What to Expect

I speak personally to every person that calls or email a response to every email I receive, and then we talk. I try to answer the calls and emails the same day you make them, but sometimes I cannot because of my work schedule. If you don't hear from me in a day or so, it's for one of two reasons: either I dialed the wrong number or your phone number did not come out clearly on the answering machine. Please call me back!

These calls usually last about 15 minutes. We ask each other questions to see if we want to work with each other!

Many people ask if other family members can come to either the group training sessions or the private lessons, and the answer is a resounding YES! It's better for everyone to be on the same page with the training.

For Private Sessions or the Combination of Private Sessions and Group Classes

If you would like private sessions or a combination of one private session and the group classes, then we schedule an appointment to our mutual convenience. I will send you at least one questionnaire to fill out, depending on our conversation, so I can get more information on how you and your dog interact. You print out the questionnaire(s), which I glance over at our meeting to get a general idea of the reason for our meeting.

Then I will ask follow-up questions during our meeting and make general recommendations for training and/or behavior modification and also work with your dog and show you how to do whatever training exercises we have time for. Then I will take the questionnaires home and read them more thoroughly and then make more specific recommendations.

When we meet, I show you what to do. It's up to you to follow through. If I recommend five things and you only do one, then the results may not be as good as you hoped. If we are working on aggression issues for either people or dogs, then you do need to be diligent and follow all the recommendations. I don't want you, your dog, other people or dogs, or me to get injured.

People always ask about guarantees and how long it will take to get their dog to where they want him to be -- and, unfortunately, the answer is that I don't know. I'm showing you how to do it. I don't know if you will follow through or if you will do the exercises correctly. I will do the best that I can do and give you all the information that I think is pertinent at our meetings. Please go to the FAQs page for more information.

Children under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult who will be present during the entire training session. I love to work with younger children and give them age-appropriate training exercises. You and I talk about how to integrate your children into your dog's training.

When you take the Manners Magic Lesson

I come to your house and personally work with your dog to show you the exercises so your dog will learn to behave around your house. Then you do them while I watch

For Group Puppy Kindergarten Classes

Group Puppy Kindergarten classes are ongoing, meaning you may start any week. The general format of the class is to introduce everyone and then do the agility course. Then I talk about the topic of the week -- Housetraining or Potty Training, Socialization and Handling, Chewing and Biting, and Puppy Obedience -- and then the puppies PLAY!!! I narrate the play to let you know how to "read" your puppy's body language and know when it's good play and when to intervene. Two puppies play at a time, and all play is on leash and supervised. You learn how to safely interrupt your puppy's play.

Then we either talk about anything you would like to talk about or do some puppy exercises.

Regarding children, they are welcome! Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult who will be present during the entire class. Children under 12 may participate at my discretion, and there needs to be two adults present at all times during class.

For Group Obedience Classes

There are five group Obedience/Manners classes with a specific agenda for each week. The first week, everyone introduces themselves, and I outline what we will be doing for the rest of the first class and the remaining four classes. The general agenda is:

• Week 1 -- Introductory lecture, Getting your dog's Attention, and Sit
• Week 2 -- Down and Stay at the Door
• Week 3 -- Walk next to you or Heel, and Take Treats Gently
• Week 4 -- Stay and Go to Place
• Week 5 -- Come and Leave It

In addition to the regularly scheduled exercises, at some point during the five sessions, we generally do dog/dog walk-by's where your dog learns to ignore another dog that walks next to him.

Regarding children, they are welcome! Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult who will be present during the entire class. Children under 12 may participate at my discretion and there needs to be two adults present at all times during class.

When you take the Little Dog class

We do obedience exercises and talk about safety and other issues that are important to toy and little dogs.

When I come to your house to personally train your dog

At our first session, we will talk to decide what your specific needs are. I will come to your house at least twice a week to train your dog. At various times during the training process, we will meet so I can show you what to do and how to do it. I leave a written summary each week outlining the training session.

When you leave your dog with me for boarding and training

We discuss in phone conversations what you want for your dog's training. I pick up your dog, his toys, bowls, medications, and his crate. Your dog lives with me and my dogs. You send me a nonrefundable deposit of 50% of the board-and-train fee. When I pick up your dog, I collect the remaining 50% of the fee in cash. There is a contract for you to sign which outlines my obligations. Then I bring your dog to my home where he is introduced to my dogs while he is in a crate.

When I am not home, your dog is crated or in an exercise pen. He may interact with my dogs when I think everyone is ready, usually by the second or third day. We do several training sessions per day, and you receive a written log outlining the training sessions.

If your dog needs potty training, then I take him out at the beginning at least eight times per day. As he learns to "hold it," he gets taken out less frequently. Usually when I am potty training a puppy, we work on obedience exercises, too, again doing several sessions per day. You will receive a written log of the potty training, too. Your dog will interact with my dogs and/or have the run of my home when I watch him.

At the conclusion of my training, I return your dog to your house. You have a training session upon your dog's return where I show you how to do the exercises, and then there is another training session a week later where we can work out any problems.

When you leave your dog with me for boarding

During our phone conversation, you reserve a time for boarding. Your dog needs to be crate trained and potty trained. If he is not, then there is an additional fee for each of those.You send me a nonrefundable deposit of 50% of the board-and-train fee, and I send you a contract.

I pick up your dog, his toys, bowls, medications, his crate, and the signed contract. When I pick up your dog, I collect the remaining 50% of the fee in cash. Then I bring your dog to my home where he lives with me and my dogs.

When I am not home, your dog is crated or in an exercise pen. He will have several walks per day and be let out to run around in my home several times a day. He may interact with my dogs when I think everyone is ready, usually by the second or third day.