f.a.q.'s

There are a few reasons why our prices are so much lower than our competitors:

For one, we have very little overhead. Many trainers have facilities so they can offer "Board and Train" programs, group classes and other services. Right now, we are only offering private lessons in the client's home so we don't have a costly facility or any of the bills that go along with having a facility. We also don't have a lot of employees to pay and insure.

The second (and most important) reason is that we believe basic dog obedience should be accessible to everyone. One of the biggest reasons dogs are surrendered to shelters or abandoned is because the owners "couldn't handle them". Most of these difficult-to-manage behaviors can be resolved or prevented by taking just one 5-week obedience course. We firmly believe we are helping both dogs and their humans enjoy a happier life together.

Don't think that because our prices are low, the quality of our training is low too. Far from it! I trained my first dog when I was just 14 years old. I now have over 30 years of experience working with dogs and other animals. I was a trainer for PetSmart and Petco. I'd say I've trained approximately 2,000 dogs during my career. Our results are guaranteed. If there is a command your dog doesn't learn by the end of the course, we will continue to work with both of you until they learn it, at no extra cost to you.

No, you won't have to carry treats around forever.  Most dogs are food-motivated, so treats are an excellent reward to give while training. As your dog learns the commands, the treats can be substituted with praise, playtime or anything that your dog enjoys. I do, however, recommend that you don't get rid of treats altogether. Even when your dog knows all of the commands and performs them perfectly, you should still reward them with a treat now and then to keep them motivated.

You will need treats that your dog really likes, preferably soft ones, but if your dog prefers hard treats or even kibble, that's ok. I recommend small, soft treats because they're easy to break or cut into even smaller pieces.  In the beginning of the course, we will be giving your dog quite a few treats so we want them as small as possible to prevent digestive upset or unwanted weight gain.

You will also need a collar or harness, whichever you prefer. But please, no shock or prong collars and no choke chains.  Also, no corrective harnesses. Just a plain old vinyl or leather collar would be great. You'll also need a 6' leash.  And that's about it!

We will travel up to 25 miles (one-way) at no extra charge.  If you live further away, there will be a fee of $1 per mile, per class on anything over 50 miles (round-trip).  So, if you live 35 miles away (70 miles round-trip) there will be a $20 fee for each class added to the cost of the course. 

We don't normally take jobs that are more than 50 miles away, but we have been known to make exceptions.  Call or email us with the details and we'll let you know if we can help.

Yes, there's a little homework.  Each week, at the end of class, you'll receive hand-outs for the commands learned that day.  These hand-outs will tell you step-by-step how to perform the commands.  You should work with your dog at least twice daily, but you don't need to spend a lot of time on this.  Ten to fifteen minutes for each session is sufficient.  Of course, the more you work with your dog, the faster they will learn.  Training sessions are also great for bonding. Your dog will look forward to training time and so will you!