Frequently Asked Questions
We often receive questions along the same lines so we’ve tried to summarise the most commonly asked ones here.
If there’s a question we haven’t answered, feel free to contact us and we can discuss.
Do you use food or toys when you train?
Yes, we use both food and toys with every dog we train, but probably not the same way you’re used to doing at home or with other trainers. We will show you how to use food and toys to best effect with your dog.
I have tried other trainers before and didn’t get the results I wanted – what makes you different and more effective??
We are often the last stop after clients have been through several trainers.
Does my dog need to be vaccinated?
Absolutely. It’s essential that every dog in our care is fully vaccinated or has an up to date titre test showing a good level of immunity to all the diseases covered by standard vaccines (Parvovirus, Distemper, Parainfluenza virus and Adenovirus). A Kennel Cough vaccine is NOT required.
Will I get to see my dog during Residential Training?
It’s unlikely. We find that in most cases it’s best if we can work with your dog through the training and transformation process without the emotional responses that your dog will associate with you. Often this can be counter productive to what we’re trying to achieve.
Occasionally for those dogs in our 6+ week programs it’s necessary to effect a transition back home and your dog may come home for weekends or short stays before fully returning to your care.
I can’t enjoy walking my dog in public. The pulling, lunging, barking, growling makes my life a misery. Can you fix this??
We consistently get fantastic results with all levels of issues, from mild pulling and disobedience, to dog reactivity.
What happens if I don’t get the results I want from the training? Is there a guarantee??
There are many factors in play to create and maintain a well mannered well behaved balanced dog, including a commitment from each owner to train consistently and follow through on the advice given.
Do you use pinch or prong collars?
We do use prong collars at times. This is because we find them to be one of the best tools for gently communicating and connecting with the dog. Even though they’re often portrayed as dangerous or harsh tools, they’re far from that. When used correctly, pinch or prong collars are actually one of the safest and most gentle training collars and are readily accepted by most dogs unlike some other tools like headcollars which dogs find aversive.
Do you work with aggressive dogs? My dog has a bite history.
MY DOG IS REALLY AGGRESSIVE. DO YOU WORK WITH AGGRESSIVE DOGS?
Yes. We specialise in serious aggression rehabilitation. Our skills and experience in controlled as well as uncontrolled biting gives us unique insight into a dog’s motivations and behaviours around aggression. We can turn around even the most severe cases of human aggression, dog aggression, resource guarding, or aggression on walks.
Do you use remote collars?
Depending on the dog and the program, yes, we do.
Modern electronic remote collar training is a highly effective and efficient method of subtly communicating with your dog at distance and gives you a way to safely have your dog off-leash and ensure a reliable recall first time, every time.
Unlike the “shock collars” of old and the heavy handed style of ‘training’, our tools and training process often operates at a level which most humans can’t even feel.
In our communities, livestock chasing or sheep chasing can often be a life-limiting issue for a dog. Modern remote collar training can humanely and safely eradicate this issue and allow dogs to live a long and happy life with their owners in a country setting.