Welcome to: Solutions for your dog’s training or behavior struggles!

People want help with their dogs, and unfortunately the "help" they are often getting isn't really that at all. So they end up with training that's ineffective, doing things to their dogs which they're really not comfortable with, and a breakdown in the relationship with their dogs - at the very least. Worst case scenario, the "training" is punitive and their dogs become increasingly worried and stressed about things in the world, turn into obedience robots of learned helplessness without a glimmer of personality, or they completely shut down and sink into listless depression.

What I most often see is a middle ground. There is disconnect in the relationship - guardians are frustrated because their dogs aren't engaging with them, and dogs are frustrated because their guardians aren't able to communicate training to them in an understandable way. I provide guidance for people to start changing the conversations they have with their dog, get them both on the same page, and inject success as well as joy into their training! After all, when most folks really think about WHY they chose to have a canine companion, the reason is very likely rooted in ENJOYMENT of life for the both of them! ✨🐾

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What if….

How great would it be if you could equip your dog with the skills necessary for them to make good decisions and cope well when faced with the situations of daily life? My approach to working with dogs is aligned with an amazing paradigm shift in the world of dog training, is based on the proven science of concept training, is supported by many valid institutions (such as the American Veterinary Medical Association & Association of Professional Dog Trainers), and best of all… is enjoyable for both you and your dog!

As a dog owner, you can spend lots of time teaching your dog how to behave and helping them cope with everyday life situations such as going out in public, receiving company in your home, veterinary visits, and even more - especially if your dog takes part in a sport. In these day to day activities, your dog is constantly making choices, maybe not such great ones, but purposeful for them nonetheless. Each choice your dog makes is selected because, for them, its the one that seems best out of all available choices. The important consideration here is that these choices your dog is making are being reinforced, much of the time by the environment and not necessarily by you...

Take Action!

Guardians often find themselves on tight schedules or with unexpected obligations cropping up, therefore feeling that they can’t adhere to a “training schedule” - and wondering how they could possibly get results without doing so. The fantastic thing about my training program is that you don’t have to worry about gearing up for a big, long, pressure filled time block of training everyday!

Training your dog can be easily incorporated into each day via a few quick activities/games here and there, and can even be completely impromptu! Taking action with your dog’s training shouldn’t seem like a chore. Each interaction you have with your dog presents the opportunity to teach concepts which contribute to learning appropriate behavior, making good decisions, being able to respond to you, and enhancing their personality.

So let’s focus on what you CAN do! What is this action going to mean in your and your dog’s life?

Real Life Ready

Educating your dog to behave/respond appropriately can be challenging, especially with the vast amount of unusual (to dogs) occurrences in daily life. Maybe you felt like you needed to get your reactive dog out and about more to desensitize and socialize them, only to have them become more reactive and fearful of the world.

Perhaps you took your puppy to a training class, and another dog lunged at them, so now they’re worried about other dogs, yet someone has suggested that they just needs more exposure to other dogs. Or, say you’ve just adopted a dog with lots of struggles, and you want to start out on the right foot…..

One of the great things about my concept training approach is the ability for you to build your dogs behavior/responses outside of situations which they are unable to cope in. It can make all the difference to your dog (and you, for that matter!) to be able to work in a safe and stress free environment, building skills and growing optimism in preparation for encountering “real life”!

dog training

What is Concept Training?

Let’s see what one of the leading experts on in concept training, Dr. Tom Mitchell, has to say 😀…

“In terms of dog training, concepts are general principles that we want or dogs to understand in a lot of different situations. Some dogs have a natural propensity for a specific concept which others may lack. For example:

~ A dog may be naturally more OPTIMISTIC, i.e. he will presume something new or strange is good rather than bad.

~ He may be more FLEXIBLE in his learning so he can change the way he behaves or responds to a situation very readily.

~ Some dogs have higher TOLERANCE OF FRUSTRATION when the outcome they expect (for example getting the toy reward in agility training - doesn’t happen).

~ Some are less susceptible to high excitement/arousal levels and have a CALMER outlook.

By looking at personality as a series of concepts, not only is it easier to characterize your dog’s personality, but also something really exciting becomes apparent. Personality is fluid and open to development, which means we can communicate and develop concepts in our dogs. By looking at it as the concepts with which a dog approaches a situation, and by observing his emotional responses and the choices he makes, we can develop some concepts to account for his weaknesses. Concepts can be developed and promoted, and, in turn, you can arm your dog with the appropriate skill set to suit his job. How skilled your dog is at any particular concept

influences the choices they make in day-to-day life, and all the concepts combined make up your dog's unique personality. If you're not building your dog’s behaviors (sit, recall, down, etc.) on a foundation of having a personality type that is suited to the world that your dog lives in, the behavior you want to see simply won’t happen in real life. Just as the environment can shape and re-shape your dog's brain by way of the

experiences your dog has, you too can shape and influence that brain Through concept training!”

Is management considered training?

Management is an important part of nearly every training plan! By making changes to how your dog interacts with their environment and what they do and don’t have access to, you are being proactive in a manner which will set them up to succeed. In some cases management is all that’s necessary to prevent rehearsal of behaviors which aren’t serving your dog well, or for you to start seeing your dog make better choices all on their own. Management can often be overlooked as a solution, and is truly the backbone of guarding your dog’s optimism while achieving training and behavior transformations!

When will I see results?

The fantastic thing about games based concept training is that it can have a noticeable outcome no matter what age, breed, or previous experience of a dog! Any dog, regardless of their background, can become better with consistent concept training. Much of the time results can be seen within a few days - although please keep in mind the differences between, say, a ten week old puppy just beginning foundations and a seven year old dog who has rehearsed inappropriate behaviors for much of their life! Progression of improvement is continual based on the variety and consistency of your interactions with your dog, so expectation management is a crucial skill for the human side of the team 😉