Our Method
Relationship Based
Your dog is a part of your family, and as such, deserves for you to treat him like a teammate in your training journey. Our relationship based training methods allow our dogs to work with us, instead of for us. Our goal is not to simply put behaviors on cue, but to create a shared vocabulary between dog and owner so dialogue can flow in both directions!
Confidence Building
We use a slow and methodical training method, that breaks each skill into small steps to set the dog up for success. Once dogs have good understanding of the concepts we are teaching, we can use those concepts to reassure dogs in new situations, set realistic and obtainable expectations of them, and create an intrinsic motivation to continue learning.
Emotional Self-Control
One of the most important lessons for any dog to learn is how to say no. A dog that can’t say no to temptation is one that jumps, barks, lunges, runs away, steals food off the kitchen counter, pulls on the leash, bites, etc. Our basic obedience lessons are designed to teach the dog to not only resist temptation on their own, but also to look towards you (the owner) for direction. This lesson is so important, it starts on the very first week of training.
Responsibility
The thing that distinguishes our methods from the rest is the transfer of responsibility. We put lots of time and effort into the beginning stages of the training process so we can be sure later on that the dog understands the task at hand. When the dog has had sufficient practice and demonstrates understanding, consequences for lack of performance can be applied using cues that have been established earlier in the training. Corrections should provide information – what was done wrong, and how to fix it. Our method does this in a fair and practical way that minimizes stress for the dog.