In-Home Dog Training

During private, in-home dog training lessons, you and your dog benefit because my attention is completely focused on you and your dog(s). Your dog will not be distracted by other classes or other dogs.  This is very important during the early stages of learning.  We all agree to silence our cell phones, I won’t need to divide my attention between many students as in a classroom setting, and I won’t be watching t.v. or checking my phone for texts or messages (and I ask that you do the same). Private lessons allow the focus to be completely on you and your dog. You and your dog will learn in the comfort of your own home and in the rooms with which your dog is familiar and within which you may be having specific problems, so you and your dog will get to practice appropriate behaviors in those same rooms and settings, which reinforces appropriate behavior occurring more frequently in those settings in your home. Many issues with dogs occur or originate in the home environment, so it makes sense that training and behavior issues would be addressed in your home. Many times, training also goes ‘out on the road’ to the park or elsewhere in the neighborhood for facilitating dog-dog interactions, dog-stranger interactions, and behaving and walking appropriately outside in the ‘Real World.’

All training is tailored around your specific needs after a free ½ hour consultation with me by telephone. Behaviors such as:

• Housetraining, potty training, inappropriate elimination
• Crate training
• Separation problems (distress and anxiety in your dog when you leave your dog alone)
• Coming when called (aka the Recall)
• Wait and Stay (yes, they are two different cues!)
• Inappropriate jumping on you or on your guests
• Loose Leash Walking (LLW)
• Focus and attention
• Barking and being ‘yappy’
• Door manners (prevention and training for the dog who bolts out doors!)
• Aggression issues
• Fearful dogs, shy dogs
• Resource guarding (food and toy possessiveness)
• Puppy and breed selection based on your lifestyle (before you get a dog)
• Puppy- and dog-proofing your home

Most straightforward training lessons for skills such as puppy rearing, sit, down, come when called, etc., are one hour in length and are scheduled at your convenience during the week and on week-ends. Lessons for treatment of separation distress/anxiety and aggression may run at least two hours and possibly longer. Special arrangements can be made for longer or more frequent lessons if needed and if appropriate for your dog.