WHAT IS BALANCED TRAINING?

Balanced training is training a dog with both ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ While we reward the dog for good behavior, we also teach the dog ‘no’ for undesired behaviors such as biting, jumping on people, counter-surfing, & fence jumping. When we got good grades in school our parents would reward us, but if we got bad grades we lost certain privileges. Same goes for dogs. We want our dogs to be an enjoyable part of the family, not a headache.

Is teaching my dog obedience all he/she really needs?

Not at all. We not only focus on training the 5 main commands (sit, down, come, place & heel) but we also work on the dog’s overall state of mind. We want our dogs to be able to be calm and just chill out as opposed to always being on the go or anxious.

Why does my dog need to be crate trained in order to come to training?

All dogs need to be crate trained before they arrive for their board & train for reasons of safety, structure and sanity. Read more about why crate training is necessary here.

Note: crate training is not required for private lessons.

MY DOG SLEEPS IN MY BED; WHERE WILL HE SLEEP DURING TRAINING?

All dogs sleep in a crate. This is first and foremost for safety reasons—there is no way for me to monitor the dogs while I’m sleeping! But the crate is also beneficial for your dog’s state of mind, which helps with our overall training progress. Keep in mind dogs here aren’t freaking out in the crate—all dogs are taught to relax in the crate.

WHAT TRAINING TOOLS DO YOU USE?

Not every dog will need every tool but we like to have a large tool box so that we can customize each dog’s training to suit their needs. There is no cookie cutter way to train! The tools we may use include:

• Slip lead
• E-Collar (low level remote collar from E-Collar Technologies)
• Prong Collar
• Food
• Toys
• Long leash
• Standard 6-ft leash
• Crate
• Treadmill
• Flat buckle collar
• Place cots
• Baskerville Muzzle
• Body language
• Praise

WHY DO YOU USE PRONG COLLARS? DON’T THEY HURT?!

Prong collars are NOT designed to not hurt dogs! The proper use of a prong collar includes a gentle introduction via a technique referred to as “pressure and release.” This is NOT the same thing as “Do what I say or I’ll hurt you!”—not even close!!! I calmly and patiently teach dogs how to turn the pressure off by responding to me. You’d be surprised how subtle the process is.

WHY DO YOU USE E-COLLARS? DON’T THEY ELECTROCUTE DOGS?!

E-collars have come a long way from what they once were. I only use high quality e-collars made by E-Collar Technologies. These e-collars use a technology similar to a TENS unit that’s used on humans in physical therapy. The modern e-collar training approach I follow utilizes a gentle pressure and release technique that, when fully trained, becomes a consistent and reliable language between dog and owner.

WILL THE E-COLLAR AND PRONG COLLAR MAKE MY DOG AGGRESSIVE?

No, definitely not! This is a common and very unfortunate myth about these training tools. These tools are just as safe as any other training aid, especially when introduced and used properly (and we only use them properly!).

IS THIS FEAR-BASED TRAINING LIKE I’VE SEEN ON TV?

Not at all! There are actually LOTS of rewards used in balanced training, and overall our goal is to develop a positive relationship of respect and trust. This is not “dominance training” where the dog is so intimidated that he cooperates.

WILL MY DOG GET ANY PLAYTIME DURING TRAINING?

Yes, dogs do get playtime while in training! I encourage a balance between work and play and I have a large backyard for the dogs to enjoy.

WHY DO YOU USE A MUZZLE?

If a dog has a bite history, a muzzle may be used in the beginning of training for everyone’s safety. I use Baskerville muzzles which still allow dogs to eat, drink, and pant while wearing them.

It’s also worth noting that when a dog is properly and fully muzzle trained, wearing the Baskerville muzzle is not a stressful experience. If your dog has a bite history I will likely send you instructions on how to begin muzzle training in advance, that way it’s not as stressful when he arrives.

WHAT BREEDS DO YOU ACCEPT?

All breeds are accepted!

HOW OLD/YOUNG DOES MY DOG HAVE TO BE TO BEGIN TRAINING?

We train puppies, seniors, and every age in between. We acccept dogs as young as 6 months old.

WHAT ARE THE ALUMNI BENEFITS?

All dogs who graduate from my program are eligible for “alumni benefits.” These benefits include unlimited email support for the life of your dog and free weekly alumni-only pack walks.

DO YOU OFFER A GUARANTEE?

I do not offer a guarantee. When we buy a car, we have to do maintenance to keep the car running as smoothly and safely as possible. Dog training is very much the same. There is a lot of “maintenance” we need to do to keep our dog from sliding back into old habits. I can’t control what happens when the dog leaves my program so I do not offer a guarantee, but I do offer lifetime email support to help you through any challenges.

MAY I VISIT DURING THE BOARD & TRAIN?

While I understand that you will miss your dog, I find visits to be counterproductive. Lessons, however, are very helpful for both ends of the leash! While your dog is here for the board & train, you will see them about once a week for your private lessons. There are no other visits beyond that.