Methodology

Gentle Positive Reinforcement Methods

Delray Beach Dog Training is based on highly effective, humane and, most important, gentle positive reinforcement methods utilizing the most current research in canine learning and canine behavior. We recognize that each dog and owner team have their own unique qualities and dynamics, so our methods are custom tailored to those and as well to your and your dog’s personality, temperament, age, and physical condition, taking into account your dog’s history.

In terms of hiring a trainer, Trust Your Gut. While your trainer should be easy to talk to and articulate, “charming” doesn’t always translate into “effective” or even well-educated.  Don’t be “sold,” but look for a trainer who tells you how she’s going to approach training and what she can do.  Look for reasonable and realistic goals, not a trainer who “yesses” you just to get the job.  Entrepreneurs are entrepreneurs. Trainers are trainers.   Having a sense of humor, as I do, relaxes people and breaks the ice, but make sure there is substance to the trainer as well. Obtain references and contact them. Most trainers get “into” animal training because they’re not fond of people and would rather work with animals. They don’t realize that being a trainer requires working with people more often or as often as the animal. A trainer should be user-friendly for both people and animals. My gentle yet very effective methods are designed to get your dog or cat to cooperate with you, not be coerced by, scared by, or bribed by you.

I am a permanently state-certified and highly experienced educator, having a thorough grasp of learning theory which enables me to work with a variety of learning styles with both people and animals. I have worked extensively with autistic children and adults and worked with Special Education students in the public schools. I studied the arts, animal science, counseling psychology, and art therapy. I ran my own school for several years in the early 2000s after obtaining my Master’s Degree, and also taught at the college level.

I articulately explain my methods and you will find I have excellent communication skills, absolutely non-negotiable and necessary for any animal trainer with whom you work. I am service- and customer-oriented in a culture which is becoming less and less so, and I do expect my customers to appreciate my efforts and not see those as “brown-nosing“ or being a doormat. We all know that in today’s culture, “nice” has become the new four-letter word. Well, not in my book, as long as everyone treats everyone with respect.

My other “stand-outs” are that I am extremely educated in my field, both hands-on and in regard to my formal education as an animal science, psychology, and art major, with a Master‘s Degree. You may not think the visual art training “figures in,” but it does, in that my eyes and reflexes are extremely sensitive and honed to subtleties in behavior which many other dog trainers do not notice, as I have noticed! My best customers and opportunities for success are those who are intelligent, open to learning about their dogs’ behaviors, compliant and appreciative of the rare gifts I have to offer in terms of my intellect, education, experience, problem-solving abilities, hands-on experience and gentle manner with their animals. “Gentle with animals” does NOT mean ineffective. In fact, quite the opposite. By eliciting an animal’s cooperation, I work, oftentimes, wonders. Many people speak of “leadership.” I speak of “trust.” An animal, particularly a difficult animal, will not cooperate with you unless that animal trusts you. So, I teach you how to be Trust Worthy.  The word “leader” is too often misused and misunderstood in dog training.  I repeat:  Your dog has to TRUST you.

Realize that “certifications” don’t really matter, as many trainers don’t have the formal education and critical thinking skills needed to work with animals AND people, even if they’re “certified.” Certification cannot confer upon a person an innate intellect, formal education at a high level, problem-solving abilities, years of hands-on experience with thousands of dogs, or a gift of communication with another species. A trainer can become certified easily, and within a matter of months, while lacking the hands-on experience of years necessary to be working with animals. When working with a puppy, or a dog with aggression issues, you want someone who not only has years of experience, but someone who has more than a “certification” from an entity which you may never have heard of and whose training and testing methods you may not know anything about. Certifiying bodies are generally very loosely governed money-making propositions for the entities conferring the “certificaiton.” Many are schools claiming to train trainers. They are a dime a dozen and usually run by business majors, not by psychologists and not by certified educators who organized and managed classrooms of 30, or more. Only a certified state educator who has a solid teaching background should be training trainers, as the learning theory for doing so MUST apply to both human development and learning as well as animal developmental periods and learning. Many dog “trainers” fail to remember that the many different styles of how humans learn is integral to helping the dog or other animal companion.

