When is it time to start working with a professional dog trainer?

If you are planning on getting a new dog or puppy, you should start. Assistance in selecting the right dog and setting the right ground rules from the start can help assure your new dog fits well into your household and brings you more pleasure and fewer difficulties.

If you about to introduce a new family member, human or animal, to your dog, you should start. At those times, taking the proper steps and accurately reading your dog's body language can be critically important but can be hard to do by yourself.

If you feel like your dog is running your household, you should start. You are the provider of everything your dog needs. You can use that leverage to teach your dog to respect people's personal space, exercise self-control, and look to you for direction even in distracting situations.

If you think your dog is too old to train, you should still start, especially if the issue is caused by vision or hearing loss.  Even senior dogs can be great learners.  And their joy at learning "the training game" can be positively rejuvenating for them and a delight to see. 

If your dog is a great companion but still does some things that are problems for you, your family or your guests, you should start. I specialize in devising creative solutions to difficult, sometimes puzzling, behavioral issues. You and your dog will both be even happier and less stressed.

If your dog or puppy needs basic obedience training but is not ready for a group class situation, you should start. Your dog can learn very rapidly when all attention is focused on her and an experienced trainer gets her performing the behavior initially. And there are significant discounts for multiple sessions.

If your dog's behavior threatens your ability to keep him but seem too big of a problem to tackle, you should start.  You’d be surprised how quickly you can see improvement once the root causes are uncovered and addressed in a methodical fashion.

If your dog is wonderful with you but not with certain people or strangers or dogs, you should start. Those undesirable responses can be replaced with socially acceptable ones and both you and your dog will be much more relaxed.

If your dog is naturally shy, has been abused, or seems depressed when there's nothing medically wrong with him, you should start.  Learning "the training game" is a great confidence builder for dogs.  You can bring him out of his shell so that you can both enjoy life together more.

If your dog's behavior keeps you from exercising her as much you should or taking her places you would both enjoy, you should start. Boredom and lack of exercise strengthen problem behaviors. The better behaved your dog is, the more involved your dog can be in your life and the more exercise and stimulation she will be able to get, allowing her to be even better behaved.

And. finally, if you do want change but don't have time to do the homework, you should go ahead and start. I can come do the homework for you during the week!

The important thing is to get started.  The time and energy you spend dealing with even small behavior problems could be spent fixing them.  With dogs of any age change is possible and so worth it for the quality of life of both you and your dog.  Click HERE to schedule a phone consultation.  There is no charge and we can discuss how we can help your dog become the dog you want him or her to be.