Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
-
Not at all!
It's what I'm most known for and what I love doing, but I also enjoy doing other pet dog training as well!
-
No. Ethical trainers don’t guarantee results any more than doctors guarantee they can cure you.
The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers prohibits their members from guaranteeing results, and I would have my credentials revoked if I did so.
Guaranteeing results is a slimy marketing gimmick. I’ve had many clients over the years come to me after working with a “results guaranteed” trainer who didn’t get the results they were promised (and also didn’t get a refund).
I CAN guarantee that I will do everything possible to help you get the results you want and will be honest with you about what you can expect in terms of progress and results.
Results will depend on a number of factors, including:
how often you practice and work with your dog
how closely you follow your trainer’s instructions
your dog’s health, temperament, genetics, early socialization and experiences, breed, and personality
your training goals
I totally understand wanting a guarantee. I’ve been taken advantage of by trainers, too. It’s frustrating to keep paying money and not getting results, especially when you’re broke - I’ve been there. It’s normal to have concerns, and I’m happy to chat with you, just reach out!
-
While I don’t offer service dog training, I can help with good behavior and manners that service dogs will need.
-
Nope!
It’s never too late to train a dog, no matter how old they are or how long they’ve had problematic behavior.
-
Right now!
The sooner you start training your puppy, the easier it is. Puppy brains are primed for learning, as they have more neural synapses before 12 weeks. Not only is it easier for young puppies to learn, but they haven’t yet learned a bunch of bad habits!
-
Just some great training treats and your dog! Nothing fancy!
We may talk about options for equipment at our session, depending on your dog and your goals.
-
It varies from dog to dog and will depend a lot on your training goals, your starting point, and your commitment to training.
People and dogs all learn at different rates.
My goal is always to help you reach your goals as quickly as possible!
-
No, and it wouldn’t be very useful for you anyway.
It’s easy for me to get your dog to listen to me, but you need your dog to listen to you! Handling skills play a big role.
I’ll teach you how to work with your dog, and we’ll tackle the training together - you, me, and your dog!
-
I specialize in reactivity, which is the bulk of what I do.
However, I take a very limited number of aggression cases. Whether I choose to take an aggression case will depend on many factors, including the severity of the aggression, risk to me and others, and owner commitment to training, management, and safety.
Book a free call or shoot me an email, tell me about your good dog, and I'll let you know if I can help and if I have room in my schedule!
-
No.
As a small business, offering discounts is not feasible, but you can make monthly payments if you’re on a budget!
-
I’m not a behaviorist; I’m a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (even better!)
The requirements for a behaviorist include, among other things, having a master’s degree or PhD from an accredited college or university in a biological or behavioral science with an emphasis in animal behavior and a research-based thesis.
Unfortunately, there are many unethical trainers who falsely call themselves behaviorists despite lacking the credentials.
There are only a few behaviorists in Washington State - none are in Spokane.
Click here to see a listing of all accredited behaviorists in the US.
-
There is a no-refund policy, so please be sure you’re able to commit before purchasing a class or other training service.
The owners who are committed to the training process see the best results!
If you have any questions before booking, please book your free call and let's chat!
-
Absolutely! I’m always happy to talk with you and answer any questions!
Private Training
-
Yes!
Monthly payment plans are available for those wanting a more budget-friendly option.
-
You’ll pay the deposit when you sign up, then you’ll make either 4 monthly payments (for the 5-month program) or 1 additional payment (for the 2-month program).
You’ll receive an invoice to pay online.
-
Where you need it!
We can train in your home, walking around your neighborhood, at a park, etc.
Many owners feel frustrated that their dog does it so well at home, but when out and about won’t listen at all. This is common, and it’s one reason I fully believe in training where YOU need it. We aren’t limited to a training facility or your home - we can work anywhere!
-
Each session is an hour.
-
Wednesdays through Saturdays.
There are weekends and evenings available to accommodate most schedules.
-
No, the cost is the same regardless of how many dogs we work with during your one-hour session.
-
As long as it’s safe and appropriate to do so, absolutely! I love seeing kids train dogs. However, there must be an adult present and participating in the session.
Online Training
-
Yes!
Monthly payment plans are available for those wanting a more budget-friendly option.
-
You’ll pay a deposit when you sign up, and then you’ll receive invoices to make monthly payments for the remainder of your program.
-
Training will occur on Zoom, and you’ll be sent a link to join my Zoom Room.
