Gentle Touch Pet Training has launched a new program where one of our experienced trainers will come to your house three times per week for a month (a total of 12 sessions). Two sessions each week will consist of the trainer working with the dog. One session each week. will include the dog's owner, who can be brought up to speed on what's been trained and given some simple instructions on how to keep the behaviors strong. We've done a number of these training programs now and the combination of a knowledgeable trainer working with the dog and one session a week to help the owner understand what and how we've taught behaviors have been very successful. The cost of the program is $900 for the month ($75 per session). Each session will run 45 minutes to 1 hour. To set up this training program with your dog you may call us at 481-1490 or e-mail teah@gentlepets.com.
Gentle Touch Pet Training has been serving the Central Coast for more than ten years. Over the years, we have received many inquires as to whether we do “board and train.” Board and train programs take the dog from the owner’s home, a trainer works with the dog and then the dog is returned to its owners. While this certainly sounds like a great idea, I’ve been resistant to this kind of program as I’ve never felt it’s in the clients or the dog’s best interest to remove the dog from it’s home.
First, philosophically I’ve always felt that the family needs to be involved in the training. A great deal of training we do here at Gentle Touch is in training the humans how to interact with their dogs! Also, quite frankly, I’ve always felt it was important for our clients to experience the incredible bond and trusting relationship that is established when training your own dog. And last, I’ve been opposed to removing a dog from its home as a puppy or a recent rescue. Young puppies are in a developmental stage where they are easy to socialize – we want them bonding with you and your family and other pets. Newly rescued dogs are often in a “settling in” mode for anywhere from a few weeks to months, steadily gaining confidence in their new surroundings. In my experience, when folks have sent their dogs “off” to training, they have often run into problems later on since they did not know how to reinforce and keep behaviors strong. It has always been important to me that the client has the rapport with the dog, not the trainer!
However, with that said, it appears that our lives have just gotten busier and busier. Many folks have approached me recently just needing some help and not having the time to invest. In addition, I’ve been approached by a number of clients that just don’t have the physical capability to train their own dogs. After all these years, I’ve finally relented and found a compromise that works for me philosophically while I believe serves our clients effectively and over the long term.
Teah Anders
Owner, Gentle Touch Pet Training
teah@gentlepets.com
