Our Training Philosophy
Like humans, dogs learn from the consequences of their actions. Unlike humans, dogs have no sense of what is "right" or what is "wrong", "good" or "bad". Instead, dogs understand "safe" or "pleasant" and "unsafe" or "scary" or "unpleasant". Dogs are individuals, with individual personalities, motivations, fears, preferences, and quirks. What works for your neighbor and his dog may not be the best approach for training you and your dog! We work with your individual preferences, and together we develop a training framework that will help you to keep your dog happily obedient for his or her lifetime.
Here at TLC Dog Training and Critter Care, we firmly believe that most behavioral problems can be resolved through the proper application and use of positive reinforcement training techniques. We do recognize however, that some dogs with well-established behaviors that are dangerous to themselves or to others may need more than simple positive reinforcement techniques for complete resolution of their behavioral issues. Our trainers have "deep toolboxes", and as a general rule, we do not require or prohibit specific types of equipment when working with you to teach and train your dog. We will, however advise you about what we believe will work best with your individual dog and with your individual situation.
No matter the breed or age of your dog, structured dog training is a great way to build the bond between you and your dog while preventing or correcting behavioral problems. As we train together, we will show you how to use gentle, positive training methods, including clicker training, to teach your dog the basics of becoming a great pet, and if needed, we will also introduce you to effective and humane methods for correcting your dog.
We urge you to remember that dog training is not a one-time event in the life of your dog. Like you, your dog learns every day of his life. It is up to you to make sure that WHAT he is learning is what YOU WANT HIM TO LEARN!