No, you do not need to show proof of vaccinations prior to training. Many pet owners choose to titer test their pets which allows a far less frequent vaccination schedule. And because we work privately, vaccinations are at your own discretion. 

Our services are affordably priced for the value we provide our clients and we have several programs to choose from. Our most affordable option is through virtual online training since no travel is involved. Our in-person coaching and full-day training options are slightly higher priced, as they are more intensive on my end and do involve travel. Please see current pricing here.

Great Question! As mentioned before, my methods are reward based, focusing on positive reinforcement principles. I use and recommend different kinds of food treats, kibble, toys, engagement, and play to make a lasting impression on your dog(s). At OC Canine Coaching, we put a significant amount of attention on the human component of training and make sure you are capable of teaching your dog when we are away. We do not encourage the practice of coercion, fear or dominance based methods. For this reason, we discourage the use of prong, choke and shock collars as teaching tools since the risk of fallout is too high. As a simplification, OC Canine Coaching strives to adhere to the principles of LIMA (least intrusive and minimally aversive).

The answer is, “it depends”. Dog training has many factors that can influence the time it takes to learn new behaviors. These factors include the length of time your dog has been practicing his bad behaviors, his ability to learn new behaviors and the amount of time and attention you are capable of providing during the training process. Since a good amount of how dogs behave has to do with how we behave and respond to them, the owner’s behaviors generally have to change to some degree for lasting results. How long will it take you to stick to a program? Dog training is not magic and, in reality, there is no such thing as “nipping it in the bud”.

The good news is I can quickly shape and reinforce new good behaviors quickly and teach you how to keep previous bad behaviors from being further rehearsed. This is the recipe for fast and long lasting results.

For Private Coaching: Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Fountain Valley, Orange, Santa Ana, Laguna Beach, Westminster, and Lake Forest.

For day training: Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and parts of Irvine.

Virtual Online training: anywhere in the United States.

Guarantees are a tricky thing with animal behavior.

I can guarantee that I will show up as agreed and offer you the best of my knowledge and expertise. I guarantee I will not leave your dog in a worse place than before, and you will absolutely learn more about your dog. For years I have partnered with several professional training associations that clearly advise against behavior guarantees of any kind. 

Per the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers): “Members should refrain from giving guarantees regarding the outcome of training because there is no sure way to guarantee the cooperation and performance of all parties involved and because the knowledge of animal behavior is incomplete.”

In fact, it is a huge red flag in the professional training world to make such claims. The vast majority of trainers claiming to guarantee results are using out-dated, aversive training methods and misunderstand the complexity of animal behavior. These methods can result in something called learned helplessness, often masking problem behaviors without addressing the actual issues.

For more info on why guarantees aren’t appropriate, see these links.

https://positively.com/contributors/should-dog-trainers-offer-guarantees/

https://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/training-guarantee

Totally! My day-training program may be a great fit as it requires much less of your time. A hybrid of in-person and online classes may also be a great fit.

Contact me for specifics.

That depends. The most important first step in finding the right coach and trainer is finding someone with whom you trust and communicate well. That person should be able to answer your most important questions and concerns. I am very confident in my abilities and come highly recommended by my clients, local veterinarians, local pet businesses, as well as other mentor-trainers more experienced and credentialed than I.

Contact me today and see if we’re a good fit.