Ari Masel - Head Trainer
Dog lover, cuddler, trainer and behaviourist.
Dog training in Melbourne. Helping you take the lead.
Positive, in-home dog training across Melbourne – practical skills, calm walks and a happier life together.
⭐ Helping Melbourne dog owners turn chaos into
confidence.
Support style
Kind
Reward-based dog training that builds confidence instead of
fear.
Focus
Real life
Training in and around your Melbourne home and local parks.
Goal
Ease
So the hardest part of dog ownership is missing them when you
leave.
“Walks, tricks and training should feel like a team sport, not a
battle.”
About
Dog training that feels human, too.
Trick & Treat Training is here for the whole team – dog and human. You’ll get clear guidance, zero judgement and sessions that actually fit your Melbourne life.
Support for every stage of the journey.
Whether you’re welcoming your first puppy or navigating big feelings in an older dog, we’ll build skills, routines and confidence together... with plenty of wiggles along the way.
✅Positive-first training
Reward-based methods that help dogs think, choose and feel
safe – no intimidation, no shortcuts.
🏡Real-world focus
Sessions in your home and neighbourhood so we can work where
the behaviour actually happens.
🧠Big feelings welcome
From reactivity to overwhelm, we break training into
bite-sized steps you and your dog can handle.
👨👩👧👦Help for humans too
Jargon-free explanations, written notes and a trainer who
actually gets what daily life is like.
Every dog and human team is different. Your plan is built around
your goals, your space and your dog’s personality – not a
generic template.
Meet the trainer
Hi, I'm Ari – your dog's new best friend.
I'm here to make life easier for both ends of the lead with practical, science-based training and a big focus on real life.
Calm, clear support for you and your dog.
I grew up surrounded by animals and went on to complete a Bachelor of Animal & Veterinary Biosciences before specialising in companion-dog behaviour and training here in Melbourne.
These days, Trick & Treat Training is somehow my full-time job! Helping puppies, adolescent chaos-gremlins and sensitive dogs feel safer, braver and more understood.
- In-home training across Melbourne's inner & eastern suburbs.
- Reward-based methods that help dogs think, not just “obey”.
- Clear plans, written notes and plenty of check-ins between sessions.
Trainer: Ari
Training philosophy
Making training simple, relatable & actually doable.
My entire approach is built around clear, relatable concepts that turn complex behaviour science into simple, step-by-step processes you can follow in real life.
Training is a piece of cake 🍰
When we're helping a dog with something overwhelming, we don't force-feed the whole cake at once. Instead, we break the big trigger into tiny, palatable slices. One piece at a time.
- 🧠Break big, scary situations into small, safe steps.
- 🍰Feed those steps one slice at a time so your dog can actually cope.
- ✅Stack tiny wins until the whole “cake” feels easy.
Services & Pricing
Choose the support that suits you.
First step
Private Training Session
$200
Your starting point. Perfect for new puppy parents or tackling
specific behaviours with an existing dog. We’ll assess, plan and
get hands-on right away.
Most popular
Puppy program
5-Session Package
$900
Get your puppy off on the right paw. We’ll build foundations for
loose-lead walking, recall, social skills, calmness and more –
tailored to your Melbourne home and lifestyle.
Spaced sessions give you time to practice while still feeling
supported.
Ongoing support
Walk & Train
$80
More than a walk. Your dog heads out with a trainer who
reinforces good manners, road safety and social skills – so your
walks feel easier too.
Multiple walks per week? Enjoy 10% off each additional walk.
Digital resource
Puppy Plan
$59
A 4-week step-by-step plan covering “what do I buy?”,
socialisation, toileting, routine, alone time and more – written
by a trainer who’s seen it all.
Ideal if you love structure or want a clear roadmap alongside
in-person support.
In action
What training with us looks like.
A little peek behind the scenes – real sessions, real dogs and a lot of joy. These are the kinds of moments you’ll be creating with your dog.
Book
Ready to get started?
Choose a time that suits you and we’ll start building your dog’s confidence. If you can’t find a time that works, reach out and we’ll figure it out together.
Use the calendar below to book your first session.
