Your dog absolutely wants to please you! He just doesn't know how to do that yet. We'll teach him which behaviors make you happy, and which he should avoid. And we'll give him a boost of confidence in the process.

There are several things that can affect how quickly your dog will learn. How often you work with her, the environment you work with her in, how you, as a handler, teach her all will have a large impact, as will her intelligence and desire to work. But assuming you're using the right techniques and motivations, your dog will begin to learn as soon as you start working with her. Most dogs will know at least a few commands within a few days to a week. You will see results very quickly.

Clickers are generally just a gimmick, like shaking a can of pennies, or squirting your dog with water to get their attention. They may be work initially, but they soon become a novelty to your dog, and he won't respond to them down the road. They also teach your dog to respond to an external stimulus that you have carry around with you. We'll teach your dog to respond to a different sound -- your voice.

Collars completely depend on the dog. I have worked with dogs who work fine on a flat, buckle collar, and some who have benefited from a training collar. It depends on factors like personality, how distracted she gets, her desire to please, her stage in training, etc. Choke chains are generally ineffective at best, and potential harmful at worst. Only in the hands of a skilled professional trainer are they effective at all, and if you're using it incorrectly you can actually seriously injure your dog's neck and throat.

Training can take care of dog-dog aggression in the large majority of cases. Though it rarely looks that way, dog-dog aggression is almost always caused by a lack of confidence. It can also be that your dog thinks he's protecting you. We'll teach him that it's not his job to protect you from every dog in the neighborhood. Once he knows that's not his job, he won't worry about those other dogs.

I have a rescue dog who was abused. She whimpers whenever I correct her. Can I still train her?

Absolutely! Pulling on the end of the leash is one of the most common problems dog owners have. It's also one of the easiest problem behaviors to fix! You just have to know how to tell your dog what to do. If you are just pulling back when your dog lunges forward, you are not using the right method.

We already have one dog, but we're getting another. They don't like each other. Now what?

In most situations, this problem can be fixed. There can be several reasons for dogs not liking one another, and most of these reasons can be resolved easily. If this is a long-standing problem, it may take longer to achieve the same results, because it has already become a habit, rather than a one-time occurrence.

We can even teach your dog to IGNORE your cat!

When there becomes a national standard for dog training certification, it will be a very important thing. Unfortunately, there is no such standard at this time. Many certifications are done online now. Even some of the more well-known certifications only require a written test. While they aren't necessarily a bad thing, certifications don't prove anything in and of themselves. Instead, ask for references from current and former clients. Any reputable trainer will be able to provide you with several references. Ask to see him work with a dog in front of you so you can see his style. Does he connect with your dog, or does he force him into positions? Above all, keep this in mind: do you agree with your trainer's methodology and attitude? If you aren't comfortable with your trainer, your dog won't be either.

Though this is by no means an all-inclusive list, we can correct, at the very least: jumping, barking, biting, mouthing, chewing, pulling on a leash, not paying attention, not coming when called, not staying, house-soiling, destructive chewing, separation anxiety, aggression, chasing cats, getting on the counters/stealing food.

While we do offer a board and train option, most of the time the training is more effective if you take a more active role in it. This also helps strengthen the bond between the two of you, which will make her want to work much more.

My method is, at it's heart, very simple: we will increase the level of communication between you and your dog, so that your dog will understand how to please you. All dogs want to please, many just don't know how to do that. We'll teach your dog what behaviors are desirable in a way that he'll understand. I use positive motivation with a correction. Both elements are critical. Any method that emphasizes only one or the other will become unreliable, and produce a potentially aggressive dog. Positive motivation using a toy, treat, or affection lets your dog know which behaviors are good. A correction is also an important factor in training your dog. Your dog also needs to know which behaviors are unacceptable, jumping, aggression, taking food, pulling on the leash, etc. But that correction needs to be suited to your dog and his personality.

How soon should I begin dog training?

We train dogs as young as 10 weeks. At this age, the dog is old enough to retain what we teach him, but young enough that he hasn't developed many bad habits that we have to un-teach. In most cases it is better to start as soon as possible. The longer a dog is allowed to repeat an unwanted behavior, the more deeply ingrained it becomes, and the longer it will take to unlearn that behavior. That being said, we can solve these same problems in older dogs, it will just generally take more time and patience.

Dog training should be done, especially initially, where your dog is most comfortable--his house! If your dog is in a more comfortable environment, he will be better able to learn what we need to teach him. In addition, he needs to behave for you at home, so why take him to an impersonal facility that doesn't even resemble your home? We'll not only teach him how to act, we'll teach him where he needs to do it!

The length of the training will depend on what your goals are with the dog, and whether there are any unwanted behaviors that we need to modify. In most cases, 2-6 months of training will give you a lifetime of happiness!

While group classes may be a good idea for some dogs, most dogs are too distracted to learn anything in them. Your dog will also appreciate the private, one on one attention he'll be getting from you, not 10 other dogs.

If your dog is unmotivated, then whatever methods were used weren't very effective. A correction should never be too harsh. It should be just enough to get his attention back on you. We'll get your dog understanding that working can be fun, while letting him know he needs to do it all the time.

He'll never forget what he's learned, as long as you apply it. Dogs are creatures of habit, they don't care whether those habits are good or bad; they just want a routine that they can depend on. So as long as that routine is listening to you, he'll never forget.