OVER 1000 DOGS TRAINED!

TRAINING METHODS

BALANCED TRAINING

We have worked with and around dozens of trainers across the country over the last decade and we can say without a doubt that balanced training, using both corrections and rewards, yields the best training results. It is our belief that training is customizable for each dog because each dog falls somewhere on the training spectrum. Some dogs do incredibly well with focus on rewards with no corrections, a rarity to be sure. However, most do great with a focus on rewards and corrections when appropriate. At the end of the day, every animals’ behavior is shaped by its positive and negative experiences. These experiences make up the reward and corrective history which in turn plays a major role in the decision making of that animal . That is why balanced training works for every dog!

REWARDS

We believe in the power of the treat! One of the most important ingredients for successful training is an animal’s motivation to work. However, not all dogs come to training ready and willing to work at the start. That is why it is the trainers job to find that dog’s individual motivations and utilize them to create a happy, harmonious training relationship. There’s nothing worse than seeing a trained dog that looks miserable following through on their obedience commands. That is why we put such an emphasis on the teaching phase of training! We want our training canines to be excited to work and we want the dogs relationship with their owner to grow stronger.

CORRECTIONS

Punishment…oh the dreaded word in dog training. Corrections or punishment, when used appropriately, can help a dog understand their expectations and their environment better. Imagine a world where negative feedback didn’t exist. It would be absolute chaos! The same goes for our dogs; a dog without clear boundaries or corrections for known bad behavior will create chaos. It is our belief corrections are a normal part of the learning process. Once a dog proves that they understand a boundary or rule, then it is appropriate to maintain that boundary through rewards AND corrections. To make this clear: it is crucial that the dog understands the expectation BEFORE corrections come into the training. When used appropriately and in a neutral manner, corrections can help a dog advance their obedience, improve their understanding of their environment/expectations and strengthen their relationship with their owner.