Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I choose In Dogs We Trust?

Our training is recommended by Vets, Rescue organizations, Groomers and Breeders. Our training is geared towards a very well trained family pet as opposed to obedience competitor. This includes focus on impulse control.

Below is a list of reasons that makes our training unique:

1. There are never more than 6 dogs maximum in any class at ANY time
2. The dogs are separated by age with puppies 5-6 months and under and dogs 6 months and older in separate classes. This way there won’t be any negative socialization experiences for the puppies
3. There is off-leash playtime for puppies while a trainer watches over and helps you learn how to teach your puppy to play nicely.
4. Training is located right inside the city (Climate Controlled)
5. All classes come with handouts to help you remember and practice homework
6. All dogs must show proof of vaccination
7. Our training style is fun for the dog with no punishment during learning, and methods that can be adapted to each individual.
8. Our clients get excellent results in just 6 weeks!

At What Age should I start my puppy in classes?

There is a ‘sensitive’ socialization period between 3-12 weeks of age where your pup needs to be socialized to as many new experiences and people as possible. Per the recommendations of the AVSAB, the best time to start training is during the sensitive period after your puppy has received his first set of shots and after a 2 week quarantine period at home. Isolating your puppy until all vaccinations are complete (4 months of age) can cause lifelong deficits.

"Because the first three months are the period when sociability outweighs fear, this is the primary window of opportunity for puppies to adapt to new people, animals, and experiences. Incomplete or improper socialization during this important time can increase the risk of behavioral problems later in life including fear, avoidance, and/or aggression. "

Puppy Socialization

Can I observe a dog training class?

Absolutely! Not all dog training classes are the same and in fact classes can be very different. It is an excellent idea to come and observe the classes to see if the training is effective, how many dogs are in the class, are the puppies mixed with adults (not recommended), are the pet parents receiving personal attention, is the training talking non-stop or is there plenty of time to work, are the dogs or puppies stressed/afraid or is everyone having fun. Please expect to come without your dog, and to save the questions until you get home and email Mary as the trainer will be busy with the students.

Can more than one person come to a session?

You are welcome to bring multiple family members to training classes. Having well behaved children come to classes helps socialize puppies We do ask that only a maximum of two people handle the dogs during the class so that the dog doesn’t get confused.

What kind of collar should I bring to class?

Bring your dog on a flat, nylon or leather collar and we will assess if you will need any extra equipment, how to use it properly and why we recommend this specific product over others. We do not use choke chains, (which can cause damage to the trachea) prong collars or shock collars at any time. We use our brains to train!

What should I bring to class?

For your first class you will need to bring:

• Copy of vaccination records
• Soft Treats and a favourite motivational toy
• 6ft Nylon or Leather leash
• Flat nylon or leather buckle collar (or harness of your choice)
  

If I can't make it to class.

What should I do?

There is an option for 1 make-up class in a body language seminar. Just email or call your trainer and let them know that you cant make it and they will let you know the date of the seminar! Unfortunately to keep class sizes small we can't offer a refund once the course has started.

Do you offer Guaranteed results?

There are so many variables when it comes to changing behaviour in a dog including genetics and early experiences that it is considered among professionals in this industry, unethical to offer a guarantee. We have had excellent success in changing behaviour in almost all of the thousands of dogs we have trained for obedience, aggression, fear and other behavioural issues. We guarantee that we will give you the most up to date information and have a wealth of experience to offer alternative solutions.

How long will it take to change my dog’s unwanted behaviour?

It may take anywhere from one week to six months depending upon the issues, genetics and past experiences. Obedience issues can be changes fairly quickly while dog aggression can take more time. Unfortunately quick fixes usually include heavy correction and will only suppress the behaviour with other side effects. For more serious behavioural issues we will get to the root of what is causing the issue and resolve the underlying emotion that is driving the behaviour which will provide a long term solution.

Do you offer private dog training in the home?

We do offer and recommend private lessons for certain behavioural issues such as aggression, profound fear, excessive barking, etc. For dogs that have behavioural issues that can be resolved through obedience training like jumping up on the owner, mouthing and biting, won’t come when called or walk nicely on leash then we definitely recommend an 6 week course. As the clients enrolled in class joke, “it’s really owner training” and enrolling in an 6 week course gives you more time to absorb the information and learn how to handle your dog without having to absorb all of the information in one session or incurring the cost of multiple private lessons. Private lessons are offered at our private facility on Saturdays.

What is a clicker and do I have to use one?

About 50% of clients make the choice to use a clicker, others choose to use a voice marker. A clicker is a marker that communicates to the dog exactly when he is correct, and why he is getting a treat. It is only for learning, not for walking around with for the rest of your life. The clicker will double your efficiency if you use it for at least the first two weeks! Then making the change to a verbal marker is easier and more effective.

You mention using food to train dogs; shouldn’t he just do it because he wants to please me?

Will I have to use treats forever?

You will have to use some form of reward whether that be environmental rewards, toys or occasional food. Otherwise you will have to use some form of punishment. We prefer positive reinforcement! (Dogs do too)

Here is how food training should look: You order a pizza and upon delivery, put your dogs in a down stay. Pay for the pizza, close the door, release the dogs and sometimes go to the treat or food bag for a reward.

If you do not specifically train the dog to work without seeing a food reward, he will not work unless you have a treat. Working towards intermittent treats and without treats in your hand constantly is part of the curriculum at In Dogs We Trust!

