Question: I just got an 8 week old puppy. At what age should I consider
starting training?
Answer: The younger you start to train a puppy, the more success you'll have with him or her in the future.
Although you shouldn't necessarily begin "formal" training at such a young age,
extremely effective training exercises
designed to shape a young pup's behavior
should be put into play as soon as is
reasonably possible. Employing such techniques
now will result in a dog happily performing
commands out of habit rather than obeying
commands because he has to. The success your
pup experiences now will also pave the way for
successful advanced training in the future. Remember,
dogs grow quickly, so the sooner you start training, the better.
Click here to view the American
Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior's
white paper on this very topic. The video
clip below will show you how much a 10 1/2
week old puppy can learn in very short
order, and what can be achieved when you
spend a little time teaching a puppy
appropriate behaviors instead of letting it
develop bad habits on its own.
Question: I recently
adopted a 3 year old female Labrador
Retriever, and in the month that I've had
her she seems like she's taking over the
house. What can I do?
Answer: Regardless of
age, it's always best to begin training your
new best friend as soon as she steps foot in
her new home. This does not necessarily mean
you should start formal training drills and
exercises. Employing behavior shaping
techniques and light training during your
initial bonding period with her will help
her know what is expected of her in the new
home, as well as helps establish you as her
leader and teacher. An added benefit of taking this
approach is that although she may have
developed bad habits in her previous home,
she has a whole new life now and showing her early on what is
and is not appropriate in her new life
can help prevent those bad habits
from resurfacing in her new home.
Question: I have a 3 year old male that always jumps up on people that come over to my house. Can you help me train him to stop jumping up, even though
he's already 3 years old?
Answer: A dog is never too old to learn. Granted, the methods employed with older dogs can differ from youngsters, but older dogs are certainly
capable of learning. So, yes, we CAN help you "teach you older dog new tricks!"
Question: I have taken my dog to obedience classes, and she does very well, especially when the trainer works with her. Yet, when I take her home, she
doesn't seem like she's learned anything. I KNOW she knows the commands, as I've seen her do them in class. What's wrong with her?
Answer: There is probably nothing wrong with your dog. If you take a look at our
training philosophy, you'll see that our particular training methods are
actually designed specifically to help ensure that this common
problem does not happen with you and your dog.
Question: I've had my 1 year old since he was 10 weeks old. Ever since he was old enough to be taken for walks, he's always pulled on the leash. In
fact, now that he's bigger, he pulls so hard that not only is he hard to control, he ends up panting and gasping almost before we begin our walk. He is a very energetic dog,
and when we're at home, he often runs all over the place, as well as jumps all over the furniture during his rampages. We tell him "No", but it doesn't seem to work.
He's driving us crazy. What can we do?
Answer: The best thing you can do for you and your dog is to get in some training...together! For example, our training will teach you and
your dog together what is and what isn't appropriate, both in his behavior and in the way you handle whatever he "throws at you". Whether you employ our training
services or use someone else, be sure that the training you embark upon includes both you and your dog.
Question: I've been doing some research on training methods, and it seems that the trend these days leans towards "positive training", rather than
"old school" training that includes the use of corrections. Which method do you use?
Answer: Regardless of what you uncover in your search for the best training methods, there really is no such thing as "correction-less" training, at least if
your goal is to have a dog you can depend upon not to destroy things, and heed your commands. While it's always best to employ as much positive reinforcement as possible, some form of
corrections is an integral part of any training program. That's not to say you should choke your dog with a choke chain, or worse, when he or she doesn't listen. The correction should
fit the situation and, of course, be applied correctly, otherwise all you're doing is hurting your dog or making him fearful of you. It is not unlike training a child.
For example, when teaching a child a desired behavior, rewards can no doubt be effective, but there are inevitably times when a child needs to be corrected when
he knows the "right" thing to do, but decides to do wrong instead. And, as with dog training, if an undesirable behavior can lead to harm to the child or someone else, the appropriate
correction must be applied to ensure the child understands the potential ramifications of his actions. But, in either case, corrections must be fair and judicious.
We are well aware of trainers that "pop" the leash on dogs wearing choke chains or prong collars whenever a dog doesn't heed a command. But, is that a fair correction? What if the method of
education used to teach the dog something wasn't effective, to begin with? Then the dog may not really know what it's supposed to do when given a command, and no amount of collar popping
is going to help. And, that is downright abusive, in our book.
To find out more about how we can help you, contact us today.
If you’re tired of this…
…and would rather be doing this…
…or better yet, this…
Contact us today!
321 Iron Point Rd.
Folsom, CA 95630
or
2201 Francisco Dr.
Suite 140-102
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Quick appointments available for Sacramento and surrounding areas
including Fair Oaks, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Granite Bay, Roseville, Loomis, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, Shingle Springs, Placerville, Lake Tahoe and more. We are
available for travel to other areas
of California and Nevada on a case by case basis.
Contact us for details.
