Feisty Fidos Training Class

Prerequisite : An initial evaluation of the dog prior to the class at our facility at no additional cost to the client.

A note from Teah:

Gentle Touch Pet Training is now offering small group classes for dogs with aggressive behaviors. We call these classes Feisty Fido’s. Because I’ve worked with many individuals who have dogs with aggressive behaviors (whether with other dogs or with people); I have discovered that many clients would like additional help beyond the basic consultation and instructions. In my experience, I have discovered that people are often hesitant to practice the desensitization exercises on their own because they are concerned that they’ll do it wrong, or they haven’t been able to find any other persons with dogs with which to practice, or quite simply they are just embarrassed. We have also found a number of dogs that are really too reactive to do well in a normal, group classroom setting. I’m very pleased to have created a class for these clients where they and their dogs can learn in a safe, controlled setting.

In the Feisty Fido’s classes we concentrate on teaching handlers:

• Tools: Learn about safe and humane management tools (such as head halters, no-pull harness, and martingale collars)
• Body Language: Learn to recognize their dog’s body language so they can redirect their dog or remove him from the situation before aggressive reactions occur
• Management: Learn how to manage their dog effectively in various situations
• Self-Control: Learn how to teach their dog self-control so that the dog can bring his or her own arousal level down
• Train Behaviors: Learn how to teach their dog basic behaviors that are helpful when dealing with aggressive reactions (leave-it, come, stay, attention, etc.)
• Reframe Reactions: Learn how to reframe (with classical conditioning) their dog’s reaction to whatever is triggering them
• Desensitize the Dog to Triggers: Learn how to perform systematic desensitization protocols that will slowly and very effectively change their dog’s reaction to triggers
• Unexpected Dog Interactions: Handlers and dogs will learn how to help diffuse an unexpected interaction with an off-leash dog.

If you have questions or need further information, please call or write: