Frequently Asked Questions

Will my dog lose their personality if I send them to train with you for two weeks?

No. This is the most common question we receive before a dog enters training, and if you are feeling this, we understand your concern. We will not change your dog's personality, but instead we will make them more confident, which will allow their personality to come out for you. All the while they become more obedient, and controllable.

If I choose to enter my dog into the Board and Train program, will they be upset to be away from me for so long?

In short... yes. But, when your dog comes to me, they are going to be so busy with training that they really have to much to think about to miss home. It is their equivalent to a student entering Harvard and who only has two weeks to obtain their law degree. The training is very intense and will consume all of their time and energy. When they return to you they will immediately remember you and be ready to start their new lives with you happier and more balanced than before.

Do you offer a refund if training does not work?

While we can't offer a monetary refund, we do stand 100% behind our training. The success of the programs depend not only on us performing our job correctly, but on the owner following up on the homework and rules that we lay out for them. Since we have no way of knowing if our clients are following through with what we tell them, we cannot offer a refund; however, we do offer a Lifetime Guarantee. This means that we will continue to work with owners who are working hard, and following my recommendations for as long as it takes. Restrictions apply.

Will you provide my dog with food while they are in training?

The price of the program is all inclusive. It includes the price of food, but if you prefer we will keep your dog on his current food if you bring it with him (we actually recommend that you do, as it's easier on their stomach). We use Premium Edge dog food for Board and Train  dogs and our personal dogs. If you choose to bring your own dog food the price remains the same.

What do I need to provide you with when I drop him off for the Board and Train (IKT)?

Medicine, food, current shot records, the completed registration form, and, if applicable, the electric collar that you purchased previous to training. (Electric collars may also be shipped directly to us previous to the start of training)

Is my dog too old for training?

The sooner you start to train your dog the better off they will be. Unfortunately, the tendency of pet owners is that of a wait and see mentality- "Let's wait and see if he is going to be a good dog or not". It is always better to train a dog before a problem arises and habits are formed. No matter the age of the dog- they can be trained. The problem is that an older dog will have their habits more deeply ingrained, it will take longer to train them, and they may slip back (default) to an old behavior when put under stress/distraction. The question I pose to you is this- "Is it a worthwhile investment to you, to have your dog trained when they are that old and they may not live that much longer?" With a puppy you are investing in a lifetime of happiness and a much lower of level of stress by having them trained. As they age you may not want to spend as much money simply because their life span is not that great.

Why did my dog start biting? We've had him for years and we have never seen any form of aggression before?

99.9% of the time aggression is caused by fear (fear that a dog will bite him, fear that you are going to take his bone...); however, in our experience, aggression is not something that truly happens overnight. Most owners when asked to recall past behaviors will be able to relate to us incidents which lead up to the first time they bit someone. A dog who is protective of food, a toy, or certain locations (the couch, their kennel, under the bed...) need to be taught immediately that acting aggressively is not acceptable. These are the initial signs that a dog will become aggressive in the future. If your dog is exhibiting this behavior contact us immediately.  It is very difficult to teach a dog who has already bitten that it is wrong to do so, and the majority of pet owners wait too long to seek out professional guidance. The longer this goes on, the greater the chance that you will not be able to fix this behavior.

Why don't you sell the electric collars?

I truly believe that electric collars are not only safe, but also one of the most effective and humane training tools available today. If I personally sold them, I'm afraid that my support of them may be interpreted as salesmanship. In order to encourage as many people to purchase this tool as possible I have decided not to sell them at this time.  This method works very well, and my customers who have purchased electric collars have been very pleased.

I have been told that Board and Training (IKT's) don't work because the dog will listen to the trainer, but not to the owners upon returning back home. Is this true?

For every rumor, there is normally some bit of truth within, and this is no different. While IKT's provide the fastest training solution for owners and their pets, there must be a turnover period when the owner assumes the leadership role. We have carefully crafted a program for our clients that eliminates this concern. All IKT's include one group class that covers dog psychology 101, two private turnover lessons, and written homework/instructions for you to ensure that you can be successful.

Will you come to my home for private lessons?

Of course!  Depending on where you are in relation to us, we encourage private lessons in your home, so we can work on specific issues that you are having, where you're experiencing them.  We typically will travel up to 20 minutes one way from Columbia, Maryland to meet clients in their home.

What can I expect my dog to learn in your group class?

Group classes are designed to teach you how to train your dog.  Our goal is to teach how to problem solve, so you can train your dog for real world scenarios...  not just how to sit in a quiet room without distraction.  To do that you have to understand how your dog thinks, so we start every group class with a lesson in dog psychology (no dogs are allowed for this class to make sure you can learn without distractions).  Make sure to bring something to write with to these classes... there's a lot of information we need you to retain.

Group Level 1 (Positive Direction):  This is the teaching phase for your dog, which means no corrections for this level.  We use a lot of treats, praise, and love along with prompting with a leash to show our dogs what we want them to do.  People join this class to get their dogs started in obedience, socialized with other dogs, to teach them the basic commands (sit, down, come, walk on a loose leash), and to learn how to teach their dog.

Group Level 2 (Balanced Motivation):  This class sets us apart from other organizations.  Our concept of Balanced Motivation works to teach your dog in a black and white method, that leaves no doubt what you want them to do.  You can expect this to greatly increase the relationship that you have with your dog.  Level 2 enforces what your dog learned in Level 1 to make the commands reliable around distraction.  People join this class to teach their dog to pay attention to them around high levels of distraction, to heel (walk beside them, and watch them), to get them to sit and lay down for long periods of time at far distances, and much more.

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