Frequently Asked Questions

Do you use positive reinforcement in your training?

Absolutely!  We love using rewards like treats, toys, play, affection, and exercise to reward our dogs for good behaviors.  We strive to create dogs who find obedience to be fun and fulfilling, even in the highest distraction environments.  We love using as much positive reinforcement as possible in our training.  If you would like to know more, reach out to schedule a free phone consultation.

Do you do boarding and training?

Yes we do!  For clients needing overnight care, we offer our Sleep Away Camp in which your dog stays with us from Monday morning to Friday afternoon.  At the end of the week, we will teach you how to reinforce all that we taught them the previous week.

If you need your dog watched or trained on the weekends as well, we have dog sitters and trainers we can refer you to who will take care of the weekends.

Do you do off leash training? 

We love nothing more than getting dogs off leash trained and believe that training your dog to be leash free is one of the greatest gifts you can give to them.  Not only do we do off leash training at our training facility, but we also are available to take your dog to dog parks, hikes, and the beach to master their off leash skills in these highly distracting environments.  Whether you would like to use a clicker, treats, toys, a long line, or an electric collar, we are here to take the approach you and your dog are most comfortable with.  For additional information, please reach out to us for a free phone call to discuss your off leash training needs.

Do you use electronic collars or remote collars?

Yes we do! We use remote collars with clients and dogs that prefer it to a long line, or like the added safety when they are hiking or off leash in other high distraction places.  When we do train with the remote collar, we use a tremendous amount of positive reinforcement so that we not only have a dog who is obedient off leash, but we have a happy and confident dog as well.  For additional information, please reach out to us for a free phone call to discuss your remote collar training needs.

Do you help with puppy socialization?

Certainly!  We help our clients socialize their young dogs both on and off of our training facility.  We love to teach young dogs how to socialize with people, dogs, and other household pets as well.  Whether you have a shy dog or one that is overly confident, we are certain they will find our socialization process to be one that brings out the best in them.  For additional information, please reach out to us for a free call to discuss your socialization needs.

Do you help with potty training?

 We certainly can help with the potty training process, which we know can be really hard for some dogs to master.  We understand that this can be one of the most challenging things to overcome and as such we will work closely together with you to ensure success.  Whether it is a young puppy just needing to learn the basics of potty training or an older dog who is mildly to severely confused about where the bathroom is, we can help.  For additional information, please reach out to us for a free phone call to discuss your potty training needs.

Do you help with crate training?

 We certainly can help with the crate training process, which we know can be really hard for some dogs to master.  We believe that crate training is a fundamental tool to success when it comes to training our dogs. Whether it is a dog that cannot stay quiet in the crate or a dog that cannot help but escape from the crate, we can help your dog learn to love their crate time.  For additional information, please reach out to us for a free phone call to discuss your crate training needs.  

Do you do clicker training?

We absolutely love clicker training dogs!  Clicker training a dog is our favorite way to start dogs out on their training journey, and a practice that we suggest all pet parents do with their dogs.  We have used clicker training to both train puppies and help rehabilitate even dogs with severe aggression, anxiety, and reactivity.  If you have any interest in clicker training your dog with us, please reach out for a free phone call to find out more.

Do you do behavior modification?

Yes we do!  We have had a very high success rate when working with even the most challenging of cases.  We have helped numerous clients and dog with behaviors such as human aggression, aggression towards children, dog aggression, insatiable prey drive, resource guarding, and separation anxiety.  Even with the most severe cases, we find that a balanced approach of positive reinforcement, structure, biological fulfillment, consequences, and training and educating the owner can make even the most challenging dogs much easier and safer to handle.  In many cases, we see behaviors that dogs and their humans struggle with become a distant memory as the dog reaches full rehabilitation. 

Do you do separation anxiety training?

Yes we do!  We understand that this behavior can often be one of the most challenging behaviors to address and we pride ourselves in having a very high success rate with even the most severe cases we have come across.  Whether you have a puppy who cries and barks in the crate or an older dog who displays severe anxiety once you have left their sight, we can help.  As always, we will work closely together with you to address this concern in whatever way you and your dog are most comfortable with.  For additional information, please reach out to us for a free phone call to get started in addressing your dog’s separation anxiety. 

Do you do reactive dog training?

Yes we do!  Our team has extensive experience owning, rescuing, and rehabilitating reactive dogs.  Whether it is a dog reactive dog, human reactive dog or a dog who reacts to skateboards, bikes or children, we are here to help.  Regardless if the dog began displaying this behavior for years, or they only began displaying it recently, through working closely together with you as a team, we will ensure success!  For additional information, please reach out to us for a free phone call to get started in addressing your dog’s reactivity.

