Where does training happen? Do I come to you?
Training begins in your home and progresses to wherever necessary to achieve your goals. Because dogs learn behavior contextually, you achieve better results with your dog when we begin training in your home. Not only does this give better training results, but you never have to worry about whether traffic and parking are going to make you late to a group training class that starts with or without you.
How does our first appointment work?
We begin with an evaluation of your dog in your home. This is a two hour appointment where we discuss your dog challenges, history, and goals. We will provide you with an abundance of information and outline a path to reach your goals.
What does “humane and pain-free” training mean?
Humane and pain-free training refers to the ethics of training dogs without the use of pain or intimidation in training. Numerous studies have conclusively shown that training with methods involving leash-pops, alpha rolls, yelling, stare-downs, and hitting or kicking not only increase the residual stress levels in our dogs, but also a more recent study published in the journal of Applied Animal Behaviour by Herron et al. (2009), shows that these methods produce an aggressive response as often as 43% of the time that non-professionals use them. We are here to fix your dog’s behavior issues, not give them more, so we teach our clients how to use methods that are safe, effective, and guaranteed to work for a lifetime.
When do you do training?
We offer training Monday through Friday beginning at 10am. We aim for flexibility because we are passionate about training dogs and giving you an awesome customer experience. Evening appointments are offered on an as needed basis.
What forms of payment do you accept and when is payment due?
We accept check, cash, and all major credit cards. Payments are due at the start of your selected training program.
What is your refund policy?
All sales are final. For extenuating circumstances we are happy to refund any training sessions that have not been used up.
Does The Pawsitive Packleader, Inc. have any parent company sponsorship?
Absolutely not. We are a scientifically driven training organization and our only commitment is to you and your dog. We refuse to engage in any referral programs with vendors, manufacturers and/or other dog companies for profit. The idea of receiving financial kickbacks that jeopardize our expertise and professionalism goes directly against our ethics. Because we have no parent company sponsorship, our recommendations are purely based on our experience in the field and not influenced by financial investment.
Do I really get free lifetime email support with my training package?
You betcha! We don’t care if your last session was yesterday or 15 years ago, if you need help or a recommendation for anything dog, just e-mail us! Our free lifetime support policy is part of what make us one of the most unique dog training companies in the Pacific Northwest. This service comes at no extra cost so our clients can have the confidence and inspiration needed to set out on a lifetime of success. Millions of dogs are euthanized due to owner relinquishment because of behavioral issues that simply needed a little professional help.
How quickly will I begin seeing results and what will my dog learn?
Our clients begin to see results after our first session! Every package is custom tailored to each dog. Some of the many cues your dog will learn include:
- Come: When called, every time!
- Heel: Sit beside you
- Settle: Go lie down and relax
- Leave It: Ignore something
- Drop: Let go, spit something out
- Sit, Stand and Down: Basic body positioning
- Back Up: Step backwards
- Stay: Don’t move
- Wait: Waiting at open doors, food bowls, etc. – practices arousal control
- Touch: Targeting exercise that focuses their energy to one place
- Say Hi: Polite greeting with strangers
- Up and Off: Hop up or down from the car, or furniture (e.g. bed, couch, chair)
- Loose Leash Walking: Walk politely without pulling
- Door Manners: Sit/wait while greeting guests
- General Manners: No jumping, illegal chewing, nipping, or general naughtiness
- Advanced Training Games: Stimulus discrimination drills, free-shaping, behavior chaining
