Private Training
We offer a variety of custom training options including:
Puppy Basics
Basic Obedience
Behavior Modification
Fear-based Rehabilitation
*Each in-home private training session is 90 minutes and includes an extensive email recap of all the topics covered during the session. The introductory first session runs 2 hours, and the cost is $225; each 90 minute session thereafter is $175.
*Ask about our discounts for the parents of rescue pups, as well as those for front line healthcare workers, teachers, military and law enforcement. We appreciate all that you do!
Puppy Basics
The day you bring home your new puppy is typically high on the list of "the best day ever." Life is amazing for 12 hours, but soon those typical puppy behaviors start to show themselves, and as it turns out, those YouTube training videos are not as helpful as you hoped.
Have no fear, this is where I can help! Through years of professional and personal puppy-raising experience, I have curated a concise list of training topics to cover the full range of behaviors needed to turn your pup into the (perfect) dog you always dreamed of.
We cover a broad range of topics from basic obedience to potty training, play biting and leash walking.
We also have a helpful shopping list for new parents to assist in making sure you have all the necessities in the house before the little one arrives.
We do pre-arrival consultations on how to get everything set up in the best way possible before the big day, and even start your potty & obedience training on the right foot from hour one. (hint: it’s never too early to start training!)
Basic Obedience
“If you don’t give a dog a job, it will self employ. Whether it does so on your furniture, your sanity or on a series of constructive training behaviors is up to you!” - Luke Hutson
With my background in waterfowl retriever training on the Mississippi River, I like to say that I bring the structure and curriculum of a sport dog training academy into your home. Not only can I teach you and your pup all the standard obedience commands, but I can equip you with the tools that will allow you to continually challenge your dog throughout its life.
Behavior Modification
Even the best of dogs, who never chew, jump or bark can have their fair share of “undesirable behaviors.” Not all of these behaviors are created equal, and some owners are able to tolerate more than others. When one or two of these annoyances eventually become more than the family can handle, or especially when there is a possibility of danger to dog or human, I am here to help!
By teaching a system which encourages focus and calmness, combined with a systematic approach to redirecting from the problem area, we are able to compassionately show the dog how to do things in a slightly different and better way.
With some consistency and daily repetition, this new way of being will become the new standard way of doing things. After some time, the behavior becomes an unconscious “muscle memory behavior” and we can begin to fade the treats and training techniques into the background.
Fear-based Rehab
Fear and anxiety can be very difficult to recover from, especially when caused by a traumatic event. The most common of these are separation anxiety and loud noises (i.e. fireworks, thunder, cars, guns). While most anxiety is a direct result of these events, there are also individuals who simply come into this world as extra-sensitive beings.
Most of us have known a dog who was just scared of life from the start. It’s unfortunate, but it happens and there is nothing we as puppy parents did to cause this. The culprit is the “fight or flight” response. With repeated daily exposure, these behaviors tend to build on each other and will become worse over time if not addressed.
I have helped many dogs and humans over the years by educating them on exactly what is happening during an anxiety episode. After we know what is happening and why, we can then teach a methodical system to recover from and eventually overcome what can be very debilitating symptoms.
As compared with other behaviors like aggression or leash reactivity, the hard truth is that anxiety takes longer to fully recover from. The good news is that my proven techniques can and will bring positive change if they are done with focus and persistence. We don’t have to live with anxiety, and I am here to help you begin the process of getting back to center!