Welcome to The Dog Element where balanced and happy dogs are our number one priority. We know that an under-stimulated and under-socialized dog will inevitably get bored. We also know that a bored dog will find means of entertainment, some of which can be harmful to our home (e.g., inappropriate chewing, garbage digging) or, worse yet, harmful to the dog (e.g., excessive licking or scratching, anxiety).
Whether you are looking for preventative measures or are already experiencing behavioral issues that need to be addressed, The Dog Element is here to help.
Our Mission
The ultimate goal of The Dog Element is to help you build a balanced, healthy, and happy relationship with your dog. Our strategy for achieving this goal is twofold:
- DOG TRAINING & BEHAVIOR EDUCATION
We offer training services where the main objective is to teach you about the dog element – how dogs socialize, play, communicate, etc. – so that you can better read your dog’s emotions and intentions, as well as be able to send clearer messages back to them. - HIKING SERVICES
We offer hiking services that would bring your dog out of the human world and back into nature. By taking your dog back to the elements, we give them a chance to do what they would do in their natural settings – roam, explore, sniff, track, etc. – a chance to be themselves. This will help to bring your dog back into balance and let them expend pent up energy.
In effect, we strive to foster stable, secure and loving relationships that allow both you and your dog to be at your happiest and best.
Our Philosophy
Our approach is grounded in observing, respecting, and working with the nature of dogs and humans. We aim to understand dogs and educate you about how dogs behave, communicate, socialize, play, explore, mark territory, etc. With this knowledge, you can gain a glimpse into how dogs perceive and interact with the world around them. Consequently, you can learn how to read your dogs’ messages as well as how to communicate your messages in a manner that is clear for your dogs to understand. We believe it is this capacity for reciprocal communication that lays the foundation upon which to build a healthy, happy, trusting, respectful, and loving relationship.
Our Founder
Lenny Flek is the founder and President of The Dog Element. He formerly founded and managed Hotel Primp & Play – a day care, boarding & grooming facility in Fort Lee, NJ – from 2012-2020. Lenny graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Applied Psychology from Pace University in 2004 and was certified as a dog trainer with Animal Behavior College in 2007. Since then, Lenny has been dedicated to helping build healthy, balanced relationships between people and dogs.