OUR TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
It’s a Dog's Life believes the relationship between you and your dog is a vital component of good behavior. Respect and communication are essential to any relationship and the one with your dog is no different. It is important to us that you learn to effectively communicate with your pet.

Obedience training serves to develop your dog’s respect for you as pack leader and increases his understanding of your expectations for him. It also helps to establish and strengthen the bond between the two of you.


We believe your dog is a living, thinking creature that is quite capable of making decisions. That’s why our dog training program gives dogs leeway to make right and wrong choices. When your dog makes a correct choice, he will receive love and praise. When he makes a wrong choice, he will be guided to perform the task properly. It is only through these wrong decisions that dogs can learn and better understand your expectations of them.

It’s a Dog's Life does not believe in using physical force or other painful, cruel dog training techniques. We do believe in discipline, just as you would discipline a child in order to prepare the child to become a caring and respectful adult who lives by certain rules. The same goes for your dog. However, striking a dog to make a point or breaking it’s spirit are not tools in our obedience training toolbox.



TRAINING EVALUATION
Before we begin any obedience training program, we conduct an evaluation designed to assess your dog's personality as well as his relationship with you. We use this time to listen and focus on understanding your training needs. It’s also an opportunity for you to get to know us better, understand our dog training philosophy and the services we provide. We want you to feel secure knowing our recommendations for dog obedience training or behavior modification will be based on your needs and primed for your dog’s success.
I was so lucky to find It's a Dog’s Life this year. Thank you for taking the time to build the trust with Samurai. Your service is above and beyond what I expected.
-- C. WANG


CONTACT US

Training
Contact us for a FREE consultation!

Follow us Facebook

WHY USE A PROFESSIONAL?

The best thing a professional can do is to teach you to become a trainer of your own dog. Good dog trainers often have several methods under their belt and will help you determine which ones work best with your dog. When you hire a professional dog trainer you also get someone who:

  • Understands characteristics specific to the dog’s breed and developmental periods
  • Values proper socialization and canine communication
  • Grasps scientific principles and keys to animal learning
  • Distinguishes abnormal canine behavior from normal but inappropriate behavior
  • Realizes the differences among obedience training, behavior modification and problem solving
  • Recognizes the precursors of dog aggression, how to avoid it, and how to handle it while training your dog
  • Practices positive motivation when training your dog

TRAINING TOOLS
What sort of tools do we use when training your dog? We work with both verbal commands and hand signals so your dog can make decisions without using the leash as a crutch. All training is accompanied by positive reinforcement. Rewards for good behavior include treats, praise and affection.

Additional training aids may be incorporated into your pet’s training program. Popular choices include:

  • Clickers
  • Collars
  • Leashes
  • Housetraining aids
  • Chewing deterrents
  • Interactive toys
  • Safety equipment