a disaster. That's an issue. And issues can be worked through.
DOG SCHOOL HELPED. BUT IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH FOR EVERYDAY LIFE.
At the training ground, it works. Everything there is controlled: familiar dogs, clear routines, someone watching. On your 7 a.m. walk, none of that is true.
I JUST WANT TO GO FOR RELAXED WALKS AGAIN.
No scanning a hundred meters ahead. No switching the leash to the other side. No calculating whether you can avoid it. Just walking.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TRY NEXT ANYMORE.
You've read up, asked around, tried things. Some of it helped briefly. Nothing stuck. And slowly, you start wondering if it's you.
I'll show you what I see
No "just practice this." No one-size-fits-all program. I look at your situation — right where it actually happens. I tell you what I observe. And you go home with a plan that tells you exactly what to do, how, and why.
What "coaching" means with me — and what it doesn't
«Coaching» has become a loaded word. And rightly so. A lot of people think it means: we talk about you, your childhood, your patterns — and eventually it turns out the reason you can’t set boundaries at work.
That’s not how I work.
| What I look at (using a dog encounter as an example) | What I don't look at |
|---|---|
| How you hold the leash — and when you shorten it | Your childhood |
| Where you're looking when a dog shows up 50 meters away | Your relationships |
| What you do in the three seconds before it happens | Your patterns at work |
| How fast you react — and whether your timing matches your dog | What your dog "says about you" |
| What you say, how often, in what tone | Whether you've "found yourself" |
| Where you stand, how you turn, when you stop |
In short: I work with what happens between you and your dog in the moment. Not with your life story.
The fact that your dog reacts to you isn’t woo-woo — it’s just how it works. He often notices you tensing up before you do. That doesn’t mean «it’s all on you.» It just means we have one more angle to work with than most.
How I work
Observing
We go to where it happens. I observe both of you: your timing, your movements, how you handle the leash — and how your dog responds.
No judgment. No evaluation. First, I just gather what's actually happening.
Understanding
Then we ask why. Not "he pulls," but: why does he pull?.
Because he wants to reach the other dog? Because it's paid off for three years? Because you stop half a second beforehand? Because he's not even reacting to the other dog, but to your tension?
We look at that — instead of guessing. Practice only makes sense once we know what's actually going on. .
Changing
That understanding becomes a plan. Concrete, written down, actionable.
Cues and exercises are naturally part of it. But only once it's clear what's really happening in the situation. Otherwise you're practicing against a problem nobody has understood yet.
You've already tried dog school. Why isn't it enough?
Traditional dog schools do good work. The problem isn’t what’s practiced there — it’s what happens afterward.
At home, on a walk, on the leash, when the neighbor’s dog shows up: different rules apply there. You’re on your own there. And that’s where you find out whether what you learned actually holds up.
On top of that: in a group, nobody’s watching just you. How you hold the leash. How you react when your dog pulls. What your timing is like. And that’s often exactly what decides how the situation plays out.
I don’t work on a training ground. I come to you — and I watch both of you.
How we work together
1:1-Coaching
First session
90 minutes · CHF 150 · at your home
We look at it together — in your real everyday life, not a training setup. You get an honest assessment and a written action plan.
1:1-Coaching
Coaching session
50-60 min · CHF 120 · at your home or online
You book whenever you like — no subscription, no package. We work on whatever’s relevant right now.
Only after an initial first session!
Ask your questions
Free consultation
30 min · CHF 0 · online (Zoom) or by phone
You tell me about your situation. I’ll tell you honestly whether I’m the right fit — or recommend someone else.
What you'll walk away with
After every session, you’ll get a written action plan. Not «just practice this,» but:
- Exactly what to do, and in which situation
- How to build it up, step by step
- Why it works — so you can adjust it if something changes
I don’t promise miracles. Not a dog who walks perfectly on the leash after 90 minutes. What I do promise: clarity. A starting point. And the feeling that you’re no longer in this alone.
What changes
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Leash | |
| Every walk is a battle. You come home exhausted. | You know what sets your dog off. And how to respond before it escalates. |
| Timing | |
| Your cue comes once it's already happening. | You see it coming earlier and act earlier. |
| Everyday life | |
| You never know how he'll react. You're constantly on alert. | You can relax. Not because everything's perfect — but because you know what you're doing. |
| Guilt | |
| You wonder if you're failing as a dog owner. | You know what's actually going on — and what you can concretely change. |
| Next steps | |
| You don't know what to try next. | You leave every session with a clear plan. |
Is this the right fit for you?
Yes, if…
✅ you have a specific issue that keeps coming up in everyday life
✅ you want to understand why something happens — not just what to practice
✅ you’re willing to look at your own behaviour too: timing, leash handling, reactions
✅ you don’t want a rigid course schedule, but something that fits your everyday life
✅ you want to work 1:1 instead of in a group
✅ you’re willing to invest CHF 150 in a well-founded assessment
This isn’t about «something being wrong with you.» Most people come because of the dog. That’s completely fine — we start wherever you currently are.
Probably not, if…
❌ you’re expecting a quick fix («everything will be fine after one session»)
❌ you just want to build basic cues — a good dog school is cheaper and better suited for that
❌ you don’t want me looking at your behaviour as well
❌ you’re not willing to question yourself
❌ your dog is seriously aggressive, has already bitten, or suffers from severe anxiety
On that last point: leash reactivity, getting worked up during encounters, barking out of frustration — that’s what I work with. That’s everyday stuff, not an exception.
What I don’t do: behaviour therapy for serious aggression or severe anxiety. I’m not trained for that. If that’s the case, I’ll tell you — and recommend someone who is.
Who is Marc von Ah?
I’m a dog trainer — trained at the Wolfsrudel Academy, with numerous further qualifications on top.
And I’m a coach for people: a one-year training at the Coaching Institut Living Sense, plus an SVEB qualification in adult education. Over the past few years, I’ve worked with more than 500 people and led over 1,500 hours of courses and coaching.
This combination is why I don’t just focus on your dog. A human-dog team is 50 percent dog and 50 percent you. It makes no sense to work with only half of that.
That doesn’t mean it’s all on you. It means we have one more angle to work with.
More about Marc and his philosophy
Your human-dog team is 50 percent your dog and 50 percent you. Why would we only work with half of it?
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with dogs who lose it during encounters?
Yes. Leash reactivity, barking, getting worked up during dog encounters — those are roughly the most common issues
.
What I don’t do: behaviour therapy for serious aggression or severe anxiety. If your dog has already bitten, I’ll tell you honestly and recommend a specialist.
Will the first session turn into a conversation about me?
Do you come to me, or do I come to you?
Where do you work?
Zug plus a radius of around 40 km: Zug, Baar, Steinhausen, Cham, Hünenberg, Risch/Rotkreuz, Neuheim, Ober-/Unterägeri, Walchwil, as well as parts of the cantons of Lucerne (Rontal), Aargau (Freiamt), Schwyz (Arth, Goldau, Schwyz, Brunnen), and Zurich (Knonauer Amt, left lakeshore up to Enge).
From 30 minutes of travel time, I charge a flat travel fee.
How many sessions do I need?
How much does it cost?
The free initial conversation is free (Zoom, 30 min)
First session: CHF 150, approx. 90 minutes, at your home
Coaching session: CHF 120, 50–60 minutes, at your home or online
You’ll find all the details on the offers page.
Do you also offer online coaching?
Can I talk to you first, without booking anything?
Yes. That’s exactly what the free conversation is for. 30 minutes, via Zoom, no obligation.
More questions? → Full FAQ
Training often fails because people expect way too much of the animal and way too little of themselves.
Where do you want to start?
Talk first
30 minutes, free, on Zoom. You talk, I listen, and we see if it’s a good fit.
Get started right away
90 minutes at your home, an honest assessment, a written action plan.Read up first
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