FAQs

1. What kind of training methods do you use?

My training method prioritizes patience, compassion, and the gradual exposure to new situations. Often, our dogs exhibit undesired behaviors when they experience stress, anxiety, confusion, overstimulation, or a combination of these feelings. The undesired behaviors, which we incorporate into our language of what makes a "bad dog," include: barking (at sounds, people, cars, nothing at all, while in the crate, etc.), jumping on people instead of leaving "four on the floor," growling, hyperactivity, lack of ability to focus, getting into the trash or onto the furniture, pulling while walking on a leash, and many, many more. I focus on breaking up the connection that the dogs have between the "cue" (whatever is causing them stress) and the undesired behavior. Importantly, everything I do is driven by the core question: what does the dog understand? Dogs overwhelmingly understand kindness and trust-building. They are pack animals. During our sessions, I will talk more about our history with dogs as a species, the unique and unexpected characteristics of different breeds, the importance of mutual confidence, how to communicate with your dog, and how to practice extreme patience. Before long, your pup will have a new way of interacting with the world around them and YOU will be able to understand their world a little better, too. My goal: happy tails, happy trails :)

2. How long does it take to train a dog?

Who knows? First of all, I never consider a dog to be fully "trained," just like I'll never consider myself to be "done learning new things." Learning (or training- tomato, ta-mah-to) is a lifelong process. Can I guarantee that your dog will go the rest of its life without exhibiting an undesired behavior? No, of course I can't. But I do guarantee that I will teach you and your dog the strategies to keep them feeling safer, calmer, and more confident as they go about experiencing their world. The more you consistently and clearly reinforce these strategies at home, the fewer sessions it will take for your dog to really understand them. Similarly, if you really commit to learning as much as you can during the sessions, you will quickly pick up on what I mean when I say "see the world through their eyes." Once you can do that, you'll be able to deal with just about any unexpected situation that you and your dog run into because you will both know how to work as a team and achieve amazing results.

And, of course, our pups have their own backgrounds, personalities, habits, and motivations. The amount of time it will take to build a strong learning foundation will depend on your dog's own story. I am committed to working with your schedule and meeting our goals consistently and efficiently. Goals and timelines would be discussed during the Initial Consultation, which is a free session that can last up to 45 minutes and can take place at your home or in a public space, as long as I am able to meet the dog and the person who will be most responsible for enforcing training practices at home.

3. Can you train an older dog?

Sure. A dog's ability to adopt new strategies quickly or slowly depends on many factors, including age. But it would be silly to say that just because a dog is older, it can't learn new things. Dogs are smart and are motivated to please their handlers when they have trust-based relationships. During the Initial Consultation (a free, 45-minute session that will be scheduled prior to training), we will discuss the goals and timelines for your dog, based on your dog's story and personality.

4. What should I bring to the training sessions?

Leash, Collar, Dog Treats, Motivational Item

Your dog either must be wearing a safe collar and leash, or you must be willing to let me use my own materials. I retain full discretion on what I consider to be a safe collar and leash. I do not work with choke collars or shock collars, nor do I guarantee that my training methods would maintain their usefulness if you choose to incorporate these materials at home during or after the training program.

Additionally, I incorporate treats as a reward whenever I can. If you have specific treats you use, or know your dog to have a sensitive stomach, please bring your dog's preferred reward (tiny pieces or can be broken into tiny pieces). Otherwise, I provide a variety of organic, easy-to-digest, non-junk food dog treats that I standardly use to train.

Motivational Item: Some dogs are "toy-motivated". Does your dog constantly bring you a ball? Would your dog, if given the choice, play fetch until they collapsed? Your dog is "toy-motivated." Bring one of their favorite toys to every training session.

