Frequently Asked Questions

What is your method of training?

We get this question a lot, especially these days with the polarization of training philosophies. The truth is, we have no one method. Every dog, every owner, and every situation is different. We feel very passionately that labels and being fixed to one end of a philosophical spectrum is not only over simplifying the nuances of dog training but detrimental to helping dogs and their owners. Typically we are always going to err on the side of positive reinforcers and least assertive first. That doesn't mean however that we are against correcting unwanted behaviors when needed or finding solutions that work for your specific personality and your dogs specific temperament. No case is the same and we will always provide information first so that as a team we can make the best decision on how to proceed. We let our reputation speak for itself and do our best to avoid the politics of dog training.

Can you help me with (insert your issue here)?

The short answer is, yes. If your issue is puppy training, adult dog training, the prevention of unwanted behaviors or behavior modification, then we can help. With decades worth of experience there is rarely an issue we haven't seen, dealt with, and helped resolve. While every dog and every owner is unique, many of the issues we see every day are similar in nature. There is no case of aggression, reactivity, anxiety, or fear that is too much for us, and while many of these behaviors may seem intense to you, they are something we work with every day.

Where should I have my first appointment?

Dog behavior is context specific, meaning that a dog will behave completely different depending on the persons involved or the location you are working in. Most behavioral issues then, are best addressed within the environment with which they are occurring. Since most people spend the majority of their time with their dog at home, that is usually a great place to start. Most behavioral issues fall under this category and this is the most common type of appointment. If your issues include severe aggression towards visitors (i.e. bite incidents) on your property then it might be best to have your first appointment at our facility with a follow up at your residence. During our first appointment we will provide exercises for you to implement over the following weeks so that our trainers can evaluate their progress upon entering your home during a follow up appointment. If your issues are more related to their behavior on leash, then an initial appointment at your home might be best so that we can evaluate and provide tools and strategies for you to work with in the coming weeks. Once you've had some time to implement these new practices our trainers will most likely want to meet you at an agreed upon location to work in a more "real world" type setting or they might suggest you join one of our leash reactivity classes.

How can I schedule an appointment?

​All of our offerings are available to schedule directly from our website using the links provided. We are always happy to help guide you but this is the fastest and easiest way to schedule. Descriptions of our offerings, prices and important details for your appointment are all available on our website and during the online scheduling process. Our website is designed so that you have everything you need but, please let us know if we missed something!

Can I speak to a trainer before I schedule?

Yes you can. However, our trainers are extremely popular and therefore extremely busy. They would be more than happy to take a few minutes and speak with you prior to you scheduling but just realize it may take some time for them to get back to you. Given their busy schedule you may want to schedule an appointment in order to get together sooner while you are waiting for their return call. Also keep in mind it would be irresponsible for them to give behavioral advice over the phone without knowing you or your dog so this conversation would be more listening to you than offering suggestions.

Do you offer free consults?

We do not, and there are two main reasons why. The first is that our trainers are very popular and it is difficult for them to take the time out of helping others to offer free appointments. The second is that if you are contacting us, you already know you have an issue. You don’t need us to come, meet your dog, just to tell you “yep, you have an issue”. We would rather jump right into fixing it and we feel our time is better spent helping you, not just telling you what you most likely already know. Diagnosing a dog and explaining the solution go hand in hand.

Should I do a private session or a class?

This is actually a hard one to answer because they both have value and quite often it makes sense to do both. Private sessions are a great way to start so that we can focus solely on you and your dogs specific needs. This is especially true in cases of anxiety, fear, aggression and reactivity. However, classes are a great place to fine tune your skills while surrounded by distractions or get more of a general all encompassing education. There is certainly no substitute for puppy class as the socialization element of interacting with other dogs is essential to the proper social development of your puppy. A puppy under six months should not be limited to private in home sessions without consideration of alternative socialization opportunities.

Are children allowed in your classes?

Absolutely! As long as your child won’t be a disruption to you or the other participants we strongly encourage families to go through our classes together so that everyone is on the same page. Children are often easy targets for puppy mouthing so it can often be helpful for them to hear firsthand some of the tips and techniques we use to curb and prevent bad behavior.

What vaccines do you require for socialization and what about the potential for illness?

The socialization window is essentially from 0 to 20 weeks of age. If in that time period a puppy lacks exposure and positive experiences with their future environment they may develop fearful associations that are difficult to fix after that window closes. While some advise to keep your puppy in isolation until fully vaccinated, we do not, as we have seen the lifelong effects first hand. We do not require puppies to be "fully" vaccinated in order to join our socialization groups. We only require that they be up to date for age appropriate core vaccines typically meaning distemper, parvo, and rabies when appropriate. It is also imperative your puppy be showing no signs of potential illness meaning lethargy, coughing, sneezing, diarrhea or inappetence and have been in your care for at least two weeks prior to joining. Just like children in a daycare setting encounter the risk of illness, so do puppies. In our opinion this is a necessary risk. We sanitize and do our best to limit their exposure but it is a part of early developmental socialization.

I want your trainers to witness the behavior!

Not a question but a statement we hear all the time. After years of training and literally thousands of cases we have seen some variation of it all. We do not need to see your dog at their worst to understand what they are doing or how to fix it. All you are doing when you show us the behavior is perpetuating the negative ritual. Our job is not to see them do it again, but to give you solutions to fix it. With that said, we are happy to watch them misbehave if you feel it will give us some added insight but it is typically not necessary and the sooner they behave the way you want, the closer we are to resolving it.

What is your cancelation and return policy?

Due to high demand, all appointments, classes, and offerings must be paid in full at the time of scheduling and there are no refunds if cancelling or rescheduling within 24 hours of an appointment time. All training services if cancelled 24hrs prior to services have a 30 day return policy from date of purchase.