• Clicker Training

 

When it comes to dog obedience, clicker training is still a relatively new training tool but is quickly gaining popularity as more and more professional trainers see the benefits. Clicker training can improve your dog’s health, activity and attitude and generally make him more contented.

What Is Clicker Training?
Clicker training is the popular term for a science-based system called ‘operant conditioning’. In short, it is a method which relies upon giving positive reinforcement and a marker signal to build a new behavior.

The first to develop and expand the clicker technique were dolphin trainers but now all sorts of ‘untrainable’ animals are being taught to respond to the clicker – even cats.

The reason for its success is that it is a rewards based training method that animals respond well to. Animals don’t enjoy being yanked, prodded, whipped or shouted at and old-fashioned training methods are often counter-productive. Focusing on positive reinforcement makes the training experience a whole lot more pleasurable for both man and beast and can significantly accelerate training time.

• Separation Anxiety

 

Anxiety related problems – and, in particular, separation anxiety – usually occur as a result of a dog’s over-attachment to its owner. Essentially, the dog becomes so emotionally attached to its owner that as soon as it is left alone it feels enormous tension – and this manifests itself in numerous undesirable ways.

Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety may display one or all of the following characteristics in their owner’s absence: soiling, destructiveness, excessive barking/whining and even self mutilation. As with dominance aggression, separation anxiety is a behavior that owners find difficult to live with.

In fact, owners often make the problem worse by venting their own frustrations on their dog when they return to the house – shouting at it, rubbing its nose in its business, even hitting it. As a result, the dog not only gets highly anxious about its owner leaving but is also anxious about what will happen to it when its owner gets home. And just as we humans look for ways to relieve anxiety, so dogs crave a release from their stress too. But dogs can’t light up a cigarette or help themselves to a stiff drink. And they can’t go out for a run unless we take them. Their natural response to fear and tension, then, is to chew, scratch, soil or make noise. And the problem quickly becomes a vicious circle.
The only way to effectively address an anxiety problem, then, is to address the root cause , namely, the over-attachment.

• Puppy Education

 

Get your puppy off on the right paw with classes that encourage good behaviors while helping you establish a strong bond with your new arrival.

• For puppies 10 weeks to 5 months old.
• Certificate of completion earned.
• Course length: 6 weeks.

Key topics include: Introduction to simple cues, such as sit, come and stay Basic manners Socialization with people and other dogs Relationship-forming games Problem prevention Tips on puppy health, grooming and nutrition

• Beginner Education

 

Specifically tailored for puppies over 5 months and adult dogs that have had no previous training.

•Certificate of completion earned.
•Course length: 6 weeks.

Key topics include: Simple cues, such as sit, come, down and others Problem solving House manners Canine health, grooming and nutrition Relationship-forming games

• Intermediate Education

 

This course will help further develop your dog's ability to learn behaviors involving more distance, duration and distractions.

•Certificate of completion earned.
•Course length: 6 weeks.

Prerequisite: puppy or beginner education, or comparable skill level.

Key topics include: Brief review of basic cues Cues such as stay from a distance Learning despite distractions Relationship-forming games Additional cues heel, stand and more

• Advanced Education

 

This course will help strengthen your dog's reliability in every situation.

•Graduation degree earned.
•Course length: 6 weeks.

Prerequisite: intermediate education or comparable skill level..

Key topics covered include: Sit politely for petting Advanced loose leash walking and heeling Specialized games to build reliability Learning with increased distractions

• Click-a-Trick Education

 

Learn how to integrate more playful behaviors into your dog's education process. This course will help you communicate using a clicker as part of our positive reinforcement-based program.

•Certificate of completion earned.
•Course length: 6 weeks.

Prerequisite: puppy or beginner education, or comparable skill level.

Key topics include: The benefits of clicker training Loading a clicker and selecting primary reinforcers Advanced cues such as crawl, take a bow, high five, roll over and much more