FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Lessons begin at base-rate, which is what you'll find applies for most manners-based sessions. If a potential for harm to another person or dog is higher than usual, as is often the case in reactivity or aggression issues, the training plan is more complex. It requires considerably more work outside of sessions for trainers to prepare, and the potential injury risk is also taken into account. A higher rate for reactivity and aggression reflects the extra time *outside of lessons* required to form a successful training protocol. Discounts are available for purchasing multiple sessions upfront.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Typically we schedule an over-the-phone-consultation, which lasts around 45 minutes. This consult gives me the chance to touch base with the client, gather some basic background information on their training needs, and gives me a starting point in which to base the curriculum. This also affords the client the chance to get to know me a little better, and ask some questions ahead of time. I will then email a contract and questionnaire for the client to fill out at their convenience; the questionnaire gathers more in-depth information on their dog, the family's comfort and experience with training, general lifestyle, and any specific considerations (food allergies, injuries, illnesses etc) that I would need to take into account before training. Once the questionnaire is received, we can schedule our first training session!
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
My family fostered and rehabilitated dogs with serious behavioral issues, so my education in behavior started at a VERY early age! Since then, I have volunteered as a dog walker and trainer for a number of shelters and rescues, interned for dog trainers, worked for dog-walkers and doggie daycares, assisted with group basic manners & reactivity classes, and led group classes for basic manners. I was also involved in puppy-raising and training for service dogs, as well as working with handler-teams for mobility assistance. I routinely attend seminars, workshops, conferences, and webinars focused on new developments in canine sciences, behavior, and progressive training. Certificate in Animal Behavior and Welfare from the University of Edinborough, Scotland. Certificate in Canine Cognition from Duke University. American Red Cross certified in Dog First-Aid and CPR.