How do I know if my dog needs training?
This is a question only you can answer. However, I will tell you that a well behaved dog makes for a happier dog and an happier dog owner. Your dog wants to please you! Without the proper training your dog will behave as they know how. It is about teaching your dog the rules of your house and what you expect from them. If your dog chews on the furniture or your shoes, jumps all over your guests, barks all the time, and/or you find yourself always yelling at your dog, then there is a very good chance that you will both benefit from my training programs.

How old does a dog need to be before they can be trained?
I start puppies at 10 weeks old so that they are learning good habits the day they come into your home. You can actually start training a puppy before ten weeks old but their bladders do not have the stamina to be successful in the program. If you have an older dog who is used to using the inside of your home as the toilet or runs out an open door and into the street, it’s going to be much harder to teach that dog that their behavior is not acceptable any longer. Where with a puppy they do not have any of these bad habits that need to be broken. By setting up a program with a new puppy I am able to teach the whole family how to deal with this puppy right from the beginning and create good habits for everyone. A destructive dog or an un-housebroken dog can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home. I can also help if you have an older dog. Any age can be trained.

What breed of dog is easier to train?
Any breed can be trained! And there is no breed that I won’t train and there are probably very few breeds that I have not trained in my 25 years of training dogs.

What training methods do you use?
I believe strongly in positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement simply means that we are giving the dog a reward, usually physical and verbal praise, that he/she is working for. Sometimes I use a toy as a motivation factor. My Tricks For Treats program is the only program I use a food reward. Unless a dog has been abused or is completely desocialized and afraid of humans will I not use food as a reward. Dogs are primarily pack animals. What I try to do in our program is establish you and your family members as pack leaders. A leader is not someone who gives bribes for proper responses to commands but rather someone who gives approval. In order to correct behavior problems your dog has to see you as a pack leader. I believe in fair and minimal discipline with lavish of physical and verbal praise to reward your dog. We want the dog to enjoy working for you and following your rules.

Why should I use in-home training instead of kennel or group training?
With kennel training programs you generally do not participate in the program. With group training programs your dog's behavior problems are generally not addressed. Your dog is not going to be in the environment in which they live in with all of the distractions that surround your dog's lifestyle. I feel it is very important for you and your dog to be comfortable in the surroundings in which you are trained. As your dogs owner you will need to know how to properly give the commands and know what to expect from your dog. My training programs will train you and your dog.

How much does in-home training cost?
Each program is custom designed to meet you and your dogs specific needs. In order for me to determine the cost of your custom program I will need to speak with you first.