Frequently Asked Questions

One of our trainers will come out to your house to meet with you and your dog, and discuss the issues that you are having and/or what your goals are. From there, we will discuss the various packages we offer, and which we feel would best suit your (and your dog’s) needs.

Yes. We’ve trained 2.5lb Teacup Pomeranians and 200lb French Mastiffs, and just about everything in between. Also, not all trainers will work with aggressive dogs or certain breeds (such as pit bulls), but our trainers don’t discriminate by breed.

Unlike other competitors, we offer the full gamut of obedience (come, sit, down, heel, place) on/off-leash and around distractions. Our services are also highly personalized, with in-home visits and special training sessions to work with specific issues such as counter-surfing, digging, swimming, etc.

Yes. You (and anyone in your family who wants to be involved) are integral to your dog getting trained. We need you to practice 5-6 days a week, about 15-20 minutes a day for optimal results.  We’ve helped dog sitters, grandparents, kids and more to help them understand how to train.  Some dog trainers will not work with kids, even though it is very important.

The short answer here is no. The long answer is the stimulation in the electronic collars we use is much like a TENS unit and provides a tapping sensation that is used to get the dog’s attention on a very low level. We use a brand called Dogtra or E-Collar Technologies, which provide a very gentle stimulation on low settings.  “Shock” collars provide static electricity, which is substantially harsher.  We do not use “shock” collars; we use electronic collars which are used by the top obedience trainers around the world.

No. We use electronic collars to get the dogs attention. When you work around distractions (which is one of our main focuses), keeping your dog’s attention is paramount. The collar, combined with positive reinforcement (we like to use praise), help create a positive learning environment for your dog.

In most cases, the collar will run at between about $190 to $250, without tax, but is subject to market fluctuation.

No, but your dog will wear it a lot in the beginning. We want your dog to get used to it to the point where it forgets that it’s even on.  We certainly don’t want a negative association with it, which can happen if you only put the collar on when the dog is being naughty or not listening.  After some practice out at our group classes, you should be able to remove the collar and still have a dog that will be obedient.

Once a week. We come to you once a week to start your dog off, then you come to park sessions which are held once a week.

Unfortunately, no.  Obedience is the foundation that we use to fix those issues.   Dogs need to understand the difference between right and wrong, but they also need to respect you enough to do the right thing.  We provide a strong focus on making the owner a strong leader which tends to help resolve of a lot of those issues.

Nope, they are way too dangerous!   We also do not train cats, because we can’t even imagine how that would go!

Yes. Working with and controlling aggression is one of our specialties.

We train service dogs to support with PTSD and psychiatric support only.  You can read more about this on the service dog page.

To be a service dog, your dog needs to have an even temperament. Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are typically the best choice for service work. For some types of service work, your dog will need to have AKC certifications (such as Canine Good Citizen or Community Canine) which we are able to certify.  We would be happy to assess your dog’s aptitude for service work for free!  We also assess puppies if there is a litter you are considering.