A message from your trainer regarding dogs and life with dogs and the training offered.

Anyone can train a dog -- yes anyone!  It's not hard to teach a dog to sit, lie down, shake hands, stay or do other things for the human. The training I offer isn't "just" obedience training but RELATIONSHIP training for you and your dog. 
I will teach you:
  • How to gain your dog's trust and respect
  • How to be your dog's protector
  • How to be your dog's leader
  • How to listen to and communicate with your dog
  • We will learn obedience commands however obedience commands WITHOUT trust and respect if futile.

So you say your dog does trust and respect you?  How do you know? What tells you this? You may be surprised to find out that what you THINK is trust and respect may be the exact opposite.
Does your dog go to you everytime you call it or does it get close enough for comfort then take off again?
Does your dog nip you or others without warning?
Does your dog become shy or is it skittish around others?
Can you do anything you want (not harmful of course) to your dog without your dog protesting?

The training I offer is nothing like any other training in the Tri-Parish area. YES you will have to work with your dog. NO dogs are not self-trained. YES I can train your dog for you but then it won't listen to you.  YOU live with your dog, not me so YOU and your dog need to work on your relationship TOGETHER.  A relationship with your dog is like any other relationship in your life -- it's built on trust, love, respect and it's EARNED.  No relationships in life happen without work -- not with your spouse, kids, God, boss or others in your life -- including your pets.

My advanced classes are solely only for my clients who have completed the basic obedience class with me because without the basics of trust and respect you and your dog cannot move forward. This is like trying to build a house without a slab or foundation.  You try to build but it constantly falls apart.  Some of my clients who complete basic class will repeat the basic class to make sure the foundation is strong if they want to go to advanced training. Please trust me -- the bond you will build with your dog with the training and earning trust and respect is a bond that cannot be broken or purchased -- it's earned.  To see a dog look at it's owner trusting it with all that it is to me is one of the most precious forms of love and communication.  Such as this picture:




























 











This picture was taken on graduation day of our basic obedience class.  This client has a very stubborn, hard headed "want my own way" dog that was a free roamer on the streets most of it's puppy life so when she rescued him from the streets the last thing he wanted to do was listen to her.  Please look at the eye contact above!  Believe me this dog DID NOT want to look at her, respect her or trust her -- it was against his being of what he had developed into. Together as a team we worked to help him relax and trust her to be his guardian and with that came his trust, respect, devotion, love.  She EARNED this from her dog! His actions and the look on his face says it all!

Will training be easy to get my dog to trust and respect me and listen to me?  Maybe or maybe not -- all depending on you, the owner.  There are no simple fixes. If so many dogs wouldn't be turned over to kill shelters for what we humans call "bad behavior" but to the dog is very normal.  If you are looking for an easy quick fix I'm sorry but it doesn't exist.  This is NOT to say that it won't be easy to fix your problem with your dog -- we won't know until we try.  Some are instant, some take work. No dog is the same just like no person or child is the same.  If you have a dog in your life that is "challenging" you and you are saying to yourself "I never had one like this before" then please come to my classes!  THERE IS A REASON YOU ARE READING THIS NOW! I believe all animals of the world are God's creatures with a special message to teach us and the world.  I BEG YOU please don't give up on your dog.  Your dog needs you to teach it about this human world and human lifestyle.  If you needed your dog he or she wouldn't give up on you!

With that said, I leave you with this verse from the Bible: 
"But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.  Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this, In whose hand is the very life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?"   JOB 12:7-10 

Do you know the answer to that question above?   See you soon! 

Blessings to you and your pets,
Cathy Stephens, ABCDT