-
Each session is an hour.
-
Wednesdays through Saturdays.
I have weekends and evenings available. For those in different time zones, I will do my best to be flexible!
-
Online training is incredibly helpful. We’ll use a lot of videos: you’ll video your dog’s behavior issues and yourself doing the exercises I provide, and I’ll share video of various training exercises that I want you to work on.
You’ll be able to share videos anytime you’d like, and I’ll provide feedback and guidance.
Puppy Play Group
-
They won’t be eligible to attend. Puppy Play Group is geared toward puppies 8-16 weeks.
Because the socialization period is over at 12-16 weeks, there’s less benefit after 16 weeks.
The other reason is that older puppies and adolescents often play in a more physical and intense way, which can be overwhelming or scary for younger puppies. They would be better suited playing with appropriate adult dogs.
Instead, dive into a training class and start teaching your pup some really cool stuff!
-
You will learn about appropriate dog-dog play and interactions, how to know if your puppy is having fun and playing nicely, and when and how to intervene.
-
Absolutely! The more the merrier! (Kids should be able to behave appropriately during the play group.)
-
They’re still welcome to come, and we’ll set them up to be as comfortable as possible. Nervous puppies may be placed behind a gate where they can observe without needing to interact with other puppies or people.
While the play group is not designed to address specific behavioral concerns, like reactivity or anxiety, some gentle exposure may be helpful!
-
Unfortunately, this is a common myth.
Research shows puppy class is perfectly safe for puppies as long as vaccines are current. The risk of lifelong behavior problems from delaying socialization is significantly higher than the risk of parvo.
Vets are concerned with disease prevention, not behavioral health. To fully prevent disease, your puppy should not go outdoors, even to potty. They should not go to the vet for vaccines - you should find a vet to come to you. If you have other pets who go outdoors, they are potentially exposing your puppy to diseases and could track them into the home. The point is, you can't prevent exposure. Your puppy is already exposed - just without the benefit of socialization.
You can never undo the damage or make up for not socializing your puppy before 12 weeks.
In over 10 years of doing this, not one puppy has gotten sick coming to my class or play group.
-
Just let me know so someone else can have your spot!
Sick puppies, or puppies with parasites (such as worms or giardia) cannot come to class until cleared by your vet as not being contagious.
-
No.
They only need to be current on their parvo/distemper vaccine.
Classes
-
There are no makeup options for classes. Please prioritize your attendance so you don’t fall behind in the training.
-
Children who are old enough to behave appropriately (sit quietly and not approach other dogs) are always welcome to attend.
For safety reasons, I do require kids be 13+ years of age to hold the leash in class and physically able to maintain control of the dog. Otherwise, parents may hold the leash while the child works with the dog.
-
Individual classes will vary, but most run 4 weeks in length with each individual class being 45-90 minutes.
-
Because of my small class sizes, there are no refunds given for cancellations. Please be sure of your commitment before you register for a class.
You’re always welcome to reach out with any questions beforehand!
-
Dogs with a bite history are not permitted to attend classes. Reactive or growly dogs may be appropriate for nose work, but reach out and we’ll discuss your specifics!
Nose Work
-
Nose work is AMAZING for puppies!
It builds confidence, allows them to use their natural abilities, and helps tire them out a bit.
-
There are no make-ups, but your dog will always go at their own pace, so you won’t fall behind if you miss a class.
-
Reach out to me first. It will depend on your individual dog, but we can talk it over and review options.
Nose work can be a tremendous help for dogs who worry about new people.
-
Probably fine, but reach out to me first.
Dogs will work one at a time, and dogs will be waiting in the car until it’s their turn. In the warmer months, we’ll be doing class outside, so dogs can be left in the car with the windows/doors open. Your dog will likely still see/hear other dogs, but we can try to set it up so that’ll be minimized.
-
At this time I’m only teaching nose work for fun and not competition - but that may change in the future!
-
Nothing! Bring your dog just as they are!
They don’t need any prior obedience training or any special skills - your dog already knows how to sniff!
-
Just some good quality treats, preferably not dry. Good options are cut up hot dogs or cooked steak or pork.
I recommend not using chicken as it tends to fall apart and leave little bits all over the floor.
-
Yes.
If you bring multiple dogs to class, you’ll just need to pay separately for each dog.
-
First treats, then we can move on to odor.
Odor will include anise, clove, and birch.