Kristina Rapson

Providing The Best Dog Training in Toronto

Kristina is an award winning dog trainer and behaviourist in Toronto who recently won best dog trainer for the Canadian Choice Awards 2024 & 2025. She is also on the finalist list for 2026. She has also been listed in the top 5 on 6 different lists,  and has over 140 five star Google reviews. With a specialty in behavioural issues and rescue dogs, her methods are different than most other trainers with a focus first and foremost on improving the human / dog relationship and communication. If you think you’ve tried everything, it’s likely that Kristina has some new methods that will help you get you and your dog to where you want to be.

For more information on Kristina’s background, philosophies and services, please navigate through the menu

We Specialize in Behaviour Modification

Having some trouble with your dog's behaviour?
We can help with anything including but not limited to:

Obedience Training

Dog obedience training is the process of teaching a dog to follow basic commands such as sit, stay, come, and heel. While it’s a valuable tool for managing behavior in specific situations, obedience training doesn’t always address the root causes of behavioral issues.
Kristina is professionally trained in obedience training at the National K9 Learning Center and takes a well-rounded approach to dog behavior.
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Puppy Training

Not all puppy classes teach you how to stop bad behaviour. Most puppy parents struggle with potty training, destructive chewing and nipping and biting.
We focus on the most important aspects of raising a puppy that unfortunately most puppy classes don't teach: proper socialization, people / house manners & potty training.
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OFF LEASH RECALL

Training your dog to have a reliable off-leash recall is not just about obedience; it’s about ensuring their safety and allowing them the freedom to explore the world responsibly.
Kristina teaches the two most effective methods for achieving a reliable recall: traditional long line method and e-collar training.
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Leash Reactivity & Aggression

Does your dog react by lunging, barking and growling towards people, dogs, small animals or fast moving objects on or off leash?
Reactivity and aggression are extremely stressful to deal with. Hairy Tales specializes in helping reactive and aggressive dogs become calm and confident companions.
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RESOURCE GUARDING

Resource guarding refers to when a dog displays protective or aggressive behaviour in order to defend or control access to a particular resource. This resource can be food, toys, treats, bones, beds, furniture, people or any item the dog perceives as valuable.
Since resource guarding is almost always a relationship problem, the first most important step to any dog training, is improving the relationship with your dog.
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Over-Excitment / Hyperactivity

Does your dog have a tendency to be hyperactive or over-excited? Are they constantly jumping up on people, pulling on the leash and barking or whining?
The vast majority of dogs that appear to be hyperactive are actually not like that naturally. This behaviour is almost always created by attention and affection at the wrong time. Hairy Tales can help!
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Fear & Anxiety

Does your dog have anxiety or fear towards people, environments or stimuli? Does your dog need some major confidence boosting?
Confidence building can only begin once a dog has learned that they can trust you to be their leader protector.
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RESCUE DOGS

Rescue dogs often come with some baggage and specific behaviour issues that need to be addressed. Oftentimes, these behaviours will not show themselves until about 3-4 weeks after arriving in the home.
Some common behaviors that we see in rescue dogs included but are not limited to : reactivity, aggression, fear / low confidence etc. We specialize in rehabilitating rescue dogs and street dogs.
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E-COLLAR TRAINING

E-collar training can be an invaluable tool for specific behaviour modification or obedience training. It is ​DEFINITELY NOT an abusive tool when used correctly.
If used correctly, e-collar training can be an extremely gentle and effective. I have rehabilitated even some of the most traumatized and fearful rescues using e-collars.
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Trusted & Certified
  • Today was our first day of training for Lucy the boxers e collar it was great ! She loves Kristina as we do ! Kristina trained us all when Lucy was a puppy 2 yrs ago and today Lucy came in with a waggy boxer wiggle !

    Judi Frost Avatar Judi Frost
  • Had 2 sessions with Kristina for my reactive dog. So far so good! Seeing lots of improvements. Kristina is very knowledgeable and professional. Would recommend

    Steven Lu Avatar Steven Lu
  • Kristina is a knowledgeable trainer and resource. From the video call that I had with her, she was able to provide multiple training exercises to help with leash reactivity, setting home boundaries, and teaching 'settle' to my rescue dog. At the end of the session, she provided a detailed email covering the training exercises we had discussed during the call. She even followed up a few weeks later to see how we were doing! I would recommend her services to anyone!

    K C Avatar K C
  • Working with Kristina has made a major difference in our home. Our older dog came to us incredibly fearful and anxious. The strategies and homework we did with our training has helped him really come out of his shell and develop confidence. Our younger dog can be reactive but after each session we see improvements in behaviours. Overall we have seen a lot of improvements in both our dogs and I’m really thankful for all we have learned from Kristina.

    Chiara Tari-Arnold Avatar Chiara Tari-Arnold
  • Kristina trained my brother’s rambunctious lab mix who is extremely well behaved. So she came highly recommended. We first went to her a month after bringing home our second dog. The day after our first session, we had a completely different dog. Today, the day after our second session, we were stopped at the park by someone complimenting us on how well our dogs were behaved and wanting a referral. 100% would recommend to anyone looking for a well balanced dog.

    Kelsey Killam Avatar Kelsey Killam
  • As far as first impressions go, our initial consultation with Kristina could not have been better! She's not the first (or second) trainer we've met for our anxious 21-month-old shih-poo, Mochi....but she's already the best! You can tell how much experience she has because of how quickly she was able to correctly assess the roots of Mochi's behaviours and, more importantly, the causes. Kristina explained a lot of helpful techniques to help with Mochi's nervousness without making it feel daunting (or unattainable). I look forward to future sessions with her but the way things have started....they may not be needed!

    J Rosales Avatar J Rosales
  • Kristina is a kind and compassionate trainer with a soft spot for international rescue. What is most impressive to me is her drive to continue to stay on top of her education. She has invested a lot of time and money into constantly learning more to help her students achieve the best possible outcomes with their dogs.

    Amber Remedios Avatar Amber Remedios
  • I had my first web session with Kristina yesterday, and I can assure you, she is worth the wait! We are working together on improving my relationship with my dog, which Kristina explained was the underlying reason why my dog seems like he has "a short fuse" around other dogs. Kristina is articulate, to the point yet also very kind and understanding. It felt like chatting with an old friend. There was zero judgement when I confessed all of my mistakes to her, for which I am very grateful! (lol). I feel confident that my dog and I are going to get to a much better place with her guidance.

    Kali Holz Avatar Kali Holz
  • We had an initial training session with Kristina and our minds were blown learning about dog psychology and how it related to us and our dog's behavior. We have been implementing Kristina's homework and already seeing improvement. We are excited about what we'll learn in future sessions and how we can live harmoniously together with our new rescue pup. Highly recommend!!

    Megan McBurney Avatar Megan McBurney
  • Kristina has been an amazing partner in my dog’s training. She’s provided realistic and manageable guidance and tools to help my dog get along with another dog. She’s also helped correct other frustrating behaviours along the way, both my dog and I are happier.

    Lauren Giroux Avatar Lauren Giroux

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When clients follow my recommendations, there hasn’t been a dog I have not been able to help yet!
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FREE 15 Minute Discovery Call

Want to speak directly with the trainer before committing to book? We offer free 15 minute discovery calls to make sure we are a right fit for your dogs needs.