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 typically focus on training the 5 main commands (sit, down, come, place & heel) but more importantly, we focus on teaching YOU how to work together with your dog, how to communicate with your dog, and how to set your dog up for success. It's this kind of dog-owner partnership that gets the best long term results!

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
• 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.

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 training begins.

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.

WHo can come to your pack walks?

I offer free weekly alumni-only pack walks. That means your dog needs to have graduated from one of my dog training programs or classes to be eligible to attend. Owners accompany their dogs to pack walks and get to practice their skills with some support from me and from other alumni.

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 after your dog graduates from training so I do not offer a guarantee, but I do offer lifetime email support to help you through any challenges.