• New Adoption Educational Consult
• Initial Consultation (a prerequisite to training classes)
• Single Sessions
• Packages
• Basic Manners
• Basic Obedience
• Behavioral
• Shy/Fearful Dogs
• “Jump Start” Training
• Members Only
• Training Myths

Once you decide to take the plunge and get a dog, you face lots of decisions and questions. In other words, now what? Puppy or adult? Pedigree or mixed breed? How about dog-proofing the house? And what does all this cost? An adoption consult can be a terrific starting place in your search and education.  This 1 ½ – 2-hour session covers the A – Z’s of finding the right dog and shows you the steps to take in welcoming a new dog into your family.

During this 90-minute consultation I do a “meet and greet” with you and your dog to evaluate and assess the best training approach. I take a comprehensive history of your pet, learn about your home and family dynamics and find out about your training needs. We discuss realistic and achievable goals and then establish a mutually agreeable training schedule.

I offer hourly appointments for dogs with minor training issues and those that don’t need intensive work.

I provide flexible and personalized one-on-one training and coaching sessions in your home, the dog park - whatever environment is relevant to your specific needs. I offer customized packages of 4, 8, and 16 one-hour sessions, designed to meet your individual goals. Training is tailored to your needs and the dog’s capabilities. Sessions are by appointment only. Packages are good for 6 months after purchase.

Puppies

• Socialization
• Obedience
• Basic Manners

Socialization is a top priority for puppies and a great way for them to learn that the world’s people, dogs, smells, and sounds are fun and exciting. We’ll cover basic manners and obedience – bite inhibition, housetraining, polite greetings and more. Getting a running start on puppy training sets up a lifelong loving bond and paves the way for a confident and well-behaved adult dog.

Adolescents (6 months – 2 years)

• Obedience
• Behavior Modification

Maybe you missed the puppy phase of training or your dog needs a refresher course in good manners and obedience. We’ll work on whatever behaviors you want to change - barking, jumping up, resource guarding - and incorporate obedience training as well.
 
Adults (3 years and older)

You can teach an old dog new tricks and manners as well. Do you have a newly adopted rescue that needs to learn the rules of the home? Or is it finally time for your dog to change some of her longtime habits? We’ll work at the dog’s own pace as we move towards realistic goals and have fun along the way.

Puppies

Obedience training is an effective way to communicate leadership to your puppy. Sit, down, stay, heel, and leave it – your puppy wants to know what’s expected of him. We can teach tricks too, like high-five, play dead, freeze or “red light, green light.” Tricks add fun to training and are a great way to manage behavior. The possibilities are as wide as your imagination.

Adolescent to Adult

There is no upper age limit when it comes to training. Dogs of all ages respond to a kind and firm leader and working together builds on and cements the human-dog relationship. We can address the basics, along with some advanced stuff thrown in, like longer stays or off-leash recall. This training focuses on human and dog education.

Behavior problems run the gamut – leash-pulling, marking, counter surfing, garbage raiding - the list seems endless. I combine obedience training and counter conditioning to change undesirable behaviors. My philosophy on behavior modification is to train what you can and manage what you cannot train. I teach effective management techniques specific to each client’s case. I bring humor and patience – essential tools of the trade – to every training session.

The world can be a scary place for fearful, shy or reactive dogs. Some dogs cower or hide, while others bark or snap – fear-based behaviors that can be mistaken for true aggression. The idea here is to develop a plan for the dog’s recovery. I help clients understand their dog’s fearful behavior and give them skills to teach their pet new and positive responses to challenging situations. I let the dog set the pace, which builds confidence and makes training more enjoyable for everyone. I want these dogs to learn that people are fun and that the world is OK.

We can also address certain situations, like a dog that dreads veterinarian visits or going to the groomer. Let me know your specific concerns.

A great approach and a real time saver for busy or inexperienced dog owners. At the initial consult we determine the dog’s pace and ability and establish realistic training goals. Then I take over the dog’s training.  This “jump start” method minimizes stress for the owner and dog and speeds up the training process. Training takes place at the client’s home and in the neighborhood. Clients may observe but training can be done in their absence as well. The dog and I train independently for 3 sessions, which is followed by an owner educational session. At this session clients become active participants in the training methods, learning how to work with their dog. I firmly believe that owners need to be directly involved in the training. Clients are expected to keep up training during their own practice sessions. There is a scheduled follow-up session to ensure that training is continuing in the right direction.

“Jump Start” Training options (not including the initial consult):

The 9-session package
This consists of 6 training sessions, 2 owner educational sessions and 1 post-training follow-up. The client and I agree on a set of behaviors to be worked on during the allotted time. I train for 3 sessions with the dog and the 4th meeting is the owner educational session. The dog and I resume our work for 3 more sessions, followed again by an owner educational session. Two weeks later we check in during a follow-up session to monitor how the training is going.

The 14-session package
There will be a total of 9 training sessions, 3 owner educational sessions and 2 post-training follow-ups. The sequence is the same as the 9-session package with an additional round of training, owner education and follow-up.

(Available to past and present clients only)

Pet Sitting and Reinforcement
Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your pets and your house are safe and well looked after while you’re gone.  I will provide home and pet care by staying overnight in your home. Pets can keep to their established routine in their familiar environment with a trainer they trust. I’ll follow your dog’s exercise and feeding schedule, as well as reinforce all trained behaviors. Your dog will enjoy one-on-one attention while maintaining its training. No backsliding after all the previous work! I’ll take care of things around the house too – bringing in the mail and newspaper, watering the plants and tending to other animals. It’s TLC for your pets and home.

“Jump Start” Pet Sitting
This service provides the benefits of pet sitting (above) plus “jump start” training. I’ll take care of your home and pet care responsibilities while you’re away, and in addition, train your dog on new behaviors. Before you leave we’ll agree on what additional training can be accomplished and set realistic goals. When you get back we’ll have a pre-scheduled owner educational session so you can learn how to keep up your dog’s new training.

Please select the headline for more information about commonly-held myths relating to canine training.