FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How will you change my dog’s behavior? 
We believe in changing behavior through rewards-based, positive reinforcement training. Together we’ll identify what behaviors you’d like to change, and what behaviors you’d like to see instead! After that, our trainers will create a management and training plan to decrease the opportunity for your dog to display unwanted behaviors, while rewarding them for alternatives that we’ve worked together to identify.

What happens when my dog gets it right?
When your dog gets it right, our trainers will reward them with treats, attention, praise, and play!

What happens when my dog gets it wrong?
If your dog isn’t able to perform a behavior, or performs a behavior you don’t like, we’ll go back to the drawing board to ensure we’re setting them up for success by changing the environment or our reinforcer. We will never use tools that cause a dog fear or pain to change behavior. 

What tools and equipment will I need?
All you’ll need to work with our team is a bag of your dog’s favorite treats, perhaps a favorite toy, and a standard leash and collar. We do recommend a treat pouch of some sort- canvas tool belts from construction stores work well for this- and a harness for your dog.

Do you offer a guarantee? 
When dealing with living beings, nothing can be guaranteed. Dogs aren’t robots, and neither are people! Ethical trainers will not guarantee a specific result in a specific time frame, because we’re working with living beings who make their own choices. We will strive to support you in problem solving and working with your dog to the best of our abilities, and provide alternative resources to you as well. 

Why force free training?
There’s no debate; the science shows that force free training and behavior modification is not only the most humane way to train an animal, but also helps them to learn more effectively! Industry experts such as the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior agree that rewards-based, force free training offers the most advantages to our dogs while doing the least harm to their welfare. You can read more about the AVSAB’s position on punishment in dog training here.

What are all those letters behind your names?
Dog training is an unregulated industry in the United States, with no licensing requirements or regulatory oversights. This means that anyone can call themselves a dog trainer or behavior consultant regardless of their education or training in the field. Certifications such as CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed) and CBCC-KA (Certified Behavior Consultant Canine, Knowledge Assessed) are independent certifications where a professional’s knowledge and skills are tested through a rigorous, standardized exam. They indicate that a professional has a baseline of knowledge in training or behavior modification, each require 300 hours of experience in training or behavior consulting just to be eligible for the exam, and require 36 hours of continued education to maintain! Other certifications, such as CSAT (Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer) and UW-AAB (University of Washington Applied Animal Behavior Certificate) indicate that a professional has taken and passed specific coursework.

What’s the difference between dog training and behavior consulting?
Dog training is typically what you think of when you imagine dogs learning obedience and manners- “sit,” “stay,” “come,” and so on. These are foundation behaviors that help dogs to live in our human world well, and can be taught in both a one-on-one and group format. Behavior consulting is typically for more complex or unwanted behaviors, such as dog directed reactivity or separation anxiety, and involves behavior modification, rather than teaching manners cues. Behavior consulting is usually done on a one-on-one basis to serve each dog’s unique needs.

Why do I have to sign a contract?

In short, our professional certifications through CCPDT-KA actually require us to have clients sign contracts prior to any training or behavior modification being completed, as does our business insurance. These contracts also create a mutual understanding between pet parents and trainers, and help to ensure safety, accountability, and transparency.

Why do I have to pay my invoice before my appointment?

Our work for you and your dog begins before our session ever starts, by reading the questionnaire you’ll fill out for us about your dog, and doing the research and planning to ensure a productive session! Additionally, our trainers service as many clients as we can in the greater ABQ region. This means we often have tightly packed schedules booked weeks in advance to accommodate as many pet parents as possible. Requiring payment before your session helps ensure that reserved appointment times are honored and allows us to continue offering individualized training while keeping our schedules fair for everyone.