Q & A

Solid K9 Training 401.527.6354

Real World at Home Dog Training!

Q & A

Q:My dog bit someone today can you come over today and help me.

A: Take a deep breath, I need to know a lot of information about your dogs history before i meet with you. There is not going to be any quick fixes and I will have to plan for obedience program that will work for you and your dog. You can start by downloading one of my forms and get it filled out so we can start an obedience program. I put aside 1 hour a day for emergency calls and most days someone contacts me early in the a.m. to set something up. I have just extended my hours to 7am-10pm in order to work with all of my clients.

Q: I already have my dog enrolled in an obedience program but I like what your style, what do I do.

A: The great thing is that you have your dog in a program..since obedience training is very important to the total health and happiness for your dog and your family. I suggest you consider using my for a 1 time a month training program where I can give you intensive homework to work on with your dog which will reinforce what you are already learning. This has worked for many of my clients.

Q: Do you only work with German Shepherds?

A: No I work with all breeds, being the owner of 2 GSD I consider myself well versed in the breed and I love the breed and feel very connected to them. I do not get sucked into the stereotype of different breeds. All dogs need to have basic training. All dogs of all ages can be trained if you have the resources as I do.

Q: Do you use food or clickers?

A: 90% of my training does not involve using food and 100% of my training does not involve clickers. I use my voice for my training and work on building a strong bond with your dog and this is passed onto you and your dog. I feel that food bribery is a really dangerous way to train your dog. Clickers are a marker, and you can also use your voice as a marker. It has also been proven that food rewards can actually destroy training by having your dog not listen to you unless you give it food.

Q: Do you use metal choke chains?

A: Absolutely not! metal choke chains can kill your dog, they can keep your dog from breathing properly and also keep your dog from cooling off properly. Keep in mind that when a dog is pulling on its leash with a choke chain your dog will actually pull harder against you. If you are using a metal choke chain and you do not have an aggressive dog or a dog that pulls, i may allow you to keep it on...if there is an aggression issue though i will insist that the chain be removed or I will not work with you.

Q: Why do you use prong collars when other trainers are against them?

A: Other trainers are misinformed that is why. Prong collars are the safest most humane out of all of the collars on the market. You cannot choke or harm your dog if you put a prong collar on your dog correctly (this is very important that the prong collar is high up under the jaw of your dog), you need to be properly shown how to put a prong collar on your dog. A prong collar is also a very humane way to give a slight correction to your dog when needed. I sell them and train owners on them and also use them on my dogs when needed.

Q: What happens if my dog bites someone while you are out with them.

A: Chances are your dog won't even if your dog is a biter and aggressive. I will not put them in a position to do so. If by chance they do I am covered with a 1 million dollar liability policy for any dog in my CARE and CONTROL. You also most probably have a homeowners policy which covers your dog as well. Most dogs that are biters get very calm when I am working with them..your dog realizes that I am the pack leader from the moment I walk into the room or area your dog is in.

Q: What happens if my dog bites you while you are working with it.

A: mmmm..how many square feet is your beach house in Costa Rica? just kidding...I work with aggressive dogs, I get bit, I have insurance, I can drive myself to the hospital and get fixed up. I will continue to work with your dog. Usually I will continue to work with your dog that day and then get fixed up, your dog cannot think it has driven me away.Even with a dog that has bitten before rarely bites me. When a dog meets me they immediately know that I am running the show and they don't dare bite me...it is interesting to watch how aggressive dogs react to me..i get licked by most of my aggressive dogs the first time we meet.

Q: Why does my dog behave so well when you are working with it? I know it is not afraid of you since it is always happy to see you come over.

A: Your dog recognizes my as a pack leader, I am a very powerful internally strong pack leader and dogs recognize this immedietly. Right away they need to listen and respect me, this is something that you need to achieve as well and I can help you achieve this. A lot of your behavior problems stem from you not being a pack leader and your dog being the pack leader which leads to a dog that does not listen to you.

Q: I have young children, will you be able to include them with training.

My methods work really well with kids. I also have 6 kids of my own which enables me to really understand how to communicate with children. This really sets me apart from any other trainer in NE..many of the local trainers do not have children and I believe having children I am able to put together training programs for them that is both fun and educational.

Q:You seem like you are too intense of a trainer, I just want my dog to listen to me.

A: Thank you, I am an intense trainer and I really feel that your dog, once trained by me will be in the top 10% of trained dogs out there..I rarely meet dogs that have even basic training, and I do not understand why someone would not want there dog to listen to them. Al dogs should have basic training, all dogs should be able to do the basic commands and be free of common behavior issues.

Q:Do you really work in the rain and snow, and why do you even mention this on your website?

A: Yes I do, being an avid backpacker with my dogs I backpack in all weather as well as my dogs do, so I find no reason to cancel training because of the elements, I find it just another distraction to make training results that much more SOLID. I mention so you can get a better understanding of who I am.. I do not let anything stop me from working with your dog.

Q:Do you bring your dogs to every training session?

A: No I don't, depending on what we are working on. If your dog is not ready for distraction training with my dogs I leave them at home. They do come in handy though with working on distraction training with your dog though and are quite use to being test subjects. I often will take my dogs and your dog(s) for a training walk together to teach your dogs how to behave around other dogs, I have found it a wonderful training tool. My dogs know how they are supposed to act and they actually can help me teach your dogs the same.

Q: What do you think of all these TV dog trainers?

A: I don't agree 100% with what they teach people but I am sure they would not agree with 100% of what I do..the great thing about them is that they are encouraging people to put a training program with their dogs and even dogs that were thought to be untrainable are able to be trained. I think that it is important to look at different trainers and how they work so you can figure out what is best for you.

Q: You offer so many services on your web site some you only do for training customers, why is that?

A:My main business is dog training, but because I love working with dogs and I understand what it is to be a dog owner and sometimes be short on time I offer services to my dog training clients. For example, if you are one of my clients and you need your dogs nails clipped. I clip them sometimes for a fee sometimes not, but i won't come to your house to just cut your dogs nails. Another good example is boarding, if i don't work with your dog I won't board your dog at my house..It will not be good for my family nor your dog, There are many good boarding facilities for your dogs in New England. When you are one of my dog training clients, you get all of me though, anything dog related I will do for you.

Q. So if I am one of your clients I can ask you to do anything that is dog related. Are you going to charge me for all of this?

A:Yes you can ask me to do anything if you are one of my clients. I believe in the all around health and wellness of your dog, and yes I will most probably charge you for these things. The clients I have usually have a lacking of time so they hire me to take care of things for them, and when it comes to the all around care of your dog, I feel I am the best. I love my clients dogs, my clients dogs love being with me, it works for all of us.

Q. I am thinking of taking my dog to the pound because I cannot deal anymore, why would I spend the money on you?

A: I am often called as a last resort, you need to decide if you want to spend that last few hundred dollars seeing if your dog can have its behavior changed. If you take your dog to the pound or to be put down, your dogs life will not be better...I feel very strongly that I can help rehabilitate any dog issue.