Dog Hill

Dog Training

In the wild, a dog's very survival depends on a strong, stable, and organized pack, where every member knows its place and follows the rules established by the pack leader. The pack instinct is perhaps the strongest natural motivator for a dog.

At Dog Hill, we teach that we each need to become our dog's calm-assertive pack leader. A dog that doesn't trust its human to be a good pack leader becomes unbalanced and often exhibits unwanted or anti-social behaviors.

At Dog Hill, we do not "train" dogs in the sense of teaching them commands like "sit," "stay," "come," and "heel" - we rehabilitate unbalanced dogs and help "re-train" their owners to better understand how to see the world through a dog's eyes.

At Dog Hill, we counsel people to calmly, assertively, and consistently give their dog’s rules, boundaries, and limitations to establish themselves as solid pack leaders and to help correct and control unwanted behavior. We don’t believe in "quick fixes." Though changing some behaviors can appear to happen in a relatively short period of time, none of those changes will "stick" unless the human acts consistently with his or her dog every day to keep unwanted behaviors from returning. In our opinion, no one should ever hit or yell at a dog to correct unwanted behavior.

We use positive reinforcement reward-based training methods. We never use physical punishment or harsh corrections. Owners learn benevolent leadership and how to communicate positively and effectively with their dogs.

Puppy Playgroup: For puppies up to 6 months. Play session supervised by a trainer. Opportunity for fun and socialization. Learn when play is appropriate and when to intervene.

Elementary Training: For puppies and adult dogs. Class focuses on using basic obedience commands to teach manners and self control. Solutions to common behavior problems are discussed.

Intermediate Training: Class teaches additional commands and reinforces the basic commands with increasing levels of distractions.

Advanced Training: Class prepares you and your dog to take and complete the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen (CCG) test as well as improve on commands you have already learned.

A normal, well-behaved dog should have no difficulty passing the CCG which consists of the following:

Allowing a friendly stranger to approach.

Sitting calmly and politely to be pet.

Allowing handling for grooming and physical examination.

Heeling politely on a loose lead.

Walking calmly through crowded areas.

Sit on command, and down on command.

Coming when called.

Greeting another well-behaved dog without aggression or excitement.

Handling distractions and distracting environments.

Behaving well when in the care of another and the owner or trusted handler is out of sight.

Tricks Training: Have some fun with your dog and show off to your family and friends.

24 Hour Training: Overnight stay at Dog Hill with focused 1 on 1 training for your dog. A combination of pet sitting and training that's tailored around you and your dog's needs. Rates will be quoted based need and length of stay.

Please contact us to discuss your personal requirements.