Relationship Centered Training

Suzanne Clothier’s Relationship Centered Training (RCT) blends heart and science with a deep appreciation for each dog as an individual, and each relationship as unique and dynamic. RCT is for anyone seeking deeper understanding of dogs and our relationships with them.

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The heart & soul of connection

Do you wish you had new ways to see dogs and understand them more deeply?

Are you passionate about doing your best to help dogs and the people who love them?

Do you want to dive deeper into what’s possible in relationships with dogs?

Join us, and discover why Suzanne Clothier has been described as “an artist in a lab coat” for her innovative blend of heart and science.

Well grounded in science and research, Suzanne’s work is open-hearted and joyful, with a deep appreciation for each dog as an individual. She understands that each relationship as unique and dynamic, and has created techniques and tools to help each relationship develop to its full potential.

Suzanne Clothier and her Relationship Centered Training (RCT) approach will help you find your way to richly satisfying relationships. For more than 30 years, “trainer of trainers” Suzanne Clothier has kept the dog-human relationship central to all she does.

RCT has helped countless people and dogs around the world find their way to the profound connections possible when we put the dog first. Humane, practical and effective, RCT opens new depths of understanding. Whether you are working with your first dog or have spent a lifetime with dogs, RCT will inspire and inform you. Welcome!

 

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OUR MERCH COLLECTION

We’ve got something for everyone! Check out all we offer!

Keep the Light in Those Eyes

For those who know me, this will sound familiar: “Keep the light in those eyes.” That simple mantra I made...

Older, But Maybe Not Wiser

Fun fact: as I get older, my brain feels free to play fast and loose with numbers. Admiring my old...

Upcoming Events

SARASOTA, FL – March 1 & 2 – RCT Practicum, and TALKS WITH DOGS

2 day dog training and behavior seminar with Suzanne Clothier hosted by the Sarasota Obedience Training Club.

Emotional Well Being in Animal Conference

Details to come – stay tuned!

Dog People Evolution Conference 2025

FROM DPE:  “Dog People Evolution (DPE) is an innovative entity within the dog industry, dedicated to fostering a community rooted...

2 Day Workshop

Details coming soon — join us for a fantastic weekend in Alexandria, MN

What our customers say about us

RCT Skills for Reactive Dogs - helping him blossom!

Very useful and applicable even for the non-professional trainer. Lots of helpful tips and ideas to help us with our adopted Australian Shepherd who is defensively aggressive and a little unsure of how to deal with the world at times. These techniques along with lots of patience are helping him to really blossom and it is very rewarding to see him relaxing and enjoying life. He was about 7 years old when we brought him home – it’s never too late to help!

Chantelle Beare

A Suzanne Clothier seminar is must-have experience for all dog lovers.

Learning from Suzanne has broadened my skills, taught me new skills and techniques, and helped me reassess the way I work, as well as inspiring me with her compassion, knowledge, courage to tackle the difficult subject, and her kindness and humour. With the dog always at the centre of everything, RCT gives you an invaluable anchor to hold on to and return to when trying to problem solve.

Sarah Whiffen, UK

Really Real Relaxation Pro - Incredibly helpful!

Incredibly helpful for reactive, high-energy, and dogs that need and on/off switch! I love this exercise and describe it to dog owners as a team meditation exercise. It’s an exercise every reactive dog should have the the opportunity to learn, for sure. I find this approach helps the dog their chill more independently and organically. The requirement of the handler to also regulate themselves helps to keep my tendency to micromanage in check. I have made dramatically better progress helping a dog find relaxation and self-regulate using this protocol after a single session than with weeks of daily drills with another protocol. (That sounds cliche, but it is true.) It is very integration-into-your-life-friendly. So great!

Laura Fennel

Intro to CARAT - made so much sense!

I loved the Intro to CARAT course. It made so much sense and reinforced the tendencies I see in patients. As a vet, I can see the huge range in personalities of puppies when they come in for their first puppy appointment. Being able to share a tiny snapshot of the CARAT concept with clients and explain just a little bit about personality traits makes a huge difference in their understanding of their new pet.

Dr. Megan Cathey

Really Real Relaxation Pro - "jewels" to add to my toolbox

RRR Pro

I enjoyed the course but more importantly, as a pro trainer, and I always look for new modalities and ideas to bring to my private training practice. This methodology is one of those “jewels” I will incorporate into my behavior modification toolbox to help my clients help their dogs relax in “real world” scenarios. Suzanne does a terrific job in delivering the information by providing clear examples of her protocol and what is not. However, do not be fooled by the simplicity of the exercise/protocol! There is much more nuance to the steps involved. From my perspective, there is a secondary benefit for dog parents to learn when engaging in Suzanne’s RRR. They will learn to look for small changes in their dog’s body language and demeanor, which supports their dogs in learning how to lower their arousal level.

Almudena Ortiz Cué C.H.A.C.O. Dog Training & Behavior Consulting LLC

See the Dog

Learning from and working under the umbrella of Relationship Center Training has acted as a north-star when navigating any behavioral concern. Suzanne always ends her webinars with ~see the dog~. I often find that when I am stumped or feeling insecure with a client, I am focusing too much on my own performance or what the client is expecting, instead of ~seeing the dog~. Once I tap back into that, my ego begins to fade and humble problem solving and skill building can begin again.

Kelsey Bennett

RCT Skills for Reactive Dogs - Invaluable!

LOVED THIS COURSE! This course is exactly what I was looking for. There is so much helpful information provided to help out our reactive dogs and their handlers. The specific training techniques, spelled out in detail, are invaluable. In addition to all the training techniques. The bonus material is much more than I ever expected. Well worth the price and I am excited to put these principles & techniques into action with my clients and add to my class curriculum. Thank You!

Bev Oliver

RAT (Relationship Assessment Tool) - Helping Clients Achieve Their Goals

Using R.A.T. helps me as a psychotherapist examine and identify essential elements of relationship quickly and clearly with my clients. And relationships are at the heart of most human issues. R.A.T. helps me point out therapeutic issues in a fundamental way that is often easier for clients to absorb because their interactions with an animal seem removed from their “real life,” with all the emotional landmines real life contains.

Ann Howie, LISCW, ASCW, CCA, CCFT, Human-Animal Solutions, author Teaming With Your Therapy Dog

Observation Skills Part 1 - Exceed my expectations!

OBS Part 1

The course that keeps on giving. Having taken many of Suzanne’s courses and webinars, I know they are always going to exceed my expectations. This course is not a checklist. It is training your brain to be a better observer. You’ll have several aha-moments during the course and course work, but it continues way beyond that. You will observe everything differently, and continue to improve your observation skills after this course. It doesn’t happen overnight, but the road to improvement is fascinating once you know the limitations of your own mind and how to better overcome those limitations. I can’t wait for part 2 of this course.

Vibeke Alstad Jagne

RCT is a way of life with the dog

My favorite part of RCT is that every interaction with a dog is based on the relationship. Training doesn’t occur in small blocks of time taken out of normal life activities. Instead with RCT training is a way of life with the dog. Every interaction with a dog is a chance to teach something. I love that RCT fostered a mutual partnership between handler and dog where both sides of the relationship is taken into account.

J.A., Pennsylvania

Understanding, Empathy & Uncommonly Good Sense

I count myself fortunate indeed to have the inimitable Suzanne Clothier as one of my teachers. She has a heart and mind devoted to honouring dogs, seeing them for who they truly are, and working with them (and their people) from a place of understanding, empathy and uncommonly good sense. Her teaching is full of nuance and holds the dog’s dignity in the highest regard. In any learning environment led by Suzanne the enormous breadth and depth of her experience, knowledge and skill is evident, and her perceptive observations, sense of humour & fun, and ability to offer insights and solutions are remarkable.

Melanie Sweeney, Australia