Why don't you use pinch collars, choke collars, or shock collars?

In the past, trainers often used pain to teach dogs. Some still do. Common tools included choke and pinch collars and leash pops (a quick jerk on the leash) were often used in conjunction with these to let a dog know when they did something wrong. Shock collars were also used, and continue to be used by some trainers to teach compliance off leash and to eliminate unwanted behaviors such as barking. As the science of dog training has progressed we have learned more effective methods to teach pets more efficiently and without the use of physical pain. Does pain work to teach dogs? Yes. We all change our behavior to avoid things that scare or hurt us. However, it often comes with unintended consequences and can lead to severe fear or even aggression towards people or other animals. There is no need to use pain to teach your pet and obedience by force doesn’t lead to the bond most pet owners want. Let us show a different way. The success of our methods is proven both in science and in the hundreds of pets we have trained to work in willing partnership with their owners.

What is clicker training?

A clicker is a tool that makes a unique sound which we can utilize in training to let a pet know when they do something correctly. Every click is followed by a reward so pets will work hard to repeat the behaviors they are doing when you click. We use the clicker to communicate with pets when teaching some new behaviors, but once the pet understands a new command the clicker is no longer necessary for that behavior.

Will I always have to carry treats if I teach my dog using positive training?

Absolutely not! We use rewards, including food rewards, to teach dogs new behaviors. While it is important to continue reinforcing your dogs when they do the things you like, once they understand a behavior we can show you how to use other things – like toys or a chance to go sniff that smelly bush – as a reward for good behavior.

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