Frequently Asked Questions

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Helpful Training Tips

  • Keep your training sessions short. Five or ten minutes is enough. Most dogs will make tremendous progress working this way. After a few minutes a day for a few weeks, you will likely find that your dog is ignoring a variety of distractions that you provide in all sorts of locations. If you add this to the three or so hours you’ve already spent, you’ll have invested around six hours, and with excellent results!
  • Don’t despair if your dog needs a slower route. Remember that training is a process where you are developing a deeper bond with your dog. Stay focused on the journey!
  • The clicker training process is a fast fun method of training that you and your dog will really enjoy.
  • You don’t need to have a Ph.D. in animal behavior to understand and apply this sensible and effective training technique.
  • Experience the pride of having taught your dog some useful skills.
  • Reap the daily benefits of living with a well-mannered dog.
  • Your relationship will deepen and your ability to communicate with the dog will also improve.
  • All pet owners can and should feel as much joy living with their own dogs, and I encourage you to explore clicker training to help you reach this goal.

What is Positive Reinforcement?

Adding something the animal will work for to strengthen (increase the frequency of) a behavior. For example, giving the dog a treat for sitting in order to increase the probability that the dog will sit again.

Why puppy kindergarten is so important?

The first 16 weeks of life are a critical learning period for puppies. During this time, social and behavioral patterns are established. For optimum socialization, it is essential that puppies have regular social contact with humans and other dogs.

It’s much better to prevent behaviour problems than modify them. Behaviour is the result of the interweaving of genetics, learning and the environment.

It is quite clear that puppies benefit from appropriate (meaning positive and harmless) socialization. This has been shown to decrease inter-dog reactivity and fearfulness of people, places and situations. (Lindsay 2000, Pageat 2007)

If they are deprived of this contact (as in some kennels or refuges) during the critical period for socialization, there can be severe long-term effects on the ability of the pet to live successfully in a family environment. These dogs are more likely to develop antisocial behavior, and many will eventually be referred to animal behaviorists or contribute to the number of unwanted problem dogs.