Founder
Diona Chu
Reactive dogs, puppy raising, autistic owners, multi-dog households.
About
I am Diona Chu, the founder of The Hachi Way. Fifteen years across veterinary science, early childhood education, zoos, wildlife reserves, assistance dogs, and private training. I started my practice in 2022 and run it three days a week, by choice. The rest of the week builds the methodology and trains the next Hachi Way trainers.
I work with motivated owners who have tried multiple trainers and still have a dog that feels like a project. The dog is usually not the problem. The household has gaps that obedience cannot close. That is the work I do.
How I work
In person, I see clients in Newport, Docklands, and the Williamstown corridor. Home visits within the Melbourne metro are available with a call-out fee.
Online, I take cases anywhere in the world. A structured assessment, a program, and video review over WhatsApp. Not a watered-down version of the in-person work. The same methodology in a different shape, with the video loop carrying more of the weight.
Every initial consult is 90 minutes. We walk through the dog's history, observe the dog in the household, run a behavioural assessment, and leave with a program.
What I specialise in
- Reactive dogs, on lead, towards other dogs, people, or cars.
- Puppy raising for owners who want to do it once, properly.
- Autistic owners. I am autistic, and the methodology is unusually well suited to the audience.
- Multi-dog households where the dogs are training each other into the wrong defaults.
- Adolescent dogs whose training has stopped working.
Pricing
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Private consultation | AU$400 / 90 min |
| 4-week training program | On enquiry |
| 9-week online puppy program | AU$440 |
| Home visit call-out, Melbourne metro | from AU$60, varies by suburb |
Virtual consultations are billed at the same rate as in-person. Payment plans on the 4-week program are available on request.
Book with Diona
Book a session directly through The Hachi Way checkout, or send a question through the contact form.
In their words
What owners say about the work
Real reviews of Diona's work. Not the nice-trainer ones, the ones that describe the shift: owners who learned to read their dog, and dogs who got calmer once their needs were met.
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A dog whose needs are met
Diona didn't just teach us how to train our heeler/staffy pup, she taught us how to understand him, how to satisfy him, teach him, play with him and calm him, and therefore how to truly befriend him. Thanks to Diona we got our nights and sanity back, and learned how to truly bond with our pup.
Emma · 2025
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Cycles and the four modes
She is like no other trainer and really helps you understand the cycle of reactivity and taps into the cycles of what we need to do to help you achieve a calm dog that focuses on you. Following her training cycles helps our two dachshunds so much. If you keep it up consistently the results will come.
H Church · 2024
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The innate desire to be good
I liked that the approach is based on the dog's desire to be good, and on educating the owners to provide an environment in which the dog can be relaxed and happy. Our training program was immediately effective, especially improving walks with our pulling and reactive dog. It has changed our world.
Helen · 2023
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Knowing your dog deeply
We had been through a few different trainers and specialists before we met Diona. We've always loved our dog but now we know our dog on a much deeper level. Through Diona's program we've learnt to have more fun and enjoy our dog as well as develop a deeper understanding of her behaviour and triggers. Life changing.
Lucy R. · 2025
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A different framework
I always thought barking, stealing food and pulling on lead was part of the deal living with dogs. Diona transformed my understanding about dogs and taught me how Piper and I can both live peacefully and enjoyably. It honestly makes life so much easier when you have a calm, relaxed and fulfilled furry friend.
Peony C. · 2024
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Reading body language
Diona really took the time to understand Koko and me, tailoring the training to fit our needs. I've learned so much about reading Koko's body language. She's become much more relaxed outdoors, and we've built a stronger bond through the process.
Antoinette B. · 2025
240+ five-star reviews of Diona's practice as Diona The Trainer. Read more reviews