Our programs are designed to create a safe and enjoyable companion. We want every dog that leaves here to be comfortable, confident, safe, happy and responsive. We want you to know that no matter what is going on around you, your dog will listen and stay safe and out of trouble.
Neither program is complicated and that makes it simple for YOU. There’s not a lot to remember, yet you have a brand new, obedient dog that’s a pure joy to be around.
These are remote training collar programs. The collar is included with the program and it’s much like invisible fence collars, except you control it. It is NOT used as punishment. It’s simply an “attention getter,” much like a flick on the ear saying “hey, Fido, you know I called you, now c’mon, let’s go before you get hit by a car”… And that’s the beauty of the remote collar. It provides perfect timing and is easily understood by the dog when it’s TAUGHT PROPERLY — and that’s our job and what we’re so good at. It’s also why your dog won’t be frightened or scared in response to the collar. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite — you have a dog that responds cheerfully and calmly. And, even more importantly, you can let your dog run and play without worrying that it may not come back when you call. That’s what this program is all about — giving you back a dog that you can really enjoy and that can enjoy you, too!
THE GOALS OF OUR OFF LEASH TRAINING PROGRAMS:
1) The Formal Stuff
In our Off Leash Training programs, every dog learns:
- To come when called both on and off leash
- To sit when returning from being called
- Crate Training
- To wait at doors, gates and crates
- Not to jump, mouth or have other bad manners
- To pay attention regardless of distractions
- To enter its kennel and crate on command
- To quiet on command
- To sit patiently for dinner
- To play nicely with other people and dogs
THE OFF LEASH ULTIMATE, dogs also learn:
- To walk both on and off leash by your side
- To sit when you stop
- To overcome more severe behavioral issues like dominance, fear, anxiety, etc.
We will also address your personal situation and lifestyle related to your dog. Things like inconvenient work schedules, small children, limited exercise areas and other issues can affect your dog’s behavior and success with training. However, there are always answers. And we will provide these for you!
2) Peace of Mind
You can rest assured that your dog will be a good, safe companion. You can go to the beach, park or farm and let your dog run and play off leash safely with your supervision. You know that your dog will return when you call it. That one thing will keep your dog safe in almost every situation — running towards traffic, getting into garbage, thinking about chasing a rabbit, heading towards unfamiliar dogs. In all of these potentially dangerous situations, you can call your dog back to you, avoiding injury, illness or other inconvenience.
3) A Calm, Relaxed Dog
Temperament issues can sometimes inhibit a dog’s quality of life and your relationship with your dog. Dogs that are nervous or scared have difficulty in public or meeting new dogs or people. Dogs that are dominant and pushy can be annoying to company or difficult to take for a walk on a leash. Dogs that are just plain wild may jump up and scratch you or wreak havoc on your furniture, carpet and other goodies it destroys in your home. Training doesn’t change your dog’s personality or its love- ability, it simply focuses your dog’s energy into something new — paying attention and being a great companion. Training creates a dog that is more enjoyable because the dog is calm and responsive. And the dog benefits by more positive interaction, having more freedom and enjoying its time with you even more because of the new relationship you have together.
4) Structure, Exercise and Love
Prior to training, your dog may or may not have had any structure in its life. During training, we teach you and your dog simple things that you do every day throughout the day in your interaction with your dog. This structure is simple, takes very little effort, yet is even more effective than formal lessons in maintaining your dog’s training.
Exercise is important in any dog’s life. Not only for health and conditioning, but also for mental and emotional well being. Every dog’s exercise requirement is different. We will assess your dog’s exercise needs and address them during training.
Love… Every dog needs love and attention. But some attention can reinforce bad habits (for example, petting your dog as he’s jumping on you). However, once your dog has completed training, you will notice that attention can usually be given at will because your dog now understands that it gets attention through good behavior.
5) To Teach you how to Maintain the Training
Here’s the deal… We pay someone to cut our hair, change the oil in our cars and clean our teeth. Yes, there are group classes and private lessons out there that will help you train your dog… To SOME degree.
But we want every dog that leaves here to be well-trained and enjoyed FOR YEARS by its family and friends. So many years ago, we discontinued group and private lessons and started offering only boarding training. But you still participate in the training. It’s just that we do all the hard work, the every day training, reacting quickly to the choices your dog makes and helping them learn and understand how to be a great companion.
We have designed these programs to be very simple and easy to follow and maintain. There’s not a lot of fluff. Just a few simple commands and rules for daily interaction. You come out once a week for lessons with your dog. You are welcome to come out and visit more often if you’d like.
HOW OUR TRAINING WORKS
There are two main components to our Training Programs.
The first component is DAILY STRUCTURE. The routine here at our home is probably the reason every dog does well in our training program. Between the play sessions, feeding time, going in and out of the house and kennels, there are dozens of opportunities every day for your dog to learn good behavior.
The second component is FORMAL OBEDIENCE LESSONS — the traditional thing you’d think about with “obedience training”. These lessons are usually 15-30 minutes, depending on the dog and what we’re working on. The actual amount of time and days we train varies with each dog. Some dogs benefit most from more training, some from less. So there’s no cookie cutter answer if you were to ask us “how much time per day will you train my dog?”
The tools we use for the training program are simple. We use polyrope leashes — just like the cheap ones you see at the vet clinic — during our lessons. This allows us to let the leash loose as we walk — this helps later when your dog walks off leash, because it’s used to not feeling any pressure.
We use other dogs and ourselves to teach good manners and play. And we use ourselves and other dogs to help change temperament issues like anxiety and dominance.
We use the remote collar (in the Off Leash programs), carefully and thoughtfully, to gently remind your dog of the commands it knows. This is the key to responding off leash. And typically, after two to three months at home, you will no longer need the collar if you have been consistent and careful in maintaining the training.
