Nate Dog Training

Alex, you originally reached out to me with complaints that your dog pulls on the walk, lunges out at other dogs, barks at guests, can’t socialize with other dogs, can’t behave in public, and is generally difficult. I informed you during our phone consultation that my approach is to teach the owners how to train their dogs, and that I do not train the dogs directly. I asked you for confirmation that you understood it would be your responsibility to train your dog with the educational information that I would provide, and you did. When I met you and your dog at our first session, not only did I see all the negative behavior you described, I also witnessed him whine intensely at me and my pack for an entire 15 minutes before he was even calm enough to approach us. It was clear that your dog’s distress prevented him from socializing with other dogs. However, I was able to have your dog peacefully meet my pack, which was a major win for him. Now your dog has a positive association to meeting other dogs— a value that could last his lifetime. That session was also to teach you how to make the walk better. As we walked together, I educated you on how dogs perceive their world and how to communicate with them so that they follow your lead. I made recommendations on specific collars and leashes and gave you a daily routine to follow. The understanding was that you would take what I taught you, apply it, and see progress by the 2nd session. At the 2nd session, you admitted that you had not yet implemented the leash or collar I recommended, nor followed the training. Your dog’s behavior affirmed this for me. Without your participation we were unable to progress the next stage of training. So, I reviewed everything from the first session, and for added value, I brought you to the park near your home to train recall using a 50 ft. leash. Your dog was able to roam freely in a 50 ft zone for the first time and was clearly happy about it. He also received the value of socializing with my pack again. You agreed to have the gear by the 3rd session and to apply the strategies I gave you. Our 3rd session was to train for behavior in public. I witnessed you allow your dog to pull hard as you were crossing the parking lot—a behavior I specifically taught you to correct and not permit. I also learned that you still had not implemented the leash or collar I recommended, you weren’t following the daily routine, nor applying the corrections I taught you. That means that for the 3 weeks between session 1 and session 2, you were not doing your part. We reached an unnecessary plateau, and your dog was still without relief. It was as though session 3 was the first time we met; your dog was still anxious, obsessive, not listening, dominant, and in a constant state of hypervigilance. My approach has been successful with thousands of dogs because I teach in steps so that progress is made week to week. When a dog isn’t making progress, it is typically because the dog hasn’t been practicing/learning new behaviors at home. You confirmed twice for me that you understood it would be your responsibility to apply the program between sessions. But you didn’t. Your dog’s behavior proved that. And my heart just melted for your dog. My demeanor changed because I felt frustration that you did not keep up your end of our agreement. Had you been applying the system and following my expert recommendations, your dog would be in a much better state right now. And that would have granted us the opportunity for him to play with other dogs and go out to public settings, which is what you originally wanted for him. Changing a dog’s behavior requires a commitment to the dog’s mental well-being, and a devotion to consistency in the training program. When a dog owner does that, they’ll see dramatic improvement.

Thanks Laureen!

Thanks Elizabeth

Thanks Kiana

Thanks Ruth !