Frequently Asked Questions

Are we the perfect owner/trainer match for each other? Check out the FAQ's to the right to see if I can clear up any questions up you may have!

I would love for you to become very familiar with all of my training methods and be comfortable enough to implement them yourself when it's time for your dog to return home. You will find plenty of "How To" videos here on my site, as well as on my daily Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube posts, that will empower you to make the changes necessary to create the CALM, balanced family you've always dreamed of.  It is imperative that the training continues for the lifespan of your dog. Just because your dog now knows basic obedience, the way he feels about you will always override it due to the former relationship you've established. So long as consequences are given for non-compliance, your dog will learn that you now mean business.  A 2-hour follow-up at the end of the program will be given where we will carry over all of the training techniques needed for continued success. Continued support via email and phone, during and after completion of the program, is guaranteed.

Remember, this is a team effort. I can only get that ball rolling for you. I am ready to do whatever it takes to help you and your family create CALM and balance. If you are willing to make the same commitment to me and your dog, we are a perfect match for one another! Without follow through, you will be wasting your money, and I can guarantee you will be dissapointed in the results. Training is a way of living with our dogs. The whole family needs to be on board! This is a family management system that will create that CALM family dynamic you’ve invested in. My goal is to get you to your happy, most relaxed self!

Am I the perfect TRAINER for you and are you the perfect client for me?

In order for you and your dog to get the most out of any one of my training programs, it is important for you to become very familiar with my philosophy and be willing to put in the work needed to make a lifestyle change for your dog.  There is a ton of free information available to on my website, Facebook Page, YouTube channel, and Instagram account that can help you with this transformation. You need to be just as comfortable using the training tools and methods as I am, as well as be as excited as I am to getting your dog into a better state of mind.  

•  If your dog has ANY behavioral issues, jumping, counter surfing, incessant barking, biting, growling, anxiety, nervousness, whining, marking, pulling, barging through thresholds, you need to recognize that there's a problem.  There are either things in your home that are contributing to this behavior or there are a lack of things causing the fallout. To get any improvement at all, a lifestyle and relationship change are in order, as well as the commitment to working through the problem. This is where I come in and address the core issues, and create a blueprint for a successful rehab upon return. This has to be a team effort by all involved. I am more than ready to do whatever it takes to help your family become successful, but you need to make that same commitment to your dog.

•  I need you to be 100% comfortable with my training techniques and the balanced training approach. We focus on rewards based training in addition to corrections for really bad behavior.  

•  With dogs that have behavioral issues (especially aggression, anxiety, or fear issues), I ask clients to stop comforting and doting on your dog.  Affection is your dog's highest reward. Giving  constant verbal, physical, and food praise amplifies whatever behavior he is currently exhibiting. Only when your dog behaves politely, predictably, and understands what is expected of him should he be rewarded with your affection.

•  I'm looking for clients that are going to follow through with all of the homework sent. The idea that sending your dog to a board and train is all the training your dog needs, is just not true. Your follow through at home is imperative to the success of your dog's training. Without follow through, you will be wasting your money and my time. This is a lifestyle.

•  Dog Training is a Team Effort! I cannot stress enough how important it is that each and every family member that comes into contact with their pet dog, must be on the same page in regards to its training, rules, structure, rewards, and discipline. Any slack or overindulgence in any one of these areas merely creates inconsistency and confusion. When one pack member/owner is soft and leans towards permissiveness (usually out of fear of losing affection from the dog), and the other is quick to confidently correct, the dog is left in limbo, not really clear on how to make healthy choices. It is necessary and imperative that ALL family members partake in corrective exercises so that the dog is subjected to consistent, identical commands and responds routinely without having to figure things out on his own. The middle road, what I always refer to as the gray area, where spoiling and not holding our dogs accountable lie, involves a degree of inconsistent behavioral change from the dog, resulting in regression and incomplete rehabilitation. If you ever want your dog to get to that balanced, calm place where consistent, reliable choices are made on a daily basis, each and every pack member MUST be on the same page.

•  I want to make sure that you're going to follow through with my household management program. This is where it becomes really hard work for most in the beginning.  Your dog gets zero couch or time in bed with you.  Zero affection. Your dog will need to be crated at night and every single time  you are gone, or cannot monitor his activity.  Your dog will need to be in a command for long periods of time, multiple times per day, in either Place or Down to work on state of mind conditioning. Your message needs to be consistent.  It is counter productive to send mixed and confusing signals to your dog. I want your dog to give you predictable and consistent behaviors, and it only comes with practice and application of the training! Routine and structure, micro-management at its finest, is key to the success of my training. This intense structure isn't forever. But until you get consistent GOOD behavior on a regular basis, the rules need to stay in place. 

•  Daily structured walks are imperative. These do not need to be 5 miles long. Exercising the brain by stopping frequently, doing 180 turns, and following your lead are much more exhaustive than the length of the trek. 

I know all of this may feel daunting! Ultimately we all just want to have fun with our dogs! And this is totally possible when certain boundaries and structure are in place to allow it. When we work together and we're all on the same page, we will get your dog to that amazing place where he consistently makes good choices so that you can take him/her to places you weren't able to before. It will take a lot of work, tough love, consistency, and introspection, but it is so worth it in the end!  

Dog training is a lifestyle. I want your whole family to benefit from our experience together. My goal is to have your family and dog living a peaceful, well balanced life together. If you are willing to commit to this journey, anything is possible!

