Our philosophy for dog obedience is simple- build a foundation and have fun with your dog! We only use humane and effective methods that have been proven to work. We have trained over a thousand dogs in the St. Louis and Illinois area. We are highly recommended by clients, veterinarians, and others in the industry. We spend the time with you upfront in a free evaluation to make sure training with us is a good fit. Due to our ability to understand dogs and drive results, we have built successful boarding and day care programs to complement our training.
We utilize a variety of proven training techniques. Not all dogs respond to a single method of training so we don't rely on one method. Our goal is to help you achieve your training goals while making it fun and educational for you. If you and your dog are having a good time learning, the better the results! Our promise to all of our training clients is to work with you until you are satisfied with your dogs progress.
Our techniques incorporate all facets of learning theory, the most important being operant conditioning and positive reinforcement. We teach using motivational and reward based methods. We feel that dogs, like humans, learn through consequence- whether it be positive or negative, but that if you spend the time teaching and rewarding positive behaviors, negative consequences can be greatly reduced or eliminated. Most importantly, we believe if you teach dogs desired behaviors, dogs will respond to verbal cues and correct behaviors on their own! We believe that using motivational techniques, you can build a wonderful relationship with your dog.
PROVEN METHODS FOR TRAINING A DOG
Our programs are designed with your success in mind, from private lessons, to group classes, puppy training, and in kennel training- we offer it all! In addition, we give training clients access to our online resource center which has videos, course outlines, tips, and "Ask the trainer" that will help you solve any of your training issues.
Our personal training dogs are our pets, and most of them are rescues or surrenders. We have dealt with the same types of pet struggles, from basic obedience to aggression, that may have affected you. We understand how difficult it can be managing your life and your dog that just wont listen! We genuinely want to help you and your pet because too many times we see what the sad alternatives are.
Our founder, Shannon Mayfield, went through several trainers and behaviorists that did a better job selling her a training package than actually training. After adopting a rescue dog with severe aggression issues, she sought professional help. She met with three clicker trainers, two prong collar trainers and one remote collar trainer. She quickly realized most dog trainers didn't understand dog behavior and learning, but instead pushed one method because it was all they knew. She found herself extremely disappointed in the dog training available which motivated her to seek out as much knowledge as possible. She continued working with her dogs privately and eventually pursued dog training as her career. She has traveled all over the country to further her education through formal schooling, workshops, and seminars. She is versed in all training methods and has developed her skills by working with renowned pet and sport trainers. She has always been open to new ideas and methods dependent on individual situations. Her multifaceted approach has become the No Leash Needed standard for all our trainers.
At No Leash Needed we love our jobs because we get to provide real world results for our clients. Having happy clients is what we love to do. Having the opportunity to teach dogs to be happy, well behaved members of your family is why we smile every day at No Leash Needed.
