Does your dog have “issues”? Don’t worry! Most dogs have some issues, just like people! What matters is whether you reinforce those behaviors or not. Do you come home after a long day’s work to a chaotic household with the dog barking and jumping all over and tripping you, a pile of feces waiting for you in a most inconvenient place, chewed-up pillows and shredded newspaper all over the house? I sincerely hope you don’t, but if you do, I can help you! What could your new, calm life look like? Your dog will be able to stay out of your way then calmly greet you when you return home, occupy himself when home alone without destroying your prized possessions, stay out of your kitchen while you are cooking, sit politely when visitors come through the door, keep from begging near the dinner table, come inside when called, walk nicely on a leash, and even drop the forbidden cat poop out of his mouth, (if caught in the act!)! Do you see this lovely picture of a calm and orderly home and a calm and polite relationship with your dog? It is all up to you! I will show you how to train your dog according to your personal real life situations, the specific needs for your dog, your family and your lifestyle.

Here are some common Canine Problem Behaviors you may need help with: chewing, digging, barking, nipping, jumping, house training, door dashing, begging, and more. If your dog displays problem behaviors such as these, I can help you resolve them in a positive way. You need not punish your dog. I will teach you to manage or prevent unacceptable behaviors and teach your dog new, appropriate activities to replace the old destructive habits. A daily walk and a good play session will do lots to prevent behavior problems caused by boredom and inactivity. I can help you learn loose-leash walking and show you how to play with your dog safely and with rules.

Your dog has to be motivated to learn new things. When dogs are positively reinforced for good behaviors, they will likely repeat the behaviors. I teach positive reinforcement training techniques such as luring, shaping, capturing, molding and clicker training to teach dogs to respond to cues. Once your dog has successfully learned his cues, and is responding reliably to your communications, I will help you find ways to incorporate these into simple mini-training sessions so that your dog will retain his training and be on his "Best Behavior" throughout his life. Dogs respond well to positive training because they naturally seek out rules and consistency. When they have rules to follow, they are calmer and more confident. When appropriate behaviors are reinforced consistently, dogs know they can trust you and this creates a healthy bond.

Here are some Basic Obedience skills: sit, down, stay, sit-stay, down-stay, come, focus, and loose-leash walking. Your dog knows most of these skills already. He can demonstrate these simple dog skills whenever he wishes, but you want him to respond to your cue at the time when you need it most. In order to achieve this outcome, you must develop clear communication and a respectful relationship with your dog. I will teach you reward-based training, which will naturally help build the necessary trust and consistency needed to enhance your bond with your dog.

Do you know what else enhances your bond with your dog? Fun and games. We don’t have to work strictly on obedience cues. Your dog has a personality all his own and breed instincts to develop or nurture. Training dogs is fun! Finding your dog’s passion is fulfilling for both of you and your dog will love you for it! Each breed has its own breed characteristics and mixed-breeds often have traits of many different breeds. For example, I share my home with Siberian Huskies and they love to pull. They are never happier than when they are in the snow pulling kids on a sled or bikejoring on dry land. Retrievers tend to love to chase balls or swim in the water chasing after sticks. Australian Shepherds frequently love to chase small creatures and herd sheep or ducks. While your dog may or may not conform to the expected breed activities, he may excel at many kinds of dog sports to include: Agility, Treiball, Nosework or Flyball. Once your dog responds well to basic cues, you may wish to participate in various dog sports to do more with your dogs and meet his high activity needs. You say your dog doesn’t have much of a play drive? We can teach him to enjoy play more with reward-based training techniques. I can introduce you to many activities that you can enjoy with your dog that will enrich both of your lives. 

Safety cues: “Drop it!” and “Leave it!” These cues can be vital for the safety of your dogs and are very useful around the house and on walks. “Drop it!” comes in handy when your dog is rooting through the kitty litter box and comes out with a “treat”! “Leave it!” is helpful when you drop a glass jar of salsa on your tile floor and your dog comes charging in to help clean up! These cues will help you manage your dog and keep him safe.

We can work on the basics, add cues as desired, find appropriate games and dog activities that will help resolve your canine’s behavior problems. With this comprehensive approach, you will wonder why you put up with all the stress and inappropriate behaviors for so long!

Once you experience professional dog training suited just for you, your life and your dog’s will be forever enriched!

I want your life with your dog to be happy and calm for you, your dog, and everyone in your household!

I look forward to working with you and your dog. Please call me or e-mail and we will set up a personal training program to solve your specific problems and develop your dog’s "Best Behavior"!