Do you do aggressive dog training?

Yes of course!  Our master trainer actually began his path as a dog trainer rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming severely aggressive dogs from the local shelters.  Since that time, we have worked together with countless clients to help them stop minor to severe aggression in their dogs.  Whether your dog is dog aggressive or human aggressive, we are here to help not just stop the aggression but to help your dog become happy and fulfilled as well.  For additional information, please reach out to us for a free phone call to get started in addressing your dog’s aggression.

Do you do dog daycare?

Yes we do!  Our 9am - 5pm Day Care is not just a place for your dog to play with their friends or have amazing off leash adventures; it is also a place for them to practice being a well behaved dog.  Proper socialization, manners, obedience, and chill time are all reinforced with your dog throughout the day.  This ensures that not only will they return to you tired and fulfilled, they will also obey you as well.  All dogs will need to be enrolled in training with us or be determined by our staff to be well socialized and obedient in order to attend our Day Care.

Do you do grooming?

No we do not groom, but we are happy to help your dog enjoy being groomed!  We can help your dog become more comfortable with ear cleaning, teeth brushing, nail trimming, bathing and clipping.  We would love to help set your dog up for success at all their future grooming appointments!

Do you do group classes? 

Yes we do!  For clients that have a good foundation of training and are looking to build on that foundation, we offer small group classes.  These group classes give you and your dog a chance to practice around other teams of dogs and their owners.  In addition, it gives you a chance to see us work with other dogs who may be struggling with the same things that your dog struggles with.  If you have not done any training with us but believe your dog may be ready for group classes, please schedule a free phone call so we can find out if it’s the right fit for you. 

Do you do doggie boot camp?

Yes we do!  For serious behavior cases that are in need of a deep reset, we run extensively structured 24 hour a day programs where we teach dogs about boundaries, obedience, and consequences. We do not technically call them “boot camps” however, because we include a lot of fulfillment, positive reinforcement, socialization, and relationship building even with the most problematic of dogs.

Do you do service animal training?

Yes we do!  With the right dog we can do service animal tasks such as opening doors, retrieving objects, pulling a wheelchair, and creating space in a crowd.  For advanced service animal training such as seizure alert dog, diabetic alert dog, or PTSD service animal training we suggest clients contact TaylerMade Training in Lompoc.

Are you a dog Behaviorist?

Yes, we would consider ourselves to be dog behaviorists as we do deeply understand dog behavior.  Communicating to dogs in the way that they communicate to one another is in essence what a dog behaviorist does.  Without the overuse of food, leashes, or other training tools a dog behaviorist is able to help improve the lives of the vast majority of dogs and their humans through helping them improve their communication.  We pride ourselves on being the most knowledgeable trainers in our area when it comes to the various methods we can demonstrate to our clients. 

Are you a Veterinary Behaviorist?

We are not.  A veterinary behaviorist possesses a veterinary license but focuses primarily on the diagnosis of behavior in animals.  They are able to assess if behavior is due to genetic or neurological conditions.  Legally they are able to prescribe medication for client’s pets who are exhibiting behavior problems such as aggression, anxiety, or reactivity.  We have found great results when such medications are used in conjunction with an effective training and rehabilitation protocol.

 Are you a dog whisperer?

According to many, we are!  Often times, clients and members of the public comment this when they see us working with dogs.  They are very aware that without saying anything or even seeming to do anything the dogs simply follow our lead.  It is through mastering the non-verbal communication inherent in dog socialization that one becomes a dog whisperer.  That being said, the term “Dog Whisperer” was coined by an amazing trainer named “Cesar Milan” who eventually came to operate the hit television show “The dog Whisperer”

What do you think about the work Cesar Milan? 

We love the work and legacy of Cesar Milan and believe that he may have helped many people through his hit television show “The Dog Whisperer.”  He was one of the first trainers to be brave enough to show their work in entirety even when working with very challenging or even dangerous dogs.  On the show, Cesar Millan not only emphasized the need to train our dogs, but also the need for us to change our behavior if we wish our dogs to change.  Along with the television show, Cesar Millan went has written many books, one of which is “Lessons from the Pack” which we recommend to anyone looking to improve their relationship with their dog. 

What areas do you service?

We service all areas near Santa Barbara, CA. This includes Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Montecito, Goleta, Summerland, and Ojai as the areas where we are able to have a trainer come to you.  Other areas would require that you come to see us or we do training via video chat.