Why Principled Dog Training?

prin·ci·ple

noun

1.  

   a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.

My main principles in my training are being open minded, empathetic and seeing the needs of both the dog and the human.

I believe relationships matter. Training with your dog should be a lifelong communication process. I am interested in helping you work with your dog. Each dog is an individual and there is no one model that fits for each situation so I use a variety of methods and approaches to help.

However, I prefer to use positive motivation to teach dogs desirable behavior. This includes food, toys, access to the environment, physical and verbal praise, etc. or a combination. I try to help owners understand that reading body language and timing is fundamental for working and living with dogs. Focus on setting the dog up for success and tell the dog what is acceptable and desired.

Why in-home?

After puppy classes, or an adult basic obedience class, it is easy to forget what has been learned. Some people don’t want to commit to signing up again or feel their needs were not addressed in that environment. Others never gained the skills and don’t know where to turn with the issues they are having.

Because many problematic behaviors start in and around the household, this often is the best place to start addressing those problems. After a consultation, we can move towards working out and about in other areas if these are where your problems occur most often.

“To my way of thinking, the ongoing process of learning to understand another being is a key point of any relationship; delightful, astounding, and valuable beyond description” -Suzanne Clothier