Training Philosophy

My training philosophy begins and ends with positive training methods. I believe in rewards- based training and positive reinforcement. I believe that in addition to being our pets’ care takers, we are also their teachers. And just like an elementary school teacher wouldn't use pain or fear to teach her students, I feel that a dog owner shouldn't use pain or fear to teach their dog.

I am against the use of physical punishment, alpha rolls, shock collars (including invisible fences), choke collars, and prong collars. I am also against the heavy use of spray bottles. I feel that "spray bottle training" is often ineffective, especially when used long-term.  I believe that training tools like bitter apple and double-sided sticky tape can be beneficial while training an animal. However, I believe that these tools should only be used as a deterrent alongside appropriate alternatives. They should never be used as a punishment (for example, bitter apple should never be sprayed directly into the mouth as a punishment)!

I do not believe in alpha-dominance theory. I believe that dogs are not wolves and humans are not dogs. I believe firmly that fear and intimidation have no place in training an animal. Instead, I believe that effective communication, positive reinforcement, and trust are the keys to training an animal.

I believe in effective time-outs. I believe in giving our animals a chance to have a mental break, to unwind and try again later. I believe in ignoring or redirecting unwanted behaviors, rewarding desired behaviors, and setting our animals up for success.