5. Do you offer any guarantees for your training services?

I make the following guarantees:

I will provide a safe, enriching learning environment for you and your dog
I will work with you to make a personalized profile for your dog where we track our goals, timelines, expectations, and achievements. Transparency is one of our company's core values. Your valuable investment in this training program can result in a more capable dog and a happier life, and our goal is to be on the same page, every step of the way
Either party can terminate the service contract, at any time, without incurring a fee or future costs. Payment is due at the end of each session, so your account balance will only ever reflect services rendered or a late-cancellation fee
Trails and Tails Dog Training LLC will abide by all provisions agreed upon in service contracts, which will be signed by all parties before any training services will be rendered
All training programs are made with you, your dog, and your family's best interest in mind
I will work passionately to drive clients and dogs toward achieving amazing results

6. How much does it cost to train a dog?

It is typical to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for obedience classes, and private lessons can cost even more. With Trails and Tails Dog Training, the initial consultation is free and training sessions are set at $50 per hour. I believe that all dogs (and all dog owners) deserve PEACE. Have you ever seen a dog have an extreme reaction to seeing a mailman or hearing a doorbell? Have you ever experienced that unique frustration of just wanting to explain, somehow, that it's "just the Amazon guy!" to this silly, barking, four-legged family member? Well, here is the big secret: they would also rather not be stressed out (and barking), but it's extremely difficult to help them break the habit. I can help, and I believe all pet owners deserve that happier lifestyle and less chaotic home. My goal will always be to make major improvements in 10 sessions or less, but effort, communication, and transparency will ultimately determine the rate of your dog's progress.

7. What kind of results can I expect from your training program?

Happy ones. If you abide by the terms of the service agreement, enforce training practices at home, and put an honest effort into building the happier lifestyle for you and your dog, you can expect to have a better understanding of your dog's world and communication style. Your dog will be exposed to the concept of making good, better, and best choices and I will teach you to shape their behavior to better suit your lifestyle. An example: do you live in an urban area and need to walk your dog, but struggle with the dog pulling while walking or lunging at unexpected times? Then we will structure sessions around walking calmly, and the result will be a dog more capable of being exercised, which will also improve behaviors at home. Another example: is your family growing and you're worried about your pup destroying the kid's toys that will inevitably be littering the house soon? Let's teach them the difference between what is theirs and what isn't, and let's do it in a way that prioritizes patience, kindness, confidence, and communication. What results do I expect? Happy tails and happy trails.

8. Do you offer any follow-up support after the training is complete?

Yes. You're going to hear me say this a lot: learning is a lifelong process. Initial training programs should include a series of multiple sessions in relatively quick succession (weekly, bi-weekly, or a custom schedule), but as long as Trails and Tails Dog Training continues to exist, I will strive to be an available resource to my clients. Clients are encouraged to email or engage through social media with questions. If quick and easy answers are available, I'll respond as soon as I can with the information I can offer. If we decide a follow-up session is the best way to go, then we will work to accommodate your schedule and needs. Our lives change ALL THE TIME and we usually have to learn something new to deal with new situations- we're always adapting, and our pets can, too! But sometimes they need a refresher or help coming up with a strategy to deal with a life change. Trails and Tails Dog Training is here to help and here for you.

9. What kind of experience do your trainers have?

Currently, I (Kate) am the only trainer associated with Trail and Tails Dog Training. I have been raising puppies and working with future-service dogs consistently for the past 6 years, including raising three puppies from 5 months or younger all the way through to maturity and preparedness for professional training. While Trails and Tails Dog Training is my first venture as a professional dog trainer, I have worked with dozens of dogs, from a variety of breeds and backgrounds and have had many successes. I am happy to talk more about my qualifications and training methods at an Initial Consultation, which is a free, 45-minute session that is reservable by appointment.

10. Do you offer any specialized training programs for specific breeds or behavior issues?

Every dog associated with Trails and Tails Dog Training will have a personalized profile that clearly lays out our expectations, goals, agreed achievements, and communications. This profile is available to the client and updated every session. I do not preemptively exclude any dog based on breed alone. However, I am not qualified to address violent or violently aggressive behavior from any dog (or client). There is a difference between a dog that growls at a stranger because it is nervous and a dog that is conditioned to be aggressive, regardless of its emotional state. Dogs should only ever be treated with kindness, compassion, and love, and I am unfortunately not qualified to address the full range of issues that can exist within a pet. However, I pledge to meet every dog individually and provide you with an honest assessment of my ability to address their/your needs.