Why Train?
A well-trained dog is a pleasure to be around, while an undersocialized and/or misbehaving dog can be a real pain—and, in severe cases—a danger to herself and others. Training your dog can do more than just give you control over his behavior, it can actually provide freedom for you and your dog. A well-behaved dog is welcome almost anywhere. Want to go on vacation and take your dog along? If so, you’ll need to be assured that she won’t run wild at the campground, ignoring your pleas to “come,” or bark incessantly in the hotel room. Want to go on vacation without your dog? Most boarding facilities require a pre-boarding evaluation and your dog will need to know how to be handled by strangers and how to play nicely with other dogs. Furthermore, your friends and family—dog lovers and dog averse alike—will appreciate your model citizen of a dog, and life will be good.
Training Philosophy
Plucky Puppy uses positive reinforcement training. Scientific research on animal learning shows that animals learn best when rewarded for correct behavior. Positive reinforcement training is fun, kid-friendly, and dogs love it! Most importantly, positive reinforcement training works.
How it Works
If you’re interested in dog training, give us a call. We’ll ask you some questions about your dog and find out what you’re looking for. If we can help, we’ll schedule a consultation. During the consultation we’ll ask a lot more questions about your dog and what behaviors you’d like to change. At the end of the consultation, we’ll let you know what we think is going on, how to fix it and how long it will take. We’ll develop a training plan that is suited to your schedule and ability, along with other problem solving options. After the consultation, we’ll email you a written summary of what was discussed, including the training plan we decided on. We can then schedule follow-up appointments if desired. If you have any questions about anything, you are free to call or email.
Behavior Consultations
Behavior counseling is used to diagnose and treat behavior problems such as aggression (towards dogs or people), fear and anxiety, house soiling or unwanted behaviors such as excessive barking, chewing, digging or destructiveness.
Training Services
Group Classes
Katrin teaches group dog training classes at Piedmont Adult School and the East Bay SPCA. Courses include Kinderpuppy, Puppy Pre-School, Basic Obedience, Canine Good Citizen, and Small Dog Manners.
Day Training
Want your puppy trained while you’re at work