Dog Training

Call now and begin your in home dog training program customized for your dog’s temperament, age, and environment. Call (310) 500-9156

  • Potty training a puppy: the three things most helpful.

    A frequent obstacle to house training a dog or puppy is being fed too much food. Young dogs under five months are house trained sooner when frequently fed small amounts, rather than two or three large meals. One way to determine the proper amount of food is to have one bowel movement for each meal. I will evaluate the daily ration, the feeding frequency, the type of food and make appropriate recommendations.

    The keys to effective house training a puppy are:

    • Effective rewards (treats the dogs likes,) giving the reward at the right time, and a separate potty area the dog can get to easily.
    • So your puppy will associate his treat with the location (not you), leave the rewards in a container in the location ahead of time. Go with your puppy to the potty area. Wait for your pup to finish going potty; then silently (actions speak louder than words,), give him a treat.
    • To train your puppy walk to the desired location, place the water bowl near the area, or adjacent to the door that leads outside the house to the established toilet area.
    • Design a situation so that the pup does not have to make a lot of turns to get from the feeding and watering area to the toilet area.
    • Following eating or drinking, after sleeping, chewing or focused sniffing the floor, encourage your pup to follow you to the potty location. You can encourage your pup to search for the “perfect spot” in the potty area, by dropping a “bread-crumb” trail of treats in a semi-circle along the edge of the designated location. This will cause him to sniff and walk in a circle, which is what puppies do before they eliminate.

  • Separation Anxiety Disorder Help: where to start…

    Behaviorists now agree “separation anxiety disorder” is a result of a dog’s inability to tolerate being separated from its owner. Behaviorists now advocate a multi-pronged approach. Nicholas Dodman, DVM, in
    The Well Adjusted Dog, Houghton Mifflin, 1998, p. 127, looks to see if a dog exhibits four out of nine signs of separation anxiety to confirm a diagnosis. Patricia McConnell in I’ll Be Home Soon and, more recently, Nicole Wilde in Don’t Leave Me, address this issue. An effective program involves selecting appropriate elements for each particular case by working with qualified behaviorist to help organize a plan to teach your dog to wait patiently for your return.

    Contrary to common practice, only leave the radio or television on if you use it as background when you’re home. If you turn it on just before departing, it becomes a signal that you are getting ready to go.

    Strengthen your pup’s association with its bed: divide your pup’s kibble into ten portions and place one portion on his bed or mat throughout the day.

    Call to make an appointment to create a plan for your dog. Additional support and follow up provided free of charge by phone as necessary.

  • Dog Obedience for the urban dog…

    1st. Training Session

    • Respond to Name
    • Sit
    • Touch
    • Mouthing solutions

    2nd. Training Session

    • Sit for greeting.
    • Wait at the door
    • Down and stay.
    • Come and sit for each family member.
    • Settle down on bed.

    3rd Session

    • Down.
    • How to create a visual block to minimize distractions.
    • Pay attention when asked.
    • Walking without pulling on leash.

    These ninety minute in home dog training sessions scheduled at your convenience.