How will my dog’s daily ROUTINE look? 

All dogs sleep inside my home, in a converted kennel room. I only work with a couple of dogs at a time, which allows for personalized attention. Maintaining a CALM, quiet environment is of utmost importance. Your dog will go for a long structured walk first thing in the morning. Upon returning, your dog will have some down time in his crate or in the Place command where we start developing impulse control and work on state of mind training in duration. From there we begin with some basic obedience starting with the Place Command. No free roaming or interactions with other client dogs is allowed, unless during socialization or structured play time. Every moment of the day involves Permission Based Training. Your dog will always be in command. Zero free-roaming. Not one of his actions will be a choice made by him. Everything will be because I gave him permission to do it.

What tools do you use?

There is no one size fits all for the arsenal of tools used to aid in training a dog. One dog could be completely caught by surprise with the Pet Convincer (compressed air used to interrupt an unwanted behavior such as whining or glaring), while another will find it unimportant. Some of the tools that I use include the following: Mini-educator e-collar, prong collar, slip lead, Pet Convincer, Bonker (a rolled up towel used in the same fashion as the Pet Convincer), food, treadmill, and my very own pack. The Balanced training approach will bring that CALM, balance back into your family dynamic through commitment and consistency.  Nothing makes me happier than seeing clients walking away from the program feeling empowered and liberated.

Do you have a guarantee? 

Due to all of the variables involved in creating a CALM, balanced dog, especially owner commitment, consistency, and follow-through, it would be unethical for us to offer a 100% guarantee. The best results come from the most dedicated and engaged owners.

Which program should i choose?

This depends on the issues you would like resolved with your dog. Does your dog pull on the leash, rush the door, whine all the time, guard his food bowl, jump up onto the counter to grab what’s cookin, act crazy in your car, and is constantly misbehaving? If so, the Board and Train, 1 week or 2? This depends on the severity of the case. The 1 week program is catered to those owners that would like the basic obedience foundation laid our for them. No off-leash handling will be introduced. The 2 week program is catered to a complete “reboot” for the dog that has minor behavioral issues. This board and train option is great because we do all of the heavy lifting for you by establishing all of the core obedience skills for you to take and continue with at home . If it’s just the Walk that needs improving, then a couple of hours dedicated to training the both of you on the basics would be beneficial. 

Choosing a Board and Train versus a One-On-One session is the difference between having dog in a full immersion program versus a mere hour of training in your home. When your dog stays with me, I do all of the "heavy lifting" for you . Your dog will be actively training multiple times per day.  Your dog will be exposed to real world situations just as if he were living in his own home. Your dog's behavior, obedience, and improvement is my top priority every second of every day he is with me. Equipped with an obedience foundation and a calmer more tuned in state of mind, you, the dog owner,  just have to apply the training and follow through when your dog gets back to his home environment. 

My dog needs daily grooming. Will you be handling this? 

Absolutely! Any part of your dog's daily routine will become a part of mine with him. Whether it's combing out mattes or brushing his teeth, I will handle it for you!

What is a prong collar?

The prong collar is one of the most effective tools of communication between you and your dog. Even though they’re often portrayed as dangerous or harsh, and look completely barbaric, they happen to be the one of safest tools to effectively communicate with your dog. Minimal pressure on the neck, unlike slip leads or choke chains, creates an effortless conversation between you and your dog.

What is an E-Collar?

An E-Collar is a remote dog training system that usually consists of a wireless remote and a wireless receiver. I use the mini Educator 300-T. This remote has 100 levels of stimulation. Amazingly, most dogs work at levels that most humans often can’t even feel, between 4-10. No shocking or residual pain is seen when used properly. The training program involves low level conditioning that is layered over obedience the dog has already learned using the prong collar. This leads to complete off-leash handling.

Will i get to see my dog during the board and train?

We don’t allow visits during a board and train program. We find the owner’s presence can be counter-productive to the relationship that we are trying to establish.

do you train big dogs?

Of course! All dogs, all breeds, all sizes. The only cases I am currently referring out are severe human aggression issues.

how much time does my dog train each day?

Your dogs essentially will be training 24/7 while in my possession. Every minute of every day is filled with permission based training. Each morning is started with a structured 30-45min walk, with the sit and down commands built in, as well as addressing any reactivity issues that may arise. Then your dog will get a bit of down-time thereafter either in his crate, or working on Place duration, depending on the scheduled rotation of the other client. Your dog will actively get 2 hours of obedience training, mind you not all at once because this can burn him out. They will be learning how to be CALM and relaxed, practicing impulse control in between small increments of training.

What will be some things that need to change at home?

A 30-90 day relationship reboot will require the following:  Your dog cannot sleep with you for 30-90 days. He will need to be crated. Your dog will also need to be locked up or crated whenever unsupervised.  Affection is only given when the dog is complying to a command or performing a wanted behavior. Your dog is not allowed to play unless you give him the release to do so, and is reserved for the outdoors only. You will need to practice massive amounts of place duration 30, 60, 90min sessions while you’re making dinner, cleaning the house, etc. Your dog only eats during feeding time. No treats, etc in between. You will practice your walking skills on a daily basis. No sniffing, charging, roaming, whining, barking, growling, or forging ahead of you unless given the release command. Any unwanted behavior is met with a consequence firm enough to stop it in its tracks.