Learn more about what we do and why.
It’s no secret that every single dog trainer is different, so finding one that is the right fit for you is extremely important. Your needs are very individual, which means that not every approach might get you to the end goal that you are envisioning.
Our training approach is based off of a few very fundamental ideas, but is always evolving and providing flexibility to help you see results.
Other dog trainers are not our competition. They are our colleagues, and we all have so much to learn from each other. That’s why networking, further education in our field, and innovation are all priorities.
We use a variety of training methods and techniques to help you and your dog. While we put a lot of focus into motivating your dog, and relaxation techniques to help them feel great, we will also help you to implement fair consequences to help them choose better behaviors in the future.
Focus
It’s extremely important to foster the desire for focus in our dogs.
The meaning of “focus” can vary, depending on who you talk to.
For us, it doesn’t mean that your dog should completely ignore the world around them and only have eyes for you.
It does mean that we strive to build DESIRE for your dog to choose to focus on you when necessary.
To build habits of them looking to you for support or instruction.
We want your dogs to focus on you when it matters, but we don’t want them to completely miss out on exploration of their environment.
Equally, we want you to focus on your dog, but to not have to have your eyes glued to them constantly to know that they aren’t creating some sort of disaster in your kitchen.
We want you to be able to put the work in now, so that your focus can be on having a good time with your dog. Not playing damage control and focusing in the worry of what they might do next.
With focus applied in the right areas… comes freedom.
Fun
If your dog isn’t having fun… then you probably aren’t either.
Not all of training is fun all the time. Sometimes we have to work through some really hard stuff and climb some really steep mountains to find what we are looking for.
Having fun is important on both ends of the spectrum though. Your dog will perform better if they believe they can succeed.
A really awesome thing can happen when fun, play, and success are mixed together in training to build confidence and enthusiasm in your dog!
YOU will look at training and time with your dog as less of a chore and more of a fun activity. Especially when you find half of your homework being “play with your dog”.
It is extremely important to us that we are being fair to you as a student, and to your dog. By being fun, and making sure that you are both set up for success.
After all, a student that is always scolded and never recognized for their hard work tend to stop working as hard.
We don’t want your dog to stop working hard for you. And we don’t want you to stop working hard for your goals, whatever they may be.
Zen
Relaxation is often a foundation for much of what we do.
Many dogs are not FEELING well. They act in horrible ways because their brains are feeling all sorts of stressed, anxious, afraid, and unsure.
The best student is one that feels well. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to let them run wild and practice bad habits all the time just because they’re not in their best mental place.
It just means that robotic obedience commands are usually at a much lower priority than the mental health of your dog.
Have you ever met one of those dogs that are just “good”? They walk up and greet people politely, without having to be told to do so.
They stick near their owners while they go to get the mail, and they don’t need to be on a leash!
They’re just… GOOD dogs!
Good behavior doesn’t always come from teaching a traditional sit, down, stay, heel.
Those things can be nice, and super fun to teach, but our goal is to teach your dog to feel mentally well, and to make good choices without NEEDING an obedience command to do it.