Our training
is done privately, in your home. We work with you, your family and
your dog. The advice of many trainers is that only one person
should "handle" the dog during the training period, I disagree. Most
households have more than one person living in them and we believe that
it is important that your dog know and understand it's position within
it's pack; this can not be accomplished if the pack is not involved, and
it does little good if the dog responds to only one of the household members
especially if there are children in the home or that one person happens
to be away. It is important that your dog understand exactly where it
stands with everyone in the house. This is one reason we do not hold group
classes for Level I training of companion dogs. As the dog progresses
with obedience we then expose him to more distractions in and around the
home as well as in public, making for a well rounded and balanced dog. In
working with families we often encounter concerns regarding aggression
towards children, this issue is
addressed with
the dog and the children both as most children who are bitten are bitten
by the dogs they live with. We work to accommodate the families schedule
when arranging our meetings just as the dog will learn it's place in the
families schedule. Time and effort are a factor and owners should be prepared
for this before beginning any training. Consistency is imperative!
Dogs by
nature look for leadership within their pack and if they do not receive
it they will step up to the plate. In pack living someone must
be in charge of decision
making for the pack to be successful. The pack leader is responsible
for keeping the pack safe and fed, this is your job and
best not left up to your dog. With the knowledge and power of proper
communication it may be one of the most rewarding positions you will ever
hold! The benefits to both you and your dog are boundless.
Collars and leashes: there are just enough collar types
to make a person crazy and enough trainers out there to help make you
crazy siting the reasons for their own personal choices. My opinion
is that it doesn't matter. In the real world most of the problems people
have with their dogs occur when the dog is not on a leash. We prefer
to have control of our dogs psychologically and not physically. That
is not to say that a dog does not need to know the proper way to walk
on a leash as most public places require so, it is that we do not control
our dogs with a leash. I see many dogs in public and on leashes that are
still completely out of the owners control. I see more people
than I'd like to being drug around by a dog on a pinch collar, stating
that it's the only way they can walk the dog at all. There are, at times a legitimate need
for a particular type of collar, for a short period of time to get the
desired results, but a dog or a trainer that requires the use of a pinch or choke collar at all times
is being taught and teaching little more than pain for consequences. Frankly
I'm not convinced it works.
There is nothing more frustrating
than seeing a dog with it's back to it's owner ignoring
him or her as it is hollered at to "come", or worse chased down
the street. This is no way to live for you or your dog. The better trained the dog the
more freedoms it can be allowed.
We believe
that a dog with direction, leadership, respect and love is a happy
dog, and our goal is to make as many dogs happy as possible. If you
want a happy, balanced companion we can help you accomplish this.
"I pray that gentle
hands may guide my feet; I ask for kind commands from voices sweet;
At night a stable warm with scented hay, Where, safe from every
harm, I'll sleep till day."
-Anonymous
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