We believe in balance training. That means both “yes” and “no” are used. To encourage a behavior, “yes” and rewards are used including treats, praise, affection. Alternatively, to discourage a behavior, “no” is used along with fair consequences. However, before we hold a dog accountable, we must teach them what we expect and show them how to win. Not all clients agree with this approach and I understand. However, these are the methods we have found gets results, provides clarity to the dog, and are fair and consistent.

It is important to have many tools in your toolkit. Dogs, similar to children, learn through different methods. Some of the tools I use are: crates, toys, prong collars, slip leads, e-collars, long lines, martingale collars, pet corrector (compressed air noise), water bottles, treadmills, raised dog beds, and treats.

Prong collars and e-collars allow you to effectively communicate with your dog using less force than other collars and/or harnesses. Most tools tend to only mask or manage the behavior, while the prong collar allow us to actually break through and effortlessly communicate, creating a vastly different state of mind and a highly responsive dog. While prong collars tend to look horrible, when used correctly, they have been proven to be the least physically taxing, most humane, and one of the safest tools available.

E-collars are neutral, mild and is extremely easy for owners to understand and use. E-collars are extremely versatile and allow you to easily communicate with your dog. Modern high-end e-collars are based on the same technology used by TENS machines used by physical therapists. Most of the training done is at levels humans cannot feel. E-collars are the ONLY consistently reliable tool for off-leash training. We use E-collar technologies e-collars which have tone, vibration, and 100 levels of stimulation (we actually encourage owners to try the e-collar so they know what the pressure feels like).

Yes, dogs should be weaned off any behavior medication prior to arrival. This is so we can see the dog’s true temperament. If there are too many factors at play, we can not be certain if a dog’s behavior is changing due to medication or training. Our goal is to teach dogs to be calm, without medication.

Yes, all dogs must be crate trained prior to arrival. We are working in a home and any dog that is not crate trained disrupts all other dogs in the home. Additionally, dogs who are not familiar with the crate may try and injure themselves in an attempt to escape. Please reach out to Grateful Pups for some crate training tips.

Your dog will know what to do when they leave the program. We also spend a few days educating the owners. We want you to be the leader of your pack. Once you demonstrate leadership, you will build a relationship built on trust and respect, just as we did here. Next, is consistency. It is extremely important that the family (all members) keep up with the training provided, daily. If the rules are different in your home than they are here, the dog will quickly figure it out and go back to the old behaviors. A firm commitment to keeping up with the training and applying the same rules and boundaries used at Grateful Pups, will help your dog maintain the good behavior when they return home.

Depending on the type of Package you purchase, both owners may be required to attend the sessions. All these questions will be answered in your evaluation.

We require that all clients meet for an evaluation first before purchasing any training packages. Please email us to book an appointment, and please be advised we charge $60 for every evaluation.