Some common questions about Dog Virtuoso

Service dogs are in service for approximately 7 – 10 years.  I will work with you & provide guidance for the working life of your service dog! 

Autism Service Dogs, Diabetic Alert Dogs, Seizure Response Dogs & Psychiatric Service Dogs.

Your dog will Love the Physical & Psychological challenge that weight pulling provides.

Dogs feel a sense of purpose when they have a “job” or participate in a sport.

These types of dogs, almost always exhibit fewer behavior problems.  Dogs love to work.

 Tap here for the dog weight pulling exercise system! A tree planted with each purchase.

A dog’s sense of smell is about 30,000 times stronger than ours.  Dogs are born knowing how to find scents.

What we do is coach them in finding the correct scent on command.  This of course leads to their favorite toy etc…  It all starts wth classical conditioning.

Your average pet owner doesn’t understand how a dog’s nose works.  Watch this video to understand how a dog’s nose works.  

Your dog will feel so proud  when he / she finds the right scent.  Scent discrimination work is fulfilling for dogs.

However, don’t believe me.  Instead, believe the look of accomplishment on your dog’s face when he/ she looks at you like:  “Look what I found!”

Interestingly, it’s a great way to tire a high energy dog out.  It’s a psychological challenge and it’s effects are similar to the way people get tired from reading a complicated book.

No—one tin already comes set up with the herb-filled pouch inside, and that’s where you’ll start.
The second tin and the extra pouches are empty on purpose. They’re used later, once your dog clearly understands that finding the scented pouch leads to a reward.
At that point, you can add any dog-safe, non-toxic scent to an empty pouch and begin teaching your dog to discriminate between scents—even when the tins look the same.
This is where the game becomes more advanced, as your dog learns to identify one specific scent and ignore others.

Firstly, I will never use equipment that you are not comfortable with. 

It’s not the tool, it’s how it’s used and how skilled are the hands it’s in. Dentistry tools are inhumane in the wrong hands. 

Few tools are inherently inhumane. However, there is the inhumane usage of tools.

Many trainers do use tools incorrectly which gives a bad name to the tool.  However, a gentle leader can be inhumane if it’s not used properly as well.

At the end of the day, my goal is effective communication with the dog.  

One of the saddest things so to me is that very few people are listening to dogs.  

For example, if you pick a dog up and she starts licking her lips or yawning, how many owners would recognize what that means?  They’re called “calming signals.”

Click here to learn about calming signals.  

Dogs are communicating with us all the time in the form of yawning, lip licking, slow eye blinks, sniffing the ground and more. 

Dogs appreciate it when you learn their language.  When dogs feel listened to, your relationship will reach new depths.  

Authentic dog training is about more than just “commands.”

Don’t all beings yearn to be listened to, understood, validated & respected?

The biggest mistake that dog owners make is that they try to train in the moment that they need training. 

“What do I do when my dog does X?”

What a trainer can do is lift the veil that was preventing the dog from balancing itself.  This is done by giving the dog new experiences.

First we identify your dog’s triggers.  We’ll then design a plan to recreate those triggers in a structured way.

Dogs learn through repetition.  If a dog is aggressive towards other dogs, we’re going to be presenting that trigger over and over until there is a different outcome.

People get frustrated when their dog is reactive.  That energy gets transferred to the dog which doesn’t help.

Dog trainers don’t don’t get flustered when a dog lashes out because we know that the first group of repetitions may not go smoothly.

The dog may be overstimulated and lunge etc…. However, that does  not mean that it has to end in chaos.  

A customized lesson plan will be built based on your dog’s triggers, breed, drive and temperament.

Call today or schedule an assessment. 

Yes, I am certified.  Additionally, I am currently working towards advanced certifications.  There are many different types of certifications for dog trainers.  

I have met great trainers that are not certified.  Certification is not a requirement in the field at this time.  However, there is one great advantage to hiring a certified trainer.

In order to maintain your certification, you must stay up to date in the field.  Canine Education is an evolving field.  Certified Dog Trainers are required to take courses in order to maintain their membership.

Before I was certified, I studied new methods every day.  I still do that but many trainers don’t.  There are some canine professionals that truly feel like they have nothing new to learn.

I’ve met trainers like this.  Due to their past success, they feel like they “have it all figured out.”  Don’t waste your money on trainers like this.  

I learn something new from every dog that I work with.  It shouldn’t just be about making the dog more obedient.  There is a huge benefit in listening to a dog.  Each dog is unique and has something to teach us.

Firstly, the best places to listen to the Podcast is on The Podcast  Page and on Itunes.  The Podcast covers a variey of topics and goes beyond dog training.

The fastest way to get on the podcast is to send me a message.

If you have a dog training question just get in touch with me.  If you’d like to come on as a guest, message me about that also.

Feel Free to Call or Text 24/7/  My phone number is listed on The Contact Page.  You can also send me a message on there.  Let’s talk about your dog’s goals asap!