Where will the Private Sessions take place?
The location of the training depends on which training package you choose. If you are choosing the in-person private training package, the training will take place at Canine Companions, LLC in Newton, MS. On occasion, the specific needs of the family and/or the dog, may require that the training take place at the owner’s home or an alternate location. If that is determined to be a necessity, than there will be an additional fee required to cover alternate scheduling, duration of appointment, and travel. If you have participated in our now discontinued board and train program, follow-up sessions will continue to be offered. Location and scheduling of those follow-up session will be determined on an individual basis.
May I “gift” your dog training services to a friend or family member for their dog? While providing payment for dog training services is a wonderful gift, it is extremely important that the dog owner(s) be completely knowledgeable of the gift and supportive of the training process. I require that all correspondence directly involve the owner. In order for training to be successful, all owners must be on-board and willing to continue the training at-home.
What is an E-collar?
An E-collar is an electronic collar that enables you to communicate with your dog utilizing low level electric stimulation. These are not the “shock collars” from the days of old. These collars have at least 100 levels of stimulation. Thereby allowing you to make very minute adjustments and personalize the stimulation for your dog and to the environments you are working your dog in. I highly recommend the use of an E-collar, if you want to take your training and your dog’s obedience to a higher level.
What brands of E-collars do you recommend?
All E-collars are NOT created equal. We specialize in low-level, communication-style and having the most flexible and adjustable training collar is a necessity. There are many brands of E-collars, however for my training purposes, I only recommend either the Educator or Dogtra brand collars. Please contact me and I would be happy to offer you assistance in choosing the most appropriate brand and model collar.
What tools do you use during training?
I use a variety of tools. The chosen tools depend upon the individual dog and his or her specific needs. Since there is no single method or tool that “fits all” in the world of dog training, I consider it to important to have a large training “tool box” filled with a variety of tools. Some specific tools that I use include, but are not limited to: prong collars, slip collars, slip leads, e-collars, Pet Convincers/Pet Correctors (compressed air for interrupting behavior), long-lines, bark collars, agility equipment, the treadmill, my dogs (and cat), body language/gestures, treats, food, and toys! Just as my Dad used to tell me, “You need to have the right tool for the job.” I have found that is important to have the right tool when training your dog. That “right tool” will depend upon the dog and his/her specific needs. However, I firmly believe that the tool does not train the dog. The tool simply communicates the training. Teaching via the tools, trains the dog.
In my days as a Speech Pathologist, I often helped children and adults with communication impairments. In some instances those individuals were non-verbal. In other instances the individual may not have the ability to speak clearly enough for others to understand him/her. Then in other cases, an individual might have clear articulation, but have an impairment in sequencing the words into a coherent message for other to understand. In each instance there was a communicative impairment. To address these impairments, we utilized various methods and tools. Some of those tools included sign language, communication boards with pictures representing words, alternative/augmentative communication devices such as high tech computers with synthesized voice output options. These devices did not work on their own. Training was required to teach the individual how to use “tool” to communicate their needs more effectively. In much the same way, the tools listed above simply relay the verbal messages we give our dogs. The tools give our dogs the direction and input to understand what we are saying.
In the end, my goal through this training is to help you achieve a dog that understands what you are saying, so that you may have a calm, relaxed, tuned-in, confident, happy, and obedient dog!