You love your dog, and want the absolute best for them.
Hey, so do I! I think we’ll get along great.
Dog training is, unfortunately, an unregulated industry. Anyone can call themselves a dog trainer or behaviorist without being held to any professional or ethical standards. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t professional and ethical standards in dog training. Modern humane dog training is based off of behavior analysis, ethology, and ethics. How does learning actually work? What about the nature of dogs is relevant? How can we make the experience as learner-centric as possible? I strive to learn as much as possible from leaders in this field so that I can bring the most effective and humane methods to you and your dog.
Our training plan will adhere to LIMA standards - that is, “least intrusive, minimally aversive”. We are also adopting Dr. Eduardo Fernandez’s new standard LIFE - “least inhibitive, functionally effective”. When we take a look at your dog’s behavior, health, environment, learning history, and lifestyle, we will find that there is never a need for punishment or corrections. Isn’t that great?
We will use strategies as outlined in Dr. Susan Friedman’s Humane Hierarchy. Our plans always focus on setting your dog up for success, meeting their needs as an individual, and using operant and classical conditioning procedures. We’ll also emphasize providing your dog with choice, control, and agency throughout the training process. Some labels that could be used to describe my training style are: positive reinforcement, R+, force free, humane training, science-based training, etc. Positive reinforcement based training methods are not only more humane, they are also more effective and efficient than old-school coercive methods.
Positive reinforcement training is far more than just “using treats”. This is not a cookie cutter approach. We will work together to create a customized training plan that sees your dog for the behaviorally rich individual they are, and that understands the needs of your household.
We might be a good fit for each other if:
Your dog’s physical and emotional wellbeing is incredibly important to you.
You see the way I live with my dogs and want to feel something similar with yours.
You’re already sure that positive reinforcement is the right path for you.
You enjoy learning the “why” behind the training sessions.
You stand for Black lives and LGBTQIA2S+ rights.
We might not be a good fit for each other if:
You want your dog to respond to all ‘commands’ and be convenient.
You’re looking for a quick fix by any means necessary.
You need to be convinced that positive reinforcement is the right path for you.
You aren’t interested in, or open to, learning new things.
You hold any racist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise bigoted beliefs.
Tools we might use
a well-fitted harness
A good harness will protect your dog’s neck and other sensitive areas while keeping them safe. I like harnesses that are “Y shaped” in the front to minimize shoulder restriction. They are often called “roman harnesses”.
a treat pouch (filled with treats)
Food is a convenient, reliable, and effective way to generate positive emotions and associations during our training.
a 10+ ft leash
Control can be a bit of a paradox sometimes. We may gravitate towards short leashes to ensure more control over behavior, but we actually find that loosening the leash and making room for our dogs’ needs will get us that sense of “control” with way less tension.
a clicker
I’m proud to be a clicker trainer! A clicker is a little handheld gizmo that makes a little “cli-ick” sound. It is used to help dogs understand exactly what behavior is producing reinforcement — like a verbal “Yes!” but more precise and consistent.
enrichment
Your dog’s behavior is influenced by many more factors that just what happens during training sessions. Dogs have lots of needs that are crucial to their mental and emotional health, such as sniffing, foraging, digging, licking, and chewing. We can provide healthy and appropriate outlets for these needs as a part of our larger training goals.
body language
A comfortable understanding of dog body language is critical to a successful behavior program. I’ll provide you with some resources, we’ll record observations, and we’ll always be mindful of what your dog is communicating.
We will never use aversive training tools such as prong collars, choke chains, slip leads, or electronic collars. We ask our clients to suspend use of these tools while working with Up to Snuff.
