According to the Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, improper socialization can lead to behavior problems later in life: “Behavior issues, not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age.” ¹ We have several training options from which owners can choose.

Our focus in all of these options is simple: We provide training solutions that address the most common problems pet parents face. We focus on positive reinforcement; rewarding dogs for making the right choices and withholding reward, or ignoring dogs for making an incorrect choice.

Dogs in training should be happy and relaxed. They should be excited to get to work. What do we focus on? Behaviors like jumping, nipping at your hands or sniffing around inappropriate places are all acceptable behaviors for dogs to do to other dogs. They are not appropriate for dogs to do with people, and our training focuses on teaching dogs what is acceptable in the human world.

In all of our training, we use a consistent vocabulary to teach dogs enrolled in our programs. All of these words should be spoken in an authoritative tone both for telling a dog what to do as well as praising them for what they have done.

Examples of the words we use:

DOWN - get the dog in a laying down position, not for getting off furniture or counter surfing.
OFF- used to get all four paws on the ground and get off of furniture. Or to stop counter surfing.
WAIT - used at doorways or street corners so dog waits to get permission to walk through/forward
STAY - dogs must stay in post and position regardless of what is going on around them
LEAVE IT - ignore the distraction
QUIET - stop barking
SIT - get dog in sitting position
LET’S GO - used when moving from a stationary position

Explore our options for training by following the links below:

Play & Train

Board & Train

Puppy Skillz Camp

¹ American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: AVSAB Position Statement on Puppy Socialization. 2008: p. 1. Retrieved from: https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf