Training: Our Style

Following is a description of our training style.

1. We believe in teaching dogs through praise, not fear. The majority of dogs want to please us; they just have to be taught how.
2. Setting boundaries and keeping them clear is extremely important. Like a child who has a clear cut idea of what they can and cannot do, setting boundaries helps them to gain confidence and follow the rules set up in the household. Did you ever know a spoiled child? If you have you know they can cause major problems and be very unhappy. Dogs are no different. We must be loving but also have consistent rules otherwise we end up with a spoiled dog.
3. We believe in training in baby steps. What that basically means is that in slowly progressing through a step-by-step process the dog can and does learn by praise because they are praised throughout the training. Further, with this in mind we minimize the amount of corrections thus making it a fun, happy experience instead of a negative one. It takes longer but is well worth the extra effort!
4. We customize each and every training to fit your lifestyle, your pets personality and your needs and wants long term. For example; if you are single, living in an apartment with a Yorkshire terrier we may decide to forgo teaching your dog to heel, because you may not find it necessary. Although we may decide that we need to work on housebreaking issues and excessive barking because you live in an apartment. Or maybe you are a family with 4 kids all under the age of 12. You adopted a Golden Retriever puppy that is terrorizing the three-year-old. So then we may concentrate on establishing the pecking order in the house and work strongly on basic obedience. Those are just two of the hundreds of scenarios we encounter.
5. We educate you completely on why dogs do what they do, how they interact with humans, other dogs and pets and also how dogs view the world. Why do we teach you this? Well, it's like learning a different language. Once we understand their language we can then better communicate with them. Thus having a happier home.
6. We do not use pinch/prong collars or choke collars. We consider them inhumane and unnecessary. There are many other options that work much better without making it a negative experience for the dog.
7. We use the crate training method for housebreaking. We believe it is the most logical and humane choice. There are some cases where that may not apply. As always we determine that when we meet.
8. We will never hit or hang your dog. We are completely against those types of training methods and will not work with people who abuse their dog(s).

Okay, you like our style of training. Now what do you do?

Well, call our office at (847) 816-4744 and schedule a time for an orientation. At the orientation we will get to know your dogs personality, your lifestyle and find out what you want to accomplish in training. We will also go over some general information about how dogs communicate and tackle some behavior problems. We will write down your personalized homework and leave it with you for you to work on. We then talk about whether or not you want more sessions.

How long is each session?

Each session is between one and a half hours the first time. If I come back usually an hour.

What is the cost?

We charge $95.00 for the first hour and a half session and after it's $85.00 each time.

What area do we service?

Typically we will travel up to 25 minutes from our office in Libertyville. If you live farther we may or may not be able to accommodate you. If we can we would have to charge extra for the distance.

I've thought of sending my dog away for training. Can you tell me what the pros and cons are of doing this?

The positive aspect of sending your dog away is probably the reason you thought of it, much less work for you! The idea is that you send your dog away - an unruly, untrained, not housebroken pooch and he comes home a well-adjusted, perfect dog. Well, not as true as you may think. Think about it. Someone else is training your dog outside of its home environment. That means you still need to be trained when the dog gets home and even then since you are so new at it your dog will know it, there is no way he will be as good for you as he is for the seasoned trainer that originally trained him. Secondly, your dog will act differently at your home than at the training facility. It's like sending your child off to a friend or relatives house. Isn't it true they normally behave better away from home for someone else? Lastly, your dog will be left in a kennel environment that can cause him additional stress.

I can't decide between a group training class and in-home training class. What are the pros and cons?

Group classes are less expensive than in-home training. They also provide instant socialization. One-on-one classes are customized for you and your pet. You have the trainer's undivided attention. They come to your home, which is both more convenient for you and tackles issues that pertain to your home environment.

Well then how would I socialize my dog if you come to my home?

Each week we give you homework. Part of that homework is giving you ideas of where you can socialize your dog and telling you how many times that week you must take them somewhere to socialize them.