We offer Board and Train as well as Private training. We also offer pet sitting and even Adventure sitting!
Two Week Board and Train program
Your pet will stay in our home and benefit from multiple training sessions per day, including house manners throughout the day, as well as off-site training in various environments you may want to enjoy with your dog. Helping your dog learn new skills to be obedient and confident in all situations.
This program is recommended for owners that want their dogs to learn: Sit, Down, Stay, Loose leash walking, Recall, Leave it Command, Car manners, and Socialization.
As well as work on unwanted Behaviors: Jumping, Nuisance Barking, Counter surfing, Mild Leash Reactivity or other specific behaviors requested.
They will also get play time to relax as a reward for their hard work, and will spend supervised time with our own dogs to help with their socialization.
This package will start with a 30 minute meeting to discuss your goals, and allow your dog time to get familiar with myself as their trainer. This is especially important with reactive dogs to ensure I will be able to handle them safely. Also we will go over how to continue the progress your dog has made before you go home.
$800 for the two weeks Board and Train.
Three Week Board and Train Program
Everything in the Three Week package is included but due to the extra week we can add increased Distance, Distraction and Duration to all behaviors. The extra week also is best for Nervous, Reactive, or dogs that otherwise need more than basic work.
$1,000 for the three week Board and Train.
Private 1-hour training
We will generally hold these lessons in a park near your home or if you live far away we will find a park that works for both of us. We can also hold these sessions in your home, if you are in the area we serve, to work on behavior that occurs specifically in your home. These sessions are ideal for getting your started so you can continue training at home or with follow up private lessons as needed. Lessons can include Loose leash walking, Basic commands, Leash reactivity and more.
$60 per hour.
Pet sitting
Your pet will stay in our home, they spend their days playing with us, or chilling, whichever they prefer. They have the option of their own room to enjoy if they don’t want the company of other dogs.
$50 per day for one dog, $20 per each additional dog.
Training Philosophy
Like most things in life, training needs to be balanced too. To help your dog find their inner balance, rewards will be used to encourage good behavior, while discipline is used to gently guide your dog away from poor behavior. But because you can’t carry treats with you everywhere you go, rewards aren’t all treat based. Basic command training may start with treats to help guide your dog into an unfamiliar behavior but then they are phased out as their new knowledge allows them to enjoy things they could not before which become the rewards instead, such as more walks and more playtime, thus eliminating the need for constant rewards. The best part is their reward becomes built into their day. There are so many times you can practice your commands that blend into the other activities in your day. Sit while their leash is put on, no pull while going out the door, once they accomplish these behaviors it means they get to go for a walk as the reward!
Meanwhile correction is only used to gently interrupt a negative and potentially dangerous behavior, so a new behavior can be introduced instead. We only use enough of a correction to get their attention so they can be redirected to the action we’d rather they do. This could be a quick tug on the leash, or taking away rewards can act as a gentle punishment too. Such as pulling while about to go out the door means the door gets closed until they can walk calmly.
This training is for any dog at any age. While it is always preferable to start socialization and Basic Obedience training with young dogs, before problem behaviors become ingrained, that just isn’t always possible. The next best time to address problematic behaviors and work on obedience is now!
My Background
I have been involved with dog training for over 25 years, starting as a teen training and competing with my dogs in agility trials. I have also worked with several of my own dogs who struggled with reactivity when I got them. With guidance they were soon able to actually enjoy meeting people and dogs, a long way from where they started, reacting at even the sight of either. When I got into rescue so many of the dogs that were relinquished and deemed un-adoptable simply struggled with reactivity. They just needed guidance to show them that they are safe, and to guide them in what behaviors we want from them. This has led to my mission to help other dogs in need, maybe dogs like yours! I want to help families not have to give up their dogs in the first place, and instead guide them on living a peacefully and happy life together!
Serious Stoic 