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Please read through this informational.
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Tools we use
Please note that for private lessons, there will be a crate training unit. If you are against crating, my program will not be for you. CRATE The crate is THE safest place for your dog or puppy when you are away from home, asleep at night or otherwise unable to fully supervise them. It also is a great place to feed them and can be a quiet retreat for them anytime. We highly recommend crate training your dog or puppy for the simple fact that dogs are den animals and it is incredibly natural for them to seek tight, cozy quarters to rest and relax. All dogs who come to ACSquared for Board and Train must be crate trained. If your dog is new to the crate or it’s been a while since they were crate trained...start today! Crate anxiety can slow down your dog’s progress with us, so we ask that you begin conditioning your dog to the crate at least 2 weeks prior to starting one of our programs. If your dog has problems adjusting to the crate, let us know! The crate only needs to be big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around and lay down. Be sure to house your dog or puppy in a crate appropriate for its current size, not for its anticipated adult size. A crate that is too big may encourage your dog or puppy to soil on one end of the crate and sleep on the other. I require that all dogs either be in the crate prior to my arrival for a meet and greet and on place or in the crate prior to my arrival for a lesson. PLACE BED A solid Place command is hands down the greatest household management tool! When your dog is laying peacefully on the place bed, they’re NOT running around the house, eating things off the floor, underfoot, charging the front door, jumping on the furniture, marking in the house, antagonizing the kids/other pets -- they’re relaxing and letting the world go by. The Place command offers a wide variety of benefits, but most importantly it gives you the peace of mind of knowing what, where and how your dog is doing. Additional benefits include, a calmer state of mind, less anxiety, more confidence, and more impulse control. You can not put a price on that! SLIP LEAD The slip lead leash and collar in one. The concept of pressure and release is essential in dog training. The collar portion of the lead contracts as the leash is pulled. The dogs learn that they are in control of the tension. We use this concept of pressure and release to guide our dogs directionally and for corrections. Prong collars are used for those that need just a little more help dog and owners alike. PET CONVINCER When we catch dogs in the act of an unwanted behavior, we need to interrupt the behavior SOMEHOW. Most of the time, your words are NOT ENOUGH. Your dog is more than likely responding to the emotional charge behind your voice and not the actual word "NO". Remember, in order for the dog to fully understand the value of the word "NO", SOMETHING has to be paired with it that makes it uncomfortable enough that it motivates the dog not to repeat the behavior in the future. This is why we use leash guidance (pops or tugs) and/or e-collar stim. The Pet Convincer is a can of compressed air that when activated, releases a loud hissing sound. For most dogs, this is uncomfortable to their ears. Pair this, with the word "NO" to help your dog understand that they are executing an undesired behavior. Not to be used with teaching commands, but general household actions, such as nonsense in the crate, barking, whining, jumping on furniture and/or people. You can also use this to deter other reactive dogs while on walks FOOD Food is a great motivator! Most dogs like to have yummy treats! A really good way to teach new commands and begin the reinforcement process is with food. Keep everything light and positive. Use their daily kibble to train new commands. By having them work for their food, you are teaching them that their food is a valuable reward and in turn, you create a stronger bond with your dog! PRONG COLLAR Prong collars give us the opportunity to communicate in a language the DOG understands. Prong collars serve as a way for us to guide your dog directionally in training. Upward pressure means Sit, downward pressure means Down, and so on. They are one of THE most HUMANE tools we can ever put on a dog! Prong collars are actually designed NOT to harm dogs. Regular collars, gentle leaders, choke chains, and harnesses can actually cause a significant amount of harm and discomfort to the dog wearing them. Whereas prong collars distribute even pressure all the way around the dog’s neck instead of directly on the throat. We use only Herm Sprenger prong collars imported from Germany because they use high quality metal and also the round tips of each prong, adding even more comfort to the dog. BEFORE PURCHASING A PRONG COLLAR, PLEASE ASK ABOUT WHICH SIZE TO USE. REGULAR CLIP LEASHES ARE USED WITH THE PRONG COLLAR E-COLLAR/REMOTE COLLAR The E-collar has become the love my life! We use the ET-300TS Mini Educator E-collar from E-collar Technologies. We have a deep appreciation and admiration for this technology because it opens up a world of possibility for dogs and their owners. E-collar technology is very similar to TENS unit technology in that it stimulates the muscle along the dog’s neck and communicates with them in a way they understand: pressure and release. We teach all our basic obedience on the slip lead or prong collar FIRST and then layer the E-collar over the commands they learned. We spend a lot time conditioning your dog to the sensation of the E-collar (which in the learning stages feels like a slight tickle, barely perceivable) and teaching each dog fairly and thoroughly. Conditioned and practiced over and over again and the E-collar literally becomes an invisible leash -- OFF LEASH freedom in and outside of the house! The E-collar gives you leverage to make all of the commands NON-NEGOTIABLE! You’re able to whisper or SHOUT to get your dog’s attention when necessary and depending on the situation. The tools we use enable us to speak to our dogs despite what is happening around them, how far away they are from us and helps us teach them to hold commands (like Place and Down) for long periods of time. PLEASE NOTE: A MEET AND GREET IS REQUIRED BEFORE PROGRAM IS DECIDED ON AND CONTRACT IS SIGNED. INCLUDED TOOLS (as noted by program) * 30-foot clip leash * 6-foot clip leash * Slip leash or slip collar * E-Collar Technologies Mini Educator E-Collar * Herm Sprenger Prong Collar (as needed) * Place bed |
Lola - Adopted out 2019
I trained her for a local rescue. 
Celeste - One of my littermate girls.
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