Do you train my dog for me?

Most of our clients like to joke that our lessons are really "owner training" as we teach the family how to both train and continually handle the dog for success. As a professional trainer, your dog would likely respond to my handling techniques and equipment differently almost right away and revert back to the problematic behaviour as soon as you were holding the leash unless you recieved extensive training on handling him. For a short time we offered a "walk and train" program where our trainer trained the dog for you, but found that the dogs mostly only responded to the trainers afterwards so we dropped the program. Private lessons are excellent if you need extra hands on help! We do feel that you will get the best results being part of the training yourself.

Do I have to be a pack leader in order for my dog to listen to me?

Jumping up, pulling on leash and counter surfing are just a few behaviours falsely blamed on dominance. Are our dogs really pulling us down the street, peering over their shoulder, laughing manically and trying to take over the world?

Behaviour is driven by outcomes. Reinforcement drives behaviour - dogs do what works! In our week one theory class, you will learn about environmental rewards, how to encourage desired behaviour and what to do to prevent and respond to undesirable behaviour.

Read what the experts have to say about Dominance

My dog is aggressive to other dogs, would it be good to have him in a group class?

ALL DOGS IN PUPPY/BASIC OBEDIENCE MUST BE FRIENDLY 

If your dog barks, lunges, growls, or snaps at other dogs please bring this to our attention so that we can assess which class is best for you. All dogs that show reactivity (aggression, fear) will be removed from class. 

There are multiple reasons that a basic obedience class is not the place for a reactive dog including; 

• Reactive dogs need to start training with controlled exposure in semi private groups. Overwhelming the dog in a class full of dogs is counter effective.
• Basic classes do not address how to work with reactivity, it is geared towards obedience only. To best serve our clients and provide optimal results, we have a specialty 'Growly Dogs Class" with a curriculum geared specifically towards reactivity.
• To address the reactivity in a basic class the trainer would have to stop teaching the curriculum, and spend a significant amount of time teaching the reactive dog and owner completely different techniques, therefore disrupting the class for everyone else.
• Reactive dogs stress the other dogs and humans in the class as they worry about the reactive dog's whereabouts or struggle to hear over constant barking. The owner of the reactive dog then feels stressed about the disruption to others as well.
  

WE WANT TO HELP YOU! We understand how stressful and embarrassing reactivity can be. We are experts in working with serious issues and offer a specialized program called the Growly Dogs Class.  Please speak to us if you are concerned about these issues in any way, so that we can best help you enjoy your experience and receive optimal results at IDWT by choosing the correct course.

My dog is timid, would he be ok in a group class?

You may still find success in a group class as long as they still accept food and are not profoundly timid. Our technique of training which is free from correction focuses on setting up your dog for success and providing clear communication-which provides stress free learning. Timid dogs associated the fun and stress free learning with the environment and begin to show great improvement in confidence building.

Private lessons are the best option to discuss handling your dog for confidence building. The classes are geared towards obedience like sit, stay and coming when called. Timid dogs would benefit from a discussion about confidence building and management specific to their world.

What's a positive dog trainer or positive dog training? Don’t dogs need correction?

 Positive training means that we don’t use pain, fear or intimidation but we do use consequences.

We build a relationship based on trust, communication, and confidence. Dogs learn to associate listening to their owners with fun and good feelings. Our clients come to us because they want high levels of success without using fear, pain and intimidation.

Understanding how to use management, consequences, teaching your dog what to do, are some of our techniques.

Example; Jumping up on guests.
Using a painful leash correction/collar when your dog jumps on guests can create negative associations with your guest and you, or cause your dog to fear you.
It will not teach your dog what TO DO.

Positive reinforcement training would include setting your dog up for success, and teaching them how to behave. You can take some or all of the suggestions based on your dog, their age and which step they are in their training.

1. Mangement: Have your guest let you know when they are 15 minutes away. Putting your dog in the yard or bedroom with a snuffle mat/ bone/lick it mat and the radio on only takes a few minutes.
2. Say hello to your guest without the dog present. Hugs and excited hello can be a lot for a young dog. Then you have a quiet moment to prep your guest on how to interact with your dog based on your training.
3. Bring your dog out on a leash, have some treats ready for him to focus on you and calm down. Cue the dog to say hi, and guest to only pet when all four paws are on the ground. If the dog jumps up, the guest or dog moves out of reach and the interaction ends. An ethical punisher! The dog learns that he only gets to say hi when he keeps 4 on the floor.

As your dog ages and his trainer becomes stronger, you can relax your management (leash, room, treats). Voila! A few extra moments and you have set your dog up for success with compassionate teaching - after all, we have our dogs to be a beloved member of the family! They rely on us for compassion.

Does positive dog training mean that I just ignore undesirable behaviour?

Not at all! It means that we do not REINFORCE undesirable behaviour. For example, if the dog is barking at you for attention, and you turn to cue an alternative behaviour or punish - this can be a reinforcer. Still, we would not ask you to just ignore the behaviour, we would show you how to teach your dog to ask for things in another way. We teach a functional replacement. This does not mean that you have to give your dog everything that he wants, but your dog is a sentient being with needs that only you can meet, and it is ok for him to want to express them in a way that is polite.

 

There is a popular saying amongst positive dog trainers:
“Violence begins where knowledge ends” ~Abraham Lincoln