Training

Training your dog is an important part of enjoying a happy, healthy, balanced friend!

Our staff and dog trainers work with you to help achieve your training goals from walking on a leash, sit, down, stay and advanced level obedience for therapy dogs, AKC Canine Good Citizen, and overcoming problematic behavioral issues.

Your dog will be the happiest (and you’ll be happy too) when there is a clear understanding of your expectations and boundaries in the house or out for a walk. We utilize a lot of praise, excitement, and fun to get your dog engaged paired with correction for unwanted behaviors. A core foundation of obedience is the stepping stone to managing puppyhood as well as creating confidence in shy or fear aggressive dogs.

We want our dogs to listen to us and understand how to be in our homes or in a public place, but these are expectations of the “human world.” We have to understand that when a dog enters our lives, it is up to us to guide and educate on our way of living. Our approach at PetU to train good behavior or commands (such as sit, stay, come) is to understand how a dog learns and what motivates them. All dogs are different and there is no “cookie cutter” training method. Historically as humans domesticated dogs, we had very specific jobs for very specific breeds. This has changed a great deal over time, yet we must always take into consideration genetic dispositions based on breed and background. It is important to understand that if we do not encourage and teach a dog to look for guidance and feel deeply connected to their human, they will make their own choices as to what their “job” is, and these decisions can lead to unacceptable, destructive, and sometimes harmful behaviors. With these expectations we must also provide high reward and praise for the desired behavior or engagement. As balanced trainers, we condition correction using training tools and collars that provide clarity for correct or incorrect behaviors in a given situation. With the combinations of high praise and reward as well as correction, our furry friends are able to understand their roles in our homes and lead successful, happy lives.