How does virtual training work?

Virtual training is a great option. All you need is a computer or cell phone with a camera and internet to access zoom. It’s super easy. You will receive an automatic email with a link to your zoom session upon booking your sessions or group classes. The trainer will use their own dog for demonstrations and check your work with your dog through the camera to help coach you. Our private in-person training sessions are based in coaching you how to train your dog so training virtually isn't very different than training in-person.

What training methods do you use?

YES! Dog training uses marker training that is reward and science based. We do not use any corrections that are physical or scary to the dog. We recommend all dogs regardless of age, breed, or behavioral issue be walked and trained wearing a flat collar or harness.

What is marker training?

Dogs live in the now. If we want them to make an association between a behavior and a reward or consequence, we have about 1.5 seconds to make that happen. Marker training is a method of communication that allows for this to happen while minimizing potential confusion or frustration, making training easier and more effective. A marker is a consistent word or sound such as a click from a clicker or the word "yes" that identifies the exact moment the dog did what you wanted and is always paired with a reward to teach the dog good things will follow.

Does reward based training cause weight problems in dogs?

No. Not if done correctly. Food and treats are one way to reward a dog, but you can use anything the dog finds valuable enough to work for as a reward including play. We teach clients how to find naturally occurring rewards when possible. And when using food or treats as a reward, it is advised to count these calories against their mealtime food intake. We do not recommend free feeding (keeping food down all the time) and encourage clients to use a feeding schedule. Also, our Intermediate and advanced training includes teaching clients how to work towards getting more behaviors or prolonging behaviors from their dog before rewarding.

Will I always need treats on me for my dog to listen?

No. Rewarding your dog will never stop and we assume you like to give your dog something good from time to time anyways. There are a few things to understand about good dog training. Rewards don’t have to always be in the form of food or treats, they just need to be valuable enough to your dog that they will work for them and we will help you identify what things your dog finds valuable, we train in a way that builds on the amount of behaviors and length of behaviors your dog can perform before being rewarded especially in intermediate and advanced basics, and we do so in a way that quickly teaches your dog the reward doesn’t have to be in sight to mean it’s coming. Any behavior at any given time by any living organism is aimed at getting closer to something desirable or away from something undesirable. In other words, your dog won’t meet your request just because… (fill in the blank).

Does reward based training mean the dog can do whatever they want, what happens when they do something undesirable?

We believe in healthy and safe boundaries for everyone. No, we do not let dogs do whatever they want. Alongside training, we also teach our clients good management skills. Besides safety, we may also want to look at whether an undesirable behavior is being rewarded by the act itself, the environment, or maybe the owner unbeknownst to them, in which case we will use management to prevent that behavior from strengthening while we go through training to teach the dog what behavior we do want or address the emotion driving the behavior. Consequences to an undesirable behavior in our training methods look like withholding or removing something desirable to the dog if used at all. And stress levels are always monitored to insure we are not putting the dog in an emotional state that is no longer conducive to learning. We do the best we can to set dogs up for success during training and failures are not a big deal, they are part of learning. We do NOT use consequences or corrections that are physical or scary to the dog.

What age is best for my puppy to start training?

Your puppy's training starts the moment you bring them home because habits begin to form immediately. The most important part of a puppy's early training is socialization. How a puppy is socialized will have a profound and long-lasting effect on how they perceive the world and their level of confidence. Genetics also plays a part in your dog's personality, but you can stack the odds in your dog's favor with good socialization. Effective socialization goes way beyond puppy meeting a few people and dogs. Socialization is your puppy's first introduction to anything new to them including their veterinarian, handling, groomer, grooming tools, traffic, skateboards, bikes, shopping carts, other types of animals, and much more. And because dogs do not generalize well, this needs to include variety, especially with people, such as hats, sunglasses, mustaches, uniforms, age groups, and so on. We recommend you start puppy off in our puppy training as early as 8 weeks old so we can guide you through socialization while teaching you how to handle everything puppy related like potty, crate, nipping, jumping, and setting a good foundation for training the basics. The critical stage for socialization is before 3-4 months old so an early start is ideal. We do keep safety in mind during socialization since most puppies will not yet be fully vaccinated when starting puppy training. Our puppy sessions are private one-on-one in your home sessions. You can learn more about early socialization by reading the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s Position Statement.

Why do some dogs need muzzle training?

Muzzles are such a helpful tool! Only some of our behavior modification clients will have to go through muzzle training, but we think all dogs should go through muzzle training. Anyone’s dog may need to wear a muzzle to prevent biting in the unfortunate event there is an emergency and your dog is in pain while receiving veterinarian care. And we wouldn’t want to make the situation scarier to your dog because it’s the first and only time they have ever used a muzzle. Muzzles can be used to prevent dogs that like to eat things they shouldn’t from hurting themselves while going through training. They can also bring peace of mind to owners while working with a dog that has a bite history. Being stressed or nervous about potential bites during training is not going to help an aggressive or fearful dog be calm and confident. And some dogs may be at risk of rehoming or euthanasia for biting so why risk it? We want them to succeed! Some people may worry how they are perceived but we hope this changes with awareness. In a lot of cases, it’s a bonus if your dog wearing a muzzle prevents others from approaching to closely while you're trying to focus on training. Because we don’t want the dog distracted by the sensation of wearing a muzzle during training, and because we are not trying to add more stress to a dog that may already be stressed, it is important to condition a dog to wear a muzzle with positive reinforcement.

Why are some behavior modification cases referred out to meet with a veterinarian behaviorist?

Veterinarians are not required to learn about animal behavior unless they further their education to become a veterinarian behaviorist. Sometimes when dealing with complex behavioral issues such as anxiety or aggression, it is important to work alongside a professional that has the education to assess whether there may be any physical or mental illness causing the undesirable behavior and whether there are any medications that would aide in addressing the issue. Your regular veterinarian would be like a primary doctor, your trainer like a teacher and counselor, and your veterinarian behaviorist like a psychiatrist. You can learn more about this on VCA’s behavior page.