FAQ-Header-new
  • Does my dog have to be neutered/spayed in order to enter the Training program?
  • Dogs that are intact are welcomed and will not be turned away from our program. We only ask that you avoid bringing your female dog in heat, as this will distract your dog and other male dogs from training.
  • What happens in a medical emergency situation?
  • Safety is a priority to us, and we take our precautionary methods very serious. If and emergency were to occur, we have 3 local vets that we have a good relationship with. Two of them are only 5 minutes away, and the other one is 15 minutes from us. We will treat your dog as if they are our own, and will not hesitate to take action, given a serious medical situation would arise.
  • What vaccinations are needed for my dog to start the Board and Train program?
  • Your dog must be vaccinated by the time he or she enrolls in our Academy, as we have all of our client’s dog at our facility, as well as our own personal dogs. We will ask for a copy of current vaccinations against Rabies, Bordatella, Parvovirus and Distemperment. If your dog is too young to receive the Rabies shot, we will not require it for a puppy. We will also ask for a fecal float to find out if there are any parasites in your dog’s feces. Safety and prevention always comes first at our Academy!
  • What does balanced training mean?
  • Balanced training means we apply a correction for an unwanted behavior, and apply positive reinforcement for good choices. A correction is simply a humane leash and collar correction, or by applying quick stimulation through an E-Collar. Positive reinforcement can be anything from toys, to food, to praise. Every dog responds differently to reinforcements, so we use whatever reward will be the highest value to them. Why do we correct? Because we want to teach the dog right from wrong! Once they understand the difference, it encourages them to seek guidance from you. This can potentially save their lives if a dog is aggressive, or is simply bad-mannered or too playful and likes to run away from you. We have studied the way a dog reacts using an all-positive based training as opposed to balanced, and we found that dogs would only please us momentarily to get a reward when there was no balance. Commands would have to constantly be repeated (sit, stay ,stay, stay, sit), way too many treats were given, the dog wouldn’t respect any kind of structure for more than a minute, but most importantly, they were only achieving rehearsed commands, instead of learning to make right choices and changing their bad habits. Any dog can sit and stay for a treat, but will they stay when they spot a cat across a busy street? Our YES/NO balanced approach is so effective, we mostly tell dogs YES 90% of the time, and NO only 10% of the time, allowing them to enjoy the training, while learning simultaneously!
  • Why do you use E-Collars?
  • We use E-Collars because it can be used at very low working levels to achieve better communication, and create a stronger bond with your dog. We have found this approach to be the most effective and most humane way to work together through any problem your dog might be experiencing. E-Collars are often misinterpreted as being shock collars of the past which would electrocute the dog’s whole body, when it in fact only sends out stimulation through the contact points as a TENS unit would. This unit is very common and is used for physical therapy on humans all over the world. The E-Collar is a great tool when used properly, as we have saved so many dogs from being re-homed or even euthanized. The benign sensation transmitted through the contact points does not harm the dog physically or mentally, as we have been able to successfully help even the most anxious and fearful dogs through this method. We love to see the results we get when training with the E-Collar, and hope you are just as excited as we are to help get your dog on the right track, and out of harm’s way!
  • Do you use E-Collars on every dog for training?
  • It depends! The great thing about the E-Collars we use, is that is allows for a very wide range of levels from 0-127. Other E-Collars only have 6-15 levels, which means the intensity of the stimulation increases in large increments between each level, as opposed to gradually increasing the pressure. This means that we are able to use the E-Collar on any dog, big or small, any breed, without affecting their state of mind and capacity of learning. We also offer the option of using other training collars if you are just looking to get your dog to listen to basic commands on leash, and does not demonstrate bigger issues like lunging at other dogs or people. We still encourage the use of the E-Collar for on-leash obedience, but allow for the option to opt out. If you want full reliability of your dog being safely off-leash, and have the peace of mind they will come back to you no matter what, then using an E-collar will be the BEST way to achieve it with any dog! If you can have an invisible leash, why not use it!
  • Why do you use Prong Collars?
  • Although they may seem dangerous and barbaric, a prong collar, when used properly, is one of the safest tools used to gently correct a bad habit. We use it to communicate with the dog, and guide them to rethink bad choices, and make right choices instead! Have you ever seen a dog choking itself out with a regular collar, or tugging so hard on a harness, your arm might fall off? These training tools might seem like a better approach at first glance, but they actually underwhelm the dog, causing them to react in a negative way. Don’t let the appearance of a prong collar mislead you, as it has been proven time and time again to be one of the most subtle ways to change the way a dog behaves. Every training tool has a purpose, and the prong collar finesses the commands a dog has already learned.
  • Will my dog be around aggressive dogs?
  • Dogs that come for our rehabilitation program are only introduced to our personal dogs. Once fully socialized and temperament under control, all dogs in training at some point meet. Every single dog in the yard wears the proper training collar needed to create a safe environment. The safety of all dogs is our first priority, and we take every precaution necessary to ensure no one is harmed!
  • Do you offer discounts or sales for multiple dogs?
  • It is very common to see discounts offered in retail and client service businesses, but we do not offer discounts or sales for our services. The reason why is because it is actually much harder to train multiple dogs from the same household than it is to work on a single dog. Each dog gets trained individually, and then worked together to make sure they are on the same track and ready to be in sync back home. This is a very challenging task that we love to be a part of, but due to the amount of time that goes into training, we cannot offer discounts, and it would not be fair to our single dog clients as well.
  • I have tried multiple trainers, and no one has been able to successfully change my dog’s behavior. What makes your program different?
  • Our approach to training has proven to have a high success rate due to how we present our training tools and techniques to the dogs we work with. We are very honest about our training process, and we open a passage of communication between human and dog, whereas other trainers might be focused solely on teaching the dog rehearsed commands. What makes us stand out is that we mold our training to fit each individual dog’s personality. A Labrador might have a different need in order respond to training than a German Shepherd would, and we have no problem taking the extra time to analyze each one in order to achieve a better response from them. We dedicate ourselves to changing a dog’s state of mind so they can make the right choices on their own, instead of being fearful, or aggressive, or always running off to get into trouble. You also become a part of our team, and we work very hard together, as we educate you on how to successfully make your dog respond to you the way you thought would never be possible!
  • I really need help with my dog, but I can’t afford your programs- Are there any other options?
  • A great option is to apply for a loan with any creditor. Most clients qualify for Pay Pal’s Credit program which offers zero interest if paid within 6 months. We are currently working on making informative videos to help you work through some issues you might be experiencing with your dog. We want to be able to help you, by posting as much free content as we possibly can, and promise to keep you posted on when these videos will be released on social media. In the meantime, you can follow us on our Facebook page and Instagram for tips and advice!

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If you have any more questions about our dog obedience and protection training center, contact us anytime. We will be more than happy to answer them as soon as possible.

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