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One of our goals at Family Pet Consultants is to answer as many of your questions as possible. This page was developed to answer some preliminary questions you may have about dog training and our services at Family Pet Consultants. Please contact us if your question is not answered below. |
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What methods will you use to train my dog? Family Pet Consultants uses the principles of operant conditioning, particularly positive reinforcement, in our training classes. All of Family Pet Consultants’ courses use clicker training to teach new behaviors to our students. It's clear to them what they're doing right, and they get a chance to earn rewards such as food treats, favorite toys, and attention and praise through their own actions. Another session will be scheduled. All training must be completed within two months of the first session. Payment can be made online or by mailing a check or money order to Family
Pet Consultants. How do you use treats in your training? We use treats in combination with
clicker training. Soft treats cut up
into very small pieces work best for training because they can be eaten quickly. Some foods that can be used as training
treats include tiny pieces of roast beef, cheese, turkey, liver, etc. (1/4 of
1” around) No biscuits, please. Avoid
feeding your dog a minimum of 4 hours before each session so your dog will be
highly motivated to earn that treat! If I train with food, will my dog work without food? Your dog will eventually work without food. When training a dog to learn a new behavior each behavior that the dog performs correctly is rewarded. Once a new behavior is learned, we teach you how to pair the food reward with praise and then “fade” the food reward, so you rely less on treats and more on praise. We still use treats occasionally to reward well-established behaviors in order to maintain those behaviors. What if my dog is not motivated by food? Most dogs will work for especially tasty food rewards. Have treats available that your dog really likes. You may even use a special treat only used during training. If your dog is truly not motivated by food, petting or other ways of immediate rewards may be used. Do you offer board-and-train or “boot camp” training? Family Pet Consultants does not offer board-and-train or “boot camp” style training. It is important for you to participate in the training process and to know what methods are being used to train your dog.
No, this would be unethical. Animals are living creatures, not inanimate machines. No one can ever completely understand, predict, or control their behavior. However, we will work with you to the best of our ability to help you change your pet's behavior. Because you work with your pet, results also depend on your behavior.
Yes, using clicker training, being consistent and dedicated you can successfully train an older dog. If
I observe a behavioral change in my pet, should I see my veterinarian
before I see you? |