Good training takes time, consistency, patience and commitment. There is no Magic Pill, Magic Wand, or shortcut to having a well-trained, behaviorally healthy dog, which starts, ideally, when the dog is between 7 and 16 weeks of age. Don’t trust trainers who say they can completely and thoroughly train your dog in an hour, or two. Those trainers are using aversive methods and coercion in order to suppress behaviors, but they are not teaching your dog HOW to behave and what TO do instead of the undesirable or dangerous behavior. It is ridiculously easy to suppress behaviors by scaring or punishing a dog, which requires NO formal training or knowledge of learning theory. It is much more time-consuming to actually train a dog. Behavior suppression has a lot of emotional and neurological “fall-out” associated with it, and any trainer worth their salt is aware of this and will not use suppressive methods. There is a HUGE difference between finesse and coercion, the latter which uses aversive methods that I do NOT use. In order to achieve success, hire the best trainer, practice the protocols daily, be compliant and follow instructions, take notes (I am a teacher, remember? So, I know the value of doing one’s homework!), and you will surely see results and be rewarded with a behaviorally sound, happy and well-behaved companion, which will, in turn, make you happy.

My best assets are my communication skills with both animals AND humans, the way animals respond to me as they perceive me as someone they can trust, and my ability to take the science and learning theory and create originality in training with those and INNOVATE training methods. I have an innate, deep understanding of dogs, especially, and they seem to sense this about me. Dog owners have remarked that I “read minds.” While I don’t know if this is true, I am flattered by the comment and there is some truth to the fact that I seem to do this as sometimes I even surprise myself!

What you can expect when we meet at your first appointment:

Having taken a history from you during an intake conversation, as well as further history by e-mail if necessary, I do a brief but thorough behavior assessment and evaluation of your dog(s) when we meet. I tell you what it is I’ve observed and what the best course of action/training will be for you and your dog, considering what I know about your lifestyle. If there is an aggression problem, I identify the type of aggression and will tell you what is motivating the aggression and, if possible, what I think may have triggered it. I start the work of resolving it with you. Before training can take hold, I show you management techniques to keep everyone safe and to avoid liability.

I proceed to giving you highly motivational and effective training and management protocols and training to start with. My methods are strictly NON-aversive, are dog friendly, and informed by science coupled with exceptional hands-on applied experience and p. roblem-solving abilities, which are designed to gently, cooperatively and effectively help you and your dog. Since the training is motivational, customers largely report that the training is “fun,” and, therefore, greatly enhances the relationship between the dog (or cat) and all family members who participate.

Please call me if you would like to find out more. I only take a couple of new customers each week so that I can keep my lessons and goals fully customized for everyone. I only have a few openings for April through May, 2014, as my appointment book fills up quickly. Note that I am bonded and insured, with fingerprints on file which is required as a certified educator, so you can have a huge degree of security when I come into your home.

Fun, Intelligent, Sensitive & Practical

You will find our dog training and dog behavior methods fun, intelligent, sensitive, intuitive, and practical; and our puppy training the same, with skills being taught in a manner that seems like a game to you, your family and your dog – although you, your family and your dog will be learning and being trained! Your NJ dog trainer, NY dog trainer, and Florida dog trainer will always be patient and willing to answer all your questions about dog training. Innovative Reality Dog Training wants you to understand your dog, not just “go through the motions” of training.

Free 15-Minute Consultation

Delray Beach Dog Training makes it a point to be responsive to all Florida dog owners who contact us for the first time and owners who are recipients of our services in between appointments. We routinely spend 15 – 20 minutes on the ‘phone in free consultation the first time we speak. Additional time during our first conversation is available at a reasonable fee, or may be added in to your fee when we meet if you decide to turn an intake phone call into a consultation (I will let you know during the call if that’s possible and offer you that option). It’s not unusual to find your Innovative dog trainer contacting you weeks or months later NOT to sell you services, but simply to find out how well things are going. I love hearing from my dog clients long after they finish dog training with me regarding their recent successes, and I love that former customers reach out to me to let me know how they and their dogs are doing.

Methods

Lure and reward, shaping, capturing, conditioning, clicker training, and other humane, effective dog training and dog behavior methods are used to train your dog. Frequently methods are combined considering your and your dog’s learning levels in order to create a stimulating experience for both you and your dog.