Quick tips library
Fast, real-world help between sessions.
Short, saveable tips you can start using today. As we go, this will grow into a library of mini videos and how-tos for everyday life with your dog.
Loose-lead walking
Reward the slack, not the pull.
Any time the lead softens, mark with “yes” and reward by your leg. If they pull again, calmly change direction and give them another chance to find the slack.
Great for daily walks
Puppy focus
Say the name once, then pay attention hard.
Wait until your pup isn't looking at you, say their name once, and reward the instant they flick their eyes towards you – with food, pats or play.
Builds reliable name recognition
Calm at the door
Door only opens for four paws on the floor.
If your dog jumps, the door pauses. When they land and pause, mark “yes”, reward, and then the door opens. Calm behaviour makes good things happen.
Helps with guests & deliveries
Reactivity
Think “see dog, eat chicken, move away”.
Spot other dogs early, feed a few tiny treats while you calmly create distance, then let your dog decompress. Recovery speed matters more than silence.
Perfect for “big feelings” dogs
Independence
Start with tiny, boring separations.
Toss a treat on a mat, step into another room for a few seconds, then come back like it's no big deal. Repeat until your dog shrugs you leaving.
Builds confidence at home
Enrichment
Use some meals for “brain work”.
Scatter-feed in the yard, use a cardboard box or simple puzzle toys so your dog can sniff, shred and solve. Tired brains, not just tired legs.
Great on wet & busy days
Reviews
What Melbourne dog owners are saying.
Real feedback from people who've trusted Trick & Treat Training with their favourite chaos gremlins.
★★★★★
“Ari has been the hugest help with our teenage kelpie with reactivity problems. He is so kind, calm, supportive and encouraging and gives realistic training approaches. We're seeing such a positive change thanks to Ari! Couldn't recommend him more :)”
Google review
Trick & Treat Training on Google
★★★★★
“As new dog owners, we were nervous for what was to come after bringing our little whippet puppy home. Ari was there for us every step of the way from pre arrival planning, first few weeks at home to the challenges of puppy adolescence! Thoroughly recommend.”
Google review
Trick & Treat Training on Google
★★★★★
“I had serious puppy regret and Ari has saved us! He’s so gentle but firm with our 5 month old Dachshund, Hershey. He’s helped us with toilet training, walking, tricks, obedience - basically everything! He’s honestly a dog whisperer and I can see how quickly Hershey responds to him. His methods are efficient, sustainable and aim to enhance your relationship with your dog, not to create fear - that was really important to me. Highly recommend his services!”
Google review
Trick & Treat Training on Google
Service area
In-home dog training across inner & eastern Melbourne.
We come to you so we can work where real life happens – your home, your street and your local parks.
Trick & Treat Training is based in Melbourne and regularly visits suburbs such as:
- Hawthorn, Hawthorn East, Kew, Kew East
- Camberwell, Surrey Hills, Mont Albert, Box Hill
- Malvern, Glen Iris, Ashburton, Carnegie
- Caulfield, Elsternwick, Balaclava, St Kilda East
- Bentleigh, McKinnon, Ormond and nearby areas
Not sure if you're in range? Send through your suburb when you enquire and we'll let you know what travel looks like – or recommend another trainer if we can't get to you.
Pinch, scroll and zoom to explore the general area we cover.
FAQs
Common questions, answered.
A quick taste of what most people ask before they book. If your question isn’t here, reach out – we’re always happy to chat.
What training style do you use?
We use reward-based, fear-free methods that encourage dogs to think and make good choices. By rewarding effort and progress, we build confidence and behaviour that actually sticks.
What behaviours can you help with?
From puppy basics (toilet training, mouthing, jumping, socialisation) through to reactivity, big feelings on walks and separation struggles. We’ll chat through what’s going on and make a plan.
Where does training happen?
Most sessions happen at your home and around your local streets or parks – the places your dog actually lives and learns. For park-specific issues, we can meet you on-location.
Do you cover all of Melbourne?
We work across Melbourne. Some suburbs may have a small travel fee – send through your location when you enquire and we’ll confirm what that looks like.