Our training philosophy is based on the behavioral science concepts of positive reinforcement. Animals (including people!) learn fastest and retain the most information when taught through positive reinforcement. Stated simply, positive reinforcement training means that the dog gets something he likes when he does what YOU consider to be a desirable behavior. Dogs will repeat behaviors which were positively reinforced - even after you cut down the frequency of the treats or other good reinforcers. In fact, your dog will learn to try even harder in hopes of earning your approval. You can use this concept both to train your dog to do something as well as train your dog to stop doing an inappropriate behavior.

Training your dog using these methods creates a happy, accommodating dog who is responsive and attentive to your cues. You will avoid many of the typical battles for dominance and control that occur when starting a training program. Positive training methods are non-confrontational and will help develop your relationship with your dog, not harm it.

Clicker training is the training method of "marking" your dog's behavior by the sound of a *click*. Use the click to define the precise moment when your dog does something right. By first teaching your dog to associate the click with a treat, or praise, you can literally shape your dog's behavior.