Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Crane.
Hi Heather, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey with Sea Dog Animal Training began long before it became a business. I’ve always believed that most behavior challenges aren’t a sign of a “bad” pet or a “bad” animal — they’re a sign that no one has shown that animal how to succeed yet. I wanted to create a place where families could get real, science-based support and where animals with big feelings or unique needs weren’t turned away. SDAT provides boarding and care for the “spicy” ones!
SDAT started with me training dogs in homes and volunteering my time helping rescues work through complicated behavior cases. Over the years, it has grown into a multi-species behavior and training center serving dogs, cats, and even non-traditional pets. We’re one of the few programs in the Houston area with veterinary oversight, which allows us to support medically fragile pets and animals who need more specialized care.
The road to where we are today hasn’t always been smooth. Building a training and behavior center from scratch requires persistence, creativity, and a deep belief in the mission — and that mission has always been to keep pets with the families who love them. There have been seasons where resources were tight, where the work demanded long hours, and where we reinvented parts of the business to better serve the community. But I’ve stayed committed because seeing an animal succeed — sometimes against the odds — is worth everything.
“Training Saves Lives” truly guides everything we do. Today, SDAT offers behavior modification, day training, private coaching, enrichment-driven boarding, and even new specialty programs like our luxury Airstream overnight stays (COMING SOON!). We’ve built a supportive, skilled team, and I’m especially grateful for the expertise and partnership of Dr. Grace Brannon, who helps ensure our programs remain safe, ethical, and grounded in welfare science.
What started as a small passion project has become a place where families find hope, animals find understanding, and progress happens every day. And we’re still growing — still expanding services, still refining our methods, and still committed to making high-quality behavior support accessible to more pet owners in our community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been anything BUT a smooth road!
Like most small businesses, SDAT’s growth hasn’t been a straight line. The animal care and behavior field is incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with complex challenges. We work with many animals who have significant behavioral needs, medical conditions, or long histories of stress, and building a program that could support them safely required a tremendous amount of planning, investment, and ongoing learning.
Financially, the early years were tough. Expanding services, renovating spaces to meet welfare standards, hiring and training a reliable team, and maintaining veterinary oversight are all resource-intensive. There were times when progress felt slow or when the demand for specialized care outpaced what our facility could accommodate.
But every challenge shaped SDAT into what it is now — a resilient, adaptable training center that’s built around compassion and problem-solving. Our struggles strengthened our systems, sharpened our mission, and ultimately made us better equipped to help the families and pets who rely on us.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sea Dog Animal Training, LLC?
Sea Dog Animal Training (SDAT) is a multi-species behavior and training center built around one philosophy: Training Saves Lives! We help families understand and support their pets through science-based, relationship-centered training that works for dogs, cats, and even non-traditional or exotic pets.
We specialize in behavior modification — the complex cases that many facilities don’t have the structure, time, or expertise to take on. Reactive dogs, fear-based behaviors, handling sensitivities, anxiety, aggression, and medically fragile animals are all part of our daily work. Because we operate under veterinary supervision, we can safely care for pets with medical needs, administer medications, and create cohesive training plans that consider the whole animal, not just the behavior we’re trying to change.
One of the things that sets us apart is our commitment to individualized care. No two animals are alike, so no two programs should be either. Whether it’s private coaching, day training, board & train, behavior modification, enrichment-driven boarding, or introducing our newest offering — luxury overnight stays in a fully renovated Airstream RV — every service is designed with welfare, comfort, and real progress in mind.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that SDAT stands firmly for compassion, transparency, and education. We believe owners deserve to understand why their pets behave the way they do and how to help them succeed long-term. Our goal is always to keep families together and reduce the number of animals surrendered to shelters simply because their humans didn’t have access to the right expertise.
Another point of pride is our multi-species approach. While most training centers focus on dogs alone, we’ve intentionally built programs that support cats, small animals, and other unique species. Many families have pets with very different needs, and we want to be the place that can help them all, safely and respectfully.
At SDAT, we want readers to know that we are more than a training facility — we are advocates for animal welfare, partners for pet parents, and a safe haven for pets who have been misunderstood. Whether a family is looking for better manners, help with reactivity, a structured behavior plan, specialized boarding, or an enrichment-forward environment, we’re here to guide them with expertise and heart.
Our brand exists to give every pet a chance to succeed and every family the tools to help them thrive.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The animal training and behavior field is changing quickly, and I think the next 5–10 years will bring some really positive shifts. As pets are holding “family member” status within the household, pet owners are working to become much more informed about what humane, science-based training looks like. I expect the industry to continue moving away from outdated or forceful methods. People want training that supports their furry family member’s emotional well-being, not just compliance, and that trend is only going to grow.
We’re also going to see much closer collaboration between veterinary medicine and behavior professionals. Many behavior challenges have medical components, and the future of this field is a more holistic model where a trainer and a veterinarian work together to support the whole animal. This is already a strength at SDAT, and I believe it will eventually become the norm across the industry.
Training and behavioral health is currently not a regulated field. We are probably closer to 10 years away from practices being standardized and more regulations being put in place, but I fully expect the animal care industry to trend this way, and believe it should! As people shop around for trainers, I encourage every person to do their homework and fully interview the trainer to learn about methods and exactly how their pet will be managed. If there’s a lack of transparency just in conversation, that will translate to a lack of transparency and communication further down the line, when your pet in in the person’s care.
Another major change is personalization. Pets aren’t one-size-fits-all, and families are starting to expect individualized training plans rather than generic “obedience classes.” Programs tailored to reactive dogs, medically sensitive pets, multi-species households, or pets with unique needs will continue to expand, and that’s a great thing for both pets and their people.
I also expect remote and hybrid training support to remain part of the landscape. Virtual coaching and behavior consults make high-quality guidance more accessible, especially for families in rural or underserved areas. They’re not a replacement for in-person work, but they’re an incredibly useful extension of it.
Finally, there’s a growing recognition that enrichment, mental health, and overall quality of life matter just as much as teaching skills. I think we’ll see more focus on enrichment planning, anxiety management, senior pet support, and programs that help pets feel safe and confident in their everyday lives.
Overall, the industry is shifting toward compassion, science, accessibility, and individualized care. And that’s a future I’m excited to be part of.
Pricing:
- Leash Manners – $225 (3 sessions)
- À la carte 30 minute Sessions – $75
- Behavioral Consulting – $220/hr
- Custom In-Home Training 10 sessions, lifetime commitment $2500
- Board and Train – $3000-$4000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.seadoganimaltraining.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seadoganimaltraining/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeaDogAnimalTraining/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-crane-2a822289
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@seadoganimaltraining6773?si=D0CyRFs_O6Q8yqpO
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sea-dog-animal-training-houston
Image Credits
Gabriella Monteiro-Sea Dog Animal Training, LLC
