Training Methods

My methods are reward based and positive making the learning experience fun for you and your dog.


If your boss did not pay you, would you go to work? If your boss constantly berated you for your mistakes, but never praised you for your good work, would you like her very much? I doubt it. If you are that kind of "boss" to your dog, you could be ruining your relationship with a beautiful, loving, intelligent friend.
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We all need motivation whether it be praise, money, or prestige. Dogs need to be motivated to work just like we do. Rewards are used to teach new behaviors. Dogs will work for food, attention, and other life rewards such as dinner, walks, petting, and games.

Positive Training Methods Are:
  • Humane. Fear and pain are not used to train.  By reading dogs’ signals, I am able to understand the dog’s point of view, and I work to set the dog up for success.
  • Effective. Dogs learn much more quickly and thoroughly, and they retain what they have learned extremely well.
  • Based upon the most up-to-date knowledge about canine learning and behavior and human-animal bonds.
  • Fun and rewarding for both the dog and the person and enhance the bond between us.
Principles of Positive Training
  • Dogs repeat behaviors that are rewarding and eventually cease behaviors that are not. Reward what you like; don’t inadvertently reward what you don’t like.
  • Your dog already knows everything you are going to teach him. No, he is not psychic, but he does already know how to sit, lie down, and come. You will teach him to perform the behaviors on cue and the first time you tell him.
  • Think in terms of what you want your dog to do instead of what you don't want him to do. Such as; “I want my dog to sit to greet people." rather than, “I want him to stop jumping all over people." Teach your dog what you want.
  • ​Teach your dog instead of correcting your dog. It’s terribly unfair to correct a dog instead of teaching the dog what you want. For example: it’s unfair, damaging and cruel to use equipment to correct a dog for not walking nicely on leash when you’ve never invested time into teaching the dog how to walk nicely on leash.
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  • Be consistent and fair.
Equipment Used
Buckle Collars
No Pull Harnesses
6 Foot Leash
NO choke chains (AKA training collars) prong collars,
​or electric collars needed or used