Trainer Driven Solutions

What does Trainer Driven Solutions look like?

Initial Consultation: a 90 minute session where you and the trainer discuss your reasons for choosing dog training, your goals for your dog and the training process. This is also a time for the trainer to meet your dog and assess if Trainer Driven Solutions is a viable option. We also put management in place to help facilitate the training of your dog. The cost of this service is $200. If your goals and your dog’s willingness to work with the trainer are suitable for this type of service, the trainer will email an invoice for your desired package.

Dog Sessions: 30 minute sessions 3 times a week in your home where the trainer works with your dog, teaching new skills according to the plan discussed at your initial consultation.

Combo Session: a 30 minute session at the end of the week immediately following the third dog session of that week. This is where we chat about your dog’s progress that week and give you helpful ways to interact with your dog until the next session. This is to insure your dog will continue on with their learning and not fall into former habits over the weekend.

Follow Up Sessions: a 30 minute session following the completion of the training sessions. These sessions are to answer any questions about the previous training or to re-demonstrate a particular game or skill. New struggles that have arisen are not covered in these sessions. These are scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time at one per week but this can be flexible. The expiration date of these sessions depends on the package purchased.

Owner Responsibilities

Be present and have dog ready to learn upon trainer arrival
Have several varieties of food and treats available that your dog likes. If the time of your session is near your dog’s meal time, the trainer will use most or all of his meal for training. This is to ensure that your dog will not be getting too many calories with the addition of treats. Also, training with their meal is a great way for the owner to continue their dog’s education.
Allow access to the main living area of the home, inside and outside, so new skills can be learned in a variety of places.
Allow access to the dog’s crate (if dog has a crate) for training purposes.
Provide a bed or blanket for teaching a “boundary”. (Essential for most training)
The owner can observe the training but reserve questions for the Combo Session at the end of the week. This is to ensure that the trainer has as much time as possible to work one on one with your dog.
To practice any skills that the trainer recommends either after a general session or the combo session.
To practice the management techniques that the trainer puts into place either at the initial consultation or during the training sessions. Management is very important for your dog’s success. If your dog learns and practices great skills while working with the trainer but then is allowed to rehearse unwanted behavior the rest of the week, the new skills will not prevail. This will result in confusion for your dog and frustration for you.

Trainer Responsibilities:

To arrive at your home on time and ready to train your dog.
To document the training with photos and videos so that you have a reference for continuing your dog’s training.
To train your dog according to your goals but also to give your dog skills that they need. These skills may or may not be directly related to your immediate goal. For example, if you would like your dog to attend family outings but your dog doesn’t have the optimism or confidence to do this, the trainer will work on optimism and confidence, thus creating a foundation for the future goal of being in novel places. No amount of “training” will create the dog of your dreams without foundations.
We are working with sentient beings, our wonderful dogs! They, like us, are not robots or little machines. There are no guarantees when it comes to training results. The trainer will give your dog the best skills possible based on your dog’s age, breed, genetics, temperament, previous learning and owner participation. The BEST outcomes come from daily owner involvement with their dog’s training, and accepting that training takes time and practice to achieve results. Remember, athletes that go to the Olympics get there because they work hard and practice daily. 10 minutes of training here and there will never get them to their goals.
The trainer will give the owner handouts on each game learned. A written follow up email will also be provided at the end of each week. This will explain what the dog has learned that week and what the owner needs to practice.