Training & Behavior Change Programs
GET THE RESULTS YOU WANT WITH TRAINING THAT IS QUICK, EASY & FUN!
You love your dog, but does he sometimes drive you crazy? Does he bark at squirrels outside the window? Are you embarrassed when he jumps up on guests? Is your dog destructive when left alone? Or maybe you're having a more serious problem such as aggression or separation anxiety. I can help you to teach your dog what you want him to do and help with your dogs "issues". And guess what we can do this with out force, fear, pain, prong, choke or shock collars.
We will use positive reinforcement. That is reinforcing the behavior that we like in order to maintain or increase that behavior. It's pretty simple, dogs do what works for them so if sitting politely means attention from a guest, he'll learn to do that instead of jumping up. Positive reinforcement training helps increase the bond between dog and owner. You will probably notice after just a few sessions that your dog is making some pretty great decisions on his own but also "checks in" (read- starts paying attention to you!) a lot more then before. Every type of training takes time and a commitment from the dog owner but with clicker training your dog will learn very quickly that when he hears the click he's doing exactly what he should be doing and that his behavior is going to be rewarded- hence making the behavior more likely. Training can be done in just a few minutes a couple times a day.
Melissa has been clicker training for 13 years and graduated from Companion Animal Sciences Institute with distinction in Dog Training & Behavior Consulting & is a member of the
A Few Letters from our clients:
Melissa, I have been following your advice with Billie and it has been like night and day from before. Thanks, SR (Billie is a 4 year old lab mix who lived his entire life in a shelter before being adopted at 2 years old, prior to my training help Billie would constantly jump on his guardian and also wake him up really early every morning )
Melissa:
I sent your advice concerning Bodine who was recently adopted from OBG Cocker Spaniel Rescue. The new adopters were having problems with him getting along with their other dog. I just heard from them and they followed your advice and things have greatly improved! You are a genius! Thanks so very much. Vicki
Hi Melissa, Just a note to let you know that Kylie is doing great with strangers since her lessons with you. It's amazing to see such an improvement.
Sincerely, Jennifer
Max wanted to let you know he is still being a very good boy since his clicker training with you - he loves the clicker and comes every time he's called. Sheila & Max
Melissa, Thank you so much for teaching us not only how to get Benny to listen to us but also how to understand our dog better. We were oblivious to his signals before; life is a lot better for all of us now! MP
Dear Melissa, Thank you for helping us get our animal household under control, with 4 large dogs and three cats it was very chaotic. We still have everyone on the NILIF program and Sam (husky mix) is no longer chasing the cats. Thanks again, The Edsons
Private Training Classes:
Petopia offers private, in-home training for basic manners and behavior modification, plus environmental enrichment instruction to help curb destructive habits. We work with you and your dog in your home, where we are able to customize the training to your specific needs. Melissa deals with all types of unwanted behaviors from aggression, object guarding, separation anxiety, socialization, puppy basics and house manners. The key to having a well-behaved dog is simple: it's through patience and consistency. At Petopia we teach you how to teach your dog.
Advantages of Our Private Dog Training Sessions
- Customized services focus on what you and your dog
really need
- Practice at your pace. Increasing distractions slowly sets you and your dog up to succeed.
- Easy to follow "Homework" Sheets after each training Session
- Phone and email support for the life of your dog
FAQ-Training
What is Clicker Training?
"Clicker training" is an animal training method based on behavioral psychology that relies on marking desirable behavior and rewarding it.
Desirable behavior is marked by a clicker a mechanical device that makes a short, distinct "click" sound which tells the animal exactly when they're doing the right thing. This clear form of communication, combined with positive reinforcement, is an effective, safe, and humane way to teach any animal any behavior that it is physically and mentally capable of doing.
How does Clicker Training Work?
The trainer clicks at the moment the desired behavior occurs: the dog sits, the trainer clicks. Then trainer gives the animal something it likes, usually a small piece of food but sometimes play, petting, or other rewards.
Very soon (sometimes within two or three clicks), an animal will associate the sound of the click with something it likes: the reward. Since it wishes to repeat that pleasurable experience, it will repeat the action it was doing when it heard the click.
Any behavior can be trained with any animal following these three simple steps:
1.Get the behavior.
2.Mark the behavior.
3.Reinforce the behavior.
How old does my dog have to be before I can start using clicker training?
These methods are so gentle, you can start with that 8 week old puppy you just brought home. Work for just a few minutes at a time and takes lots of breaks. You'll find that using this method of training will do amazing things for your relationship!
Can an old dog really be taught new tricks?
Absolutely! Dogs of any age love to learn when being taught in this fun rewarding way. Clicker training is great for shy fearful and adopted dogs because it helps to increase their confidence.
Who Should do the training?
Everyone in the family! That is one of the best features of clicker training. Forgot the silliness you might have heard that only one person in the family should do the training so he or she is seen as the “alpha“. Although it is essential that the dog see the humans in the household as clear leaders, even young children can teach the family dog to respond to them, and in doing so will help to establish that leadership.
And... if someone in the family messes up while training positively, the only damage is usually that the dog might take a bit longer to learn than otherwise. Effort should be made, however, to have everyone be as consistent as possible.
What training supplies do I need?
CLICKER- will be provided by Petopia on your first appointment. (you may purchase extras from Petopia for $2 per clicker)
COLLAR- A flat buckle collar or harness. Choke chains, electronic shock collars or prong collars will not be permitted.
LEASH- Six foot leashes only- no flexi leashes please.
TREATS- As your primary reinforcer in the beginning, the type of treats you choose is crucial! Pieces of chicken, leftover steak, salmon, turkey dogs, liver... use your imagination & see what you dog REALLY loves. Please understand that your dog has no idea if something is considered "human" food vs "dog" food. Your dog will not start begging at the table unless you start feeding them for doing so.
If your dog doesn't seem that interested in your treats, try some different ones, and try practicing before your dog has had his dinner! Actually, you can feed him his entire dinner a bit at a time while practicing your exercises. Save the best tasting treats for teaching & practicing the recall and for when you are working around distractions.
Won’t my dog become over weight if I’m using treats for training?
No, simply ration out part of your dog’s dinner to use for training. Or on days that you use a lot of treats for training feed your dog less at his scheduled meals. I’ve been clicker training for over 10 years and my two dogs ages 9 and 7 are anything but overweight. In fact they are more on the thin side.
