Why we should be your first choice. I have attached a video clip of a distraction / generalization training day that all dogs go through that come through our program. We Offer more than a standard obedience course. There is nothing secretive or magical about training dogs. Good dog training is all common sense combined with a foundation based on experience and a clear understanding of the way dogs think and interact (pack structure). The key is to get the right experience. One only needs to spend a couple of hours searching the internet to understand that there are a lot of people out there who lack experience or who are basing their training opinions on poorly acquired experience. Three basic categories of dog trainers which I place on a sliding scale. The first category is the group of people who beg or bribe and lure their dogs to do something by offering a food or toy reward. These dogs never understand the meaning of “NO”. There is no distraction or corrective phase with this training. Positive Reinforcement Training Only. Dont get me wrong, I use food and toys in training, but I also use distractions and corrections. The problem with this group is that the dogs often choose not to do whats asked because they dont think the reward is not high enough in value to them. These dogs end up being pushy, dominant and often antisocial aggressive animals. These are the dogs that are turned into animal shelters as being unmanageable when in fact they act the way they do as a result of ineffective dog training. At the other end of the scale, is the second category of dog trainers. These are trainers who intimidate or force their dogs to do what they want. I call them the old school yank and crank trainers. They put a choke collar on a dog and force it to do everything. Most professional dog trainers use these methods because for them time is money and they can get a dog trained much quicker by forcing the dog to perform. The bottom line is with enough force a dog can be trained to do almost anything. The problem with yank and crank trainers is the dogs seldom like their handlers. In fact softer dogs are often afraid of their handlers. These are the dogs that tuck their tails or lay on the ground when asked to do something. These are dogs that look nervous when they are near their owners. Thats because they never know when the hammer is going to fall. The problem with both categories of dog trainers is that their training produces inconsistent results along with dogs that dont like or respect their owners. You will never reach consistency in training if you dont have a good bond with your dog, or if your dog does not respect you as a pack leader. The third category of dog trainer is the where I strive to be. Category three dog trainers want to be in the middle of the other two categories. They balance in the middle but are always prepared to move one way or the other depending on whats going on in their dog training at a given moment or point in time. The third group uses motivation methods (food, toys, or praise) to take a dog through a learning phase. The most effective motivational method is called training with markers. This is where a dog actually learns the meaning of a command. Once the dog understands the meaning of a command the trainer then adds distractions to the program. A good example of this is a dog that has learned the meaning of the word “DOWN” but now must learn that “DOWN” means stay down until the handler gives a “RELEASE COMMAND”. This means the dog must stay down even if the owner or someone else tosses a ball in front of the dogs feet or drops a hot dog 4 feet from where he is lying. If the dog is disobedient under distraction or does not follow directions this third category of dog trainer teaches a dog that there will be corrections for being disobedient. The key here is that the corrections are never given unless the owner 100% knows the dog understands what is being asked of him but refuses to follow the command. Through the experience gained in training we show the dog that we are only going to ask him to do things he knows how to do. When he does something correctly we always do something good for him. Likewise, when he does something wrong we will ALWAYS let him know he has made a mistake. We never correct our dog in obedience training for things he doesnt understand or that he has not been trained to do. This supports the black and white rule. We dont correct because WE THINK HE KNOWS BETTER. We only correct because we know, through experience gained in training, that he understands a command or rule and is refusing to do it. The dog must learn that we are 100% consistent in how and when we administer corrections. Being consistent at all times is one of the most important parts of being a pack leader. For example we cant ignore aggressive behavior towards guests in our home and then go for a walk and correct the dog when he wants to be aggressive. There are Dog Trainers out there who tell people to use a heads halter and a clicker and never correct the dog because all behavior problem can be fixed with a clicker. This simply is not true. They do the concept of marker training a disservice, because when markers are combined with corrections we have the most powerful tool available to train a dog. The difference between what I do and what ineffective obedience classes do is that once the dog has learned an exercise with markers I add distractions. When the distraction becomes so high that it promotes disobedience I introduce corrections into the training. This is the cornerstone of my philosophy on dog training. This is the only way to get consistency in training. When owners learn to apply responsible pack structure techniques, and they master the concept of the learning phase, a distraction phase, a correction phase along with a maintenance phase they are on the road to being a pack leader. Never forget that most dogs prefer being followers. Most dogs dont want to be pack leaders. When a dog owner learns to control the lives of a pet he will become the pack leader his dogs want him to be. Training Packages and Fees: Obedience Training with Pack Structure Training. (Place Command and Behavioral Modification Included.) 6 week Course: Training involves a learning, distractive, and corrective phase of training. The training consists of a minimal of 8 home visits at times convenient for the pet owner. The first two weeks the trainer will work with your dog one on one. The remaining home visits will be once a week until completed. It is recommended that all members of the family pack be involved in the training. Package: $375.00 ________________________________________________________________________
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 19:14:01 +0000
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