About Me

Portrait

Manael Blondeau

Passionate about the animal world since my youngest age, I quickly realized that dog training was much more than a job: it is a true dialogue based on mutual respect.

Based in La Roche-sur-Yon, I travel to your home in Vendée to help you better decode your dog's behavior and implement simple, positive reinforcement, and consistent training solutions in your daily routine.

My philosophy:

"To understand rather than to coerce. Positive reinforcement training relies on the dog's motivation and the clarity of the owner's requests. No violence, no shouting, but a lot of patience and consistency."

My background

The steps of my professional journey

May 2024

Obtaining the ACACED certification

I obtained the ACACED (Attestation de Connaissances pour les Animaux de Compagnie d'Espèces Domestiques), the official and mandatory certification issued by the French Ministry of Agriculture. It validates my theoretical and practical knowledge of the biological, physiological, and behavioral needs of dogs.

October 2023 - Present

Volunteer Trainer at the Yonnais Dog Club

I am actively involved as a volunteer trainer at the Yonnais Dog Club in La Roche-sur-Yon. This community experience allows me to work each week with dozens of owner-dog duos of all ages and breeds, face my practice with diverse cases (puppies, reactive dogs, sport training), and share knowledge with other experienced instructors.

Since 2020

Field Passion & Pet Sitting

Alongside my volunteer work, I offer in-home pet sitting and dog walking services. During this time, I began regularly caring for the Rottweiler I look after regularly, which refined my sensitivity to large-sized and categorized dogs.

Questions & Answers

Learn more about my methods

Q. What does positive reinforcement training mean to you?

For me, positive reinforcement does not mean letting the dog do whatever they want. It is a methodology based on the science of animal behavior. We motivate the dog to act well by rewarding (treats, play, affection) good behaviors, and we ignore or redirect unwanted ones toward an acceptable alternative. We seek to understand the emotion behind a behavior (fear, excitement, frustration) instead of simply punishing the symptom.

Q. How do you handle categorized or reactive dogs?

I handle them with the exact same respect as any other dog, simply adding the rigor required by their size and regulations. The experience with the Rottweiler I look after regularly taught me the importance of ultra-clear and calm communication. With a reactive dog, we work below the "trigger threshold" — that is, at a distance where the dog sees the stimulus (another dog, human) but remains capable of connecting with their handler to be rewarded.

Q. Why do you also offer pet sitting?

Pet sitting and walks are complementary to training. Trust-based pet care is often how the relationship with an owner begins. Furthermore, spending time with dogs in their daily routine allows me to observe natural behaviors that are not always visible during a formal training session, which enriches my overall understanding of the animal.