Locally owned and operated for a decade with over 2 decades of dog training and behavior consulting experience!

Dogpanion is more than just dog training, t’s a vibrant community of passionate – and compassionate – dog enthusiasts. Created in 2016 but in 2024 newly found owner Aimee took over to create an enrichment center for dogs in Hillcrest, San Diego. She and her dedicated, diverse, and long-term team of “dog geeks” deliver decades of experience in dog training, behavior consulting, dog enrichment activities, and boarding. We believe every dog is a unique member of the family, and we tailor our services to meet the specific needs of each dog. Whether you’re a long-time resident or new to San Diego, we’re here to support you and your furry companion with the best care possible.

What sets us apart is not just our years of experience, but our commitment to personalized attention. We treat each dog as a unique individual, catering to their specific needs and preferences. As a locally-owned and operated small business, we take pride in being a trusted choice for pet services.

Aimee Burton- Owner

AKC Certified Trainer

Aimee was born and raised in San Diego and is the daughter of a veterinarian. Her mother ran and operated their 3 veterinary hospitals where she grew up helping out after school with the family business. She also grew up with many other types of animals. Goats, cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits and horses that were on her grandparents' small farm in Ramona, where she spent her summers riding her horses and helping care for the animals.

After moving to Los Angeles, she began her dog training internship in 2008 with the owner of very popular fear free dog training company after adopting her heart dog, Ginger from the East L.A. animal shelter. She was very fearful and aggressive but very frail at only 4lbs. Her newly adopted little dog needed more than just standard obedience training. She needed gentle methods and a vast knowledge of animal behavior so she employed the help of Dr. Karen Sueda, a renowned veterinary animal behaviorist in Los Angeles that opened her eyes to the complex needs and emotions of dogs. Working with Ginger sparked a passion in her to learn as much as she could about this special little dog no one wanted just days from behavioral euthanasia. Since 2008, Aimee has continued to study canine behavior through workshops, conferences, seminars, webinars, books and shadowing other experience scienced based fear free trainers and behaviorists. Her little dog and teacher, Ginger made remarkable progress and shared her life with her for 13 years until her passing in 2021.

Aimee now lives in San Diego with her 4 rescue dogs and has worked with over 3,000 dogs to date. She specializes in helping dogs with reactivity, fear, resource guarding, general anxiety, noise phobias, over arousal, touch sensitivity, desensitization to grooming, fear of the vet visits, sensitivity to handling and touch, basic manners, new puppy education, impulse control issues and is an AKC certified instructor. For the last 13 years she has designed and taught puppy kindergarten/socialization classes, fearful/shy puppy socialization and confidence building classes, basic obedience classes, intermediate obedience classes and Canine Good Citizen prep classes, and "out and about classes", trained psychiatric service dogs and therapy dogs as well as trick trains her own dogs for fun. 

She strongly believes that dog training should be fun, gentle, and rewarding to the dog and handler using, play, food, life rewards and be physical punishment free while at the same time provide benevolent leadership and structure to build confidence and to keep your dog and other dogs safe and confident in a variety of environments. She belives a well-trained dog should want to interact, feel good about offering behaviors and show impulse control because good things happen to them when they do. A well-trained dog parent should understand what their dog is communicating, what situations their dog is comfortable in what environments or situations they need to avoid with their dog when their dog communicates that they are struggling and need guidance. 

Mel's calling is to help dogs and humans live happier lives together.  She began her professional career working with dogs in 2012 for a training and daycare facility.  Her days consisted of playing and observing the daycare dogs during the day and observing various training classes in the evenings.  By 2013, she was teaching her own puppy group classes focusing on basic obedience and socialization.  She then went on to receive her Basic Canine Behavior & Training certificate in 2015 from Pat Miller’s Peaceable Paws in Fairplay, MD.  This is essentially a college level course exploring behavior science and the hands-on application of force-free dog training methods.  She then became a certified trainer through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers in 2015 and in 2016 founded Dogpanion, LLC, which she sold in 2024 to have a better work life balance and focus just on dog training. 

Mel’s training philosophy is grounded in a science-based, whole-dog approach.  As a trainer with over a decade of experience, she knows the importance of creating a space that embraces the power of partnership in the training process.  She does not utilize a one size fits all approach. Instead, she tailors her customized training plans to help each dog and owner reach their full potential. Her strategic training and communication methods are designed to build a foundation of trust while creating lifelong bonds between pet parents and their one-of-a-kind companions.

Committed to continuous learning, in 2019 Mel wanted to expand her skill set and completed a comprehensive program where she received her Service Dog Coach certificate.  Service dog training helped her discover a hidden passion for mental health.  She went one step further and received her Be There Certificate which provided her with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to safely support anyone who may be struggling with their mental health. Then in 2022, she became a certified Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer behavior consultant through Julie Naismith and now specialize in working with dogs who suffer from separation anxiety and help pet guardians navigate this difficult issue through the use of force-free training methods grounded in science.  Her passion for helping pet guardians learn to effectively communicate with their dogs stems from her experience and love of her own (recovered) separation anxiety dog, Duncan.  This dedication to education, combined with her extensive experience, allows her to offer the most effective solutions for the dogs and owners she works with.

Mel is a big advocate for positive reinforcement and strives to make training a fun experience for both the person and their dog.  She believes every dog has the potential to accomplish amazing things!  She looks forward to partnering with you on your training journey!