Dog Training

I got my start in the dog business socializing pitbulls (heck of a way to start). To this day the majority of my dog training jobs are still aggression training and potty training. These seem to be the two things that most often push owners to the ends of their ropes and force them to either seek help or give up their dogs.

7 of the 12 dogs above were "aggresive"
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Besides the 2hr in-home consultation, when I train your dog your dog will come and live with our pack in my home while he/she is being trained. It takes approximately 1 week for basic dog obedience training and 2+ weeks for aggression or potty training. Dogs must live with me for the duration of their training, they may not return home until training is completed.

As I tell all of my clients, the only reason I am taking your dog and training it in my home is to prove "your dog is not the problem". I have realized that most of my clients have reservations about whether their dog can actually change and if they can change, to what extent? Being a dog trainer and having seen many cases most likely worse than yours end up with great results, my expectations of what your dog can and will achieve are simply much higher. When your dog returns home a completely "different dog" you will realize anything is possible and will be more inclined to have an open mind about what is possible with your dog.

Your dog will "stay" in your livingroom for a few seconds, but will he/she do it at the dog park with other dogs around?
(click on the pic to enlarge)

I would like to talk about the methods of dog training that I use. I heard another Los Angeles dog trainer once describe himself as a "moderate" rather than an "extremist". I like to think of myself as a "moderate" as well. In the dog trainer world there seems to be two major catigories or types of dog trainers, neither of which seem to like or respect the other.

• Leash and Collar Trainers This method involves teaching a dog something and then giving the dog a correction with the leash when the dog disobeys or does not do what is expected of them. Corrections may vary from mild to harsh.
  This method is seen by the group below as militant, oppressive, harsh, and mean.
• Reward Trainers This method involves giving the dog a treat each time it displays a desired behavior or obeys a command. Treats may be food, toys, verbal ques like "good dog", or the sound of a clicker.
  This method is seen by the group above as ineffective in real world situations and limited in their ability to solve different types of problems.

I believe both methods have their place in dog training, and for the majority of dogs a good balance of the two approaches usually produce the best results. But I am also well aware when there are times and personalities which one or other of the methods will be totally ineffective and would probably make things worse.