Training FAQ

Private In Home Lessons
$150 per session. The number of lessons are determined by your training goals.

1. Go to the registration section and fill out the training registration form.
2. Our trainer Gil will reach out and schedule a phone consultation.
3. After the consultation Gil will schedule the first lesson with you and training will begin.

We work with all breeds of dog, from the smallest toy pup to the largest breeds like German Shepherd’s  & Wolfhounds. From puppies of just 8 weeks to seniors of any age, we can help you improve life for you and your dog. We take on all behavior problems including aggression, fearful behavior, and anxiety. We also happily teach people and their dogs basic obedience concepts and skills that will set you and your dog up for a lifetime of success.

IN MANY WAYS! From the first moment your new dog joins your family, your dog is studying you to learn what you expect of them and what they should do. Setting immediate expectations and introducing obedience training will set you on the right path. Because every dog and family is different, call today to learn how we can help your family start out right.

Typically, private lessons occur here at our K9 keep fit facility (3611 Union Ave, San Jose, Ca 95124) with one final lesson at home or wherever troublesome behaviors present themselves. Every dog’s training plan is created specifically to meet your goals. Home visits are available when appropriate to training and incur a small travel surcharge in addition to standard private lesson pricing.

For a dog that is afraid of anything, be it traffic, dogs or humans they don’t know, our primary goal is to change the dog’s perception of what they fear. We first begin with building a foundation of basic obedience and reinforce the relationship with the human handler. When these two crucial areas have seen progress, we can begin to introduce the feared stimulus in a controlled way to help the dog change their perception of the stimulus and alter their behavior, all with the leadership and guidance of their humans with the assistance of our skilled, professional trainers.

VERY CAREFULLY!
First, we must assess the dog’s behavior and the source of the fear, frustration, or other emotion that is driving aggressive displays. The first step is to begin building a foundation of solid basic obedience and to strengthen the relationship with the human handlers. This will typically consist of private lessons at the client’s home. Then when the foundation has been set we can begin to develop it by applying the basics in real world environments. When progress has been made we schedule an evaluation for your dog to join our daycare program to work on developing the socialization even more.

VERY CAREFULLY!
First, we must assess the dog’s behavior and the source of the fear, frustration, or other emotion that is driving aggressive displays. For a dog whose aggression has risen to the point of actually biting a human, we require that your dog begin with muzzle training. We proceed by developing strict obedience, strengthening/resetting the relationship between the dog and the human handlers, and extensively practicing being around humans calmly and safely in a variety of environments and settings.

Our primary method of dog training is Foundation Style Dog Training, developed by trainer Mike D’Abruzzo of New York. Starting with the humans and laying a strong foundation of understanding dogs and their behaviors, we begin by building (or rebuilding) an appropriate and successful human-dog relationship. At the same time, we make sure that the dog also builds a strong foundation of understanding of how they’ll learn from us and what we expect. Clarity and consistency are key as we strive to teach new, desired behaviors and alter or extinguish old, undesired behaviors. Technique and tone vary from dog to dog as required by individual personalities and training goals.

While we don’t train Seeing-Eye Dogs, we CAN train your dog to perform specific tasks that will assist humans with a variety of disabilities.

Basic Obedience Training typically takes six private lessons over six weeks. For dogs in need of more than simple obedience training, we may recommend up to six more private lessons. For dogs with behavior troubles, length of training depends on the dog, their behaviors, and their family’s level of commitment to education and time spent reinforcing training. All of this will be determined and agreed upon during your training consultation.