Buster’s Story

David Cugno, former owner of Perfect Pooch, had been training dogs for over ten years when he first met Buster, a three-year-old boxer with a long history of aggression. “He had bitten three people and had attacked a number of dogs. Everyone was afraid of him,” Dave recalls. After working with Buster’s owners, who never followed through with his training, Dave opened his door one morning to find Buster sheepishly staring up at him. “I was given the choice of taking Buster in as my own dog or allowing his owners to euthanize him. Although I already had five dogs, I couldn’t allow the world to give up on this wonderful animal,” Dave tearfully reminisces. That was the day Buster’s life began to change and it was the day that Dave Cugno’s epiphany would begin.

Armed with the wealth of knowledge that Buster and thousands of other dogs through the years have taught him, Dave is eagerly preparing to open a new business: David Cugno’s Canine Center in King of Prussia. “I can’t tell you how pumped I am to start work on this next phase of my career,” Dave beamed. “My goal is to perfect the relationship between dogs and their owners. A lot of dog trainers focus on commands, like sit and stay. But my approach addresses the cause not the symptom. I develop relationships that run deep to the core of how a dog thinks and instinctively behaves.”

Buster was an extremely insecure dog who was reacting to his world based on the signals that humans had given him. Dave knew he had to rewrite the script for this dog if he was to save its life. “I did so much work with Buster that we developed a relationship far deeper than I had ever thought could be achieved between a dog and a human,” Dave recounts. “Buster became my best friend as together we saved his life. I then applied what I had learned to my relationship with my other dogs and it strengthened our pack even further. Today, David Cugno’s Canine Center exists to recreate this experience with human-canine packs throughout the region.” Dave’s new company which officially opens its doors on August 1 is accepting reservations today for training and boarding at (610) 337-0800. Be sure to check out their website at www.cugnoscaninecenter.com.

Dave Cugno of Cugno’s Canine Center answers questions about man’s best friend.

Q: I have a new puppy and I really want to find the best training method. I’ve been overwhelmed with all of the available options out there. What makes your training special? – Meg from Mt. Airy

A: Dogs are confused.  Behavioral issues are almost always caused by humans interacting with dogs in the same way they would other humans. I help people build a stable, well-balanced relationship with their dog which addresses the cause instead of the symptom of the problem.  People often say to me, “I have a problem with my dog barking.” I explain to them that they don’t have a problem with their dog barking, it’s that their dog won’t stop barking because it doesn’t view them as a leader. Dogs are creatures of habit and I help owners develop better habits for their dogs by creating consistent rules for their dogs to follow. Whether you want your dog to walk with you, not jump on people, or simply feel happier each day, the method is the same.

Q: I don’t want to bully my dog into listening to me. Do you practice “positive training”? – Jen from Bryn Mawr

A: I use no harsh means and I don’t believe in getting a dog to listen out of fear. Although I use the word “no,” affection is the primary motivation I use to encourage a dog to listen. My main goal is happiness for dogs as well as owners.

For more information on David Cugno’s Canine Center, visit www.cugnoscaninecenter.com or call (610) 337-0800.