FAQ

  • How Soon Can I Start Training My Dog?

    Start training to bring out the best in your puppy or rescued dog the day it comes home.

    Now that you have your new family member home, it is important to ask what you want training to accomplish:

    1. Define your long term goals for this pet. This is important, as long term goals set which training activities
      to start with. Give your goals a time frame, such as when I am at the dog park two months from now, my dog will come to me when I call it. Or, in two weeks, my dog will sit calmly while I attach his leash, and remain sitting until I have the door open, and say “let’s go for a walk.”
    2. Set medium term goals next. These act as building blocks, the smaller behaviors that are required to accomplish the larger goal. In the example
      above, a short term goal might be: my dog will sit as soon as he hears the cue in three different places, and even when mildly excited.
    3. Finally, set short term goals; your training starts with these. Using the above long term goal, a short term goal might be: I will practice
      five minutes at a time three times a day, for three days. Each practice session will have 60 repetitions. Short term goals can be anything you
      want them be, but they should small, definite, steps toward your desired end result behavior.

    That’s why I try to make myself available to new owners the same day the dog arrives home. Setting realistic expectations, and
    demonstrating appropriate techniques in the beginning saves time, builds trust and creates confidence in your pet.

  • What is the advantage of private training?

    What is advantage of private training?

    In home training allows me to share relevant dog training tips and techniques I’ve learned over the past 27 years.

    Here are few training tips that are easily missed in the beginning.

    • Training tip #1: Dogs learn hand signals more easily than words. Your dog will learn faster if you say the word while keeping your body very still, THEN, move your hand or arm, so he doesn’t have to watch and listen to you.
    • Training tip #2: When using a clicker, it is very important that the word or hand signal is given first, then you click when your dog is in position, then give the treat.
    • Training tip #3: Each meal can be a quick training moment. Feed a piece of kibble from your hand for Sit, Down and then back up to Sit again. It is sophisticated training to alternate teaching two cues in the same session. After 15 times, place the remaining food on the floor.
    • Here’s a fun exercise. For a week, only use sign language with your dog. See how many hours or days you can go with a vow of silence, and what you change as a result of not using your voice.
    • When you do use your voice; sometimes speak very softly, sometimes normally. Note how the speaking softly changes your behavior and your dog’s.

    Dog training is a physical skill, very much like learning to dance, play tennis or golf, and takes concentration and practice. It is simple, but its not easy.

  • What training methods do you use?

    I am committed to positive reinforcement. Reinforcement is a basic process in nature, and discovering how the reinforcement process works as to your dog, is one way to understand why he does what he does.

    As you train your dog, you will discover how to read his body language and understand his emotions; and in return, your dog will fine-tune his responses to you. Your dog will look to you for pleasurable interaction. You will enjoy it, too. Through training, his confidence grows, and over time, your relationship becomes deeper and richer.