Training your dog is not optional if you want to have a happy and mutually beneficial partnership. Training, which looks different for every dog and human team, creates a line of communication that both you and your dog can utilize to convey to one another, what your needs are in any given moment.

Yes!! Your dog learns to talk to you too!! It is your job to listen to them just as much as it is their job to listen to you. The only difference is that they will not feed you treats when you do something right. They will use the tools at their disposal. Such as eye contact, proximity to a desired object or location, whining, darting eyes, etc... to convey their wishes to you. So, pay attention! You’re a team!! There are a few vital skills both of you must master to ensure a happy and healthy coexistence and a reliable safety line which will be critical in real world situations.

Those are as follows:

● Sit – Is alternative behavior*. For instance, a dog cannot jump up on a guest if sitting down at your side, at your request.

● Down - An alternative behavior*

● Stay – Must stay put when commanded. (Critical to ensuring safety. This eliminates potential danger if they were to move.)

● Focus - Look into my eyes. This is more of an acknowledgment behavior than anything else - a routine habit of checking in with you before taking any action.

● Heel - Come stand beside my leg and do not break this position until you hear the release cue. (Vital to ensuring his safety and avoiding dangerous encounters)

● Come - Come back to me (all the way) when I call. This is not a heel. (Directly by your leg) He/she only needs to return to you.

● Wait - Stopping their motion forward once your movement has stopped. (optional but useful)

● NO - While it’s used as a correction at first, it becomes a basic command - stop the undesired behavior.

Additional Alternative* tips:

Kiss Command - This is a great redirection for nipping. You could also ask them to “kiss” instead of bite if you worked on this behavior. This skill involves teaching your dog to lick you on command instead of using teeth to create a new fashion trend on your pants legs. You can’t bite down and lick simultaneously. Create healthy habits long before the bad habits can rear their head. Set them up to succeed.

Alternative Behaviors* - An alternative behavior is any behavior that a dog cannot perform at the same time as another. For example, a dog cannot jump up on a guest when sitting down at your side, at your request. By the same token, your dog cannot use their mouth if it has a toy in it, and also cannot get worked up enough to want to nip a stranger if sitting calmly at your side.

Basic Obedience Training

Each dog has a different personality and is at various stages in training, so a one size fits all approach to basic obedience is not effective. I will work one on one with you and your dog to establish a good foundation to enforce basic obedience skills.

Please give me a call for pricing information. Since I offer so many tools and various options, it’s better to discuss exactly what is needed to ensure we cover a well balanced approach to you and your dog’s training needs.

In addition, I also touch upon proper diet and nutrition to holistically cover the wellness of your new family member.