The Consultation Process

The consultation package includes:

An initial behavior consultation – this 60–90-minute virtual session is where I get to know your dog. We will go through your dog’s history, their daily routine, health status, and then talk about their behavior(s) and their development. At the end of the consultation, I will help you define your training goals for your dog.

Following the consultation, you will receive a written behavior assessment, summarizing the information covered in the consultation, training recommendations, and a management plan developed specifically for your dog to prevent the rehearsal of unwanted or problematic behaviors while we implement a training program.

Your package also includes a 30-minute virtual follow-up training session – this session is booked 1-2 weeks following the initial consultation and is used to go over the management plan and its implementation and introduce 1-2 new training exercises to your dog for you to start working on at home. At the completion of this session, a training package will be recommended to you, if warranted, to continue working towards the training goals laid out at the initial consultation.

The consultation package costs $230.00 (including GST) Canadian.

Having done behavior consultations both in-person and virtually, we have found virtual sessions to be more efficient and effective. A lot of the initial consultation is conversation between the trainer and you, the guardian, and this can be difficult to accomplish if you are worried about how your dog is behaving (or the trainer is trying to type notes around a dog who wants to climb into their lap!) Virtual consultations allow the trainer to observe your dog in their home environment without the influence of a strange person (the trainer) influencing how they react.

After initial introductions are done, the trainer will go through the intake form you completed at the time of booking your dog’s consultation with you, asking specific questions that allow them to better paint a picture of what your dog’s life looks like, and what behaviors you are struggling with.

Utilizing our functional behavioral analysis training, we are skilled in asking specific questions that will give us a better understanding to what behavior is happening and why it might be happening, which is critical to determine which training interventions will be most helpful for your dog.

Surprisingly, no! Our trainers have been taught to utilize functional behavioral analysis to determine what behavior is happening, what is triggering it, and why the dog might choose to behave that way through the questions we ask and information we gather.

We usually don’t want to see your dog’s unwanted or dangerous behavior, as this can result in undo stress for the dog (and you) and provides your dog with another opportunity to rehearse problematic behavior (and potentially be reinforced for doing so!)

A good dog trainer will never ask you to put your dog into a situation that results in them behaving in a way that is unsafe or undesirable. This is setting the dog up to fail and is not the approach we take or endorse.

At this session we will go over any questions or concerns you might have from the written behavior management plan, and we will talk about how to implement aspects of that plan into your dog’s routine.

At this session, we will be getting your dog involved and starting some hands-on training. Your trainer will introduce 1-2 new training exercises to your dog that will be part of their training program moving forward.

The trainer will introduce the exercise to you, give you a demonstration (either via our video library or utilizing their own dog), and then have you practice the skill with your dog while providing real-time coaching.

At the end of the session, your trainer will summarize what was covered in the session and what your training homework will be for the week, and then provide you with an opportunity to ask any questions.

All training sessions include written homework notes that will be emailed to you within 24 hours of the session’s completion, including video references if warranted.

Following the completion of the follow-up session, your trainer will recommend a training package to you, if warranted for your training goals. We have a variety of package options available, and our trainer will select the package type and duration that they think will best support your dog, and your goals for them.

This depends entirely on your dog, the behavior in question, and your goals for them.

Our trainers will only recommend further training if they feel it is warranted for your dog, and the training package recommended will be the one best suited to your dog, your situation, and your training goals.

We have a variety of different packages and service types for private training, and the option recommended to you will be chosen based on your dog, the behavior concerns you have for them, and the goals you laid out during the initial consultation.

Virtual private training costs ~$83.00 CND/45-minute session (package discounts will apply.)

In-person private training costs ~$115.00 CND/45-minute session (package discounts will apply.)

We do offer hybrid training packages, that consist of both virtual and in-person training sessions. These packages are often recommended to dogs who are nervous around strangers, who are reactive, or are aggressive. The combination of service types allows us to introduce the foundation behavior skills your dog will need while they are in the comfort of their own home (without the added distraction or worry of a dog trainer present), before transitioning to in-person sessions where we can start to work around distractions (the dog trainer, other triggers, etc.)

Our hybrid packages are also a great option for someone looking to save a bit of money on dog training, while still experiencing in-person training sessions!

All private training clients must start with a consultation package before starting a training package, unless you have been referred by one of our group training classes or have trainer permission.

We cannot develop a training plan for your dog if we do not have a solid understanding of their history, their routine, and the behavior in question – all information we will gather and analyze at the initial behavior consultation.

All behavior happens for a reason, but that reason will vary greatly from dog to dog. In order to implement an effective and appropriate training program for your dog, we need to get inside of their headfirst and learn who they are, what makes them tick, and what they need from us in order to be successful!

Behavior change takes time, and this is true whether we are talking about teaching basic manners or dealing with aggression towards strangers. We would be doing you, and your dog, a disservice by introducing you to a training exercise or program in a single session but not following through to ensure you are able to complete that behavior or program.

There are very few things that can be taught to completion in a single training session, therefore, single sessions are only available to previous training clients, or will be recommended at your trainer’s discretion.

If you are a previous student of ours, please reach out to ask whether a single training session would be appropriate for your dog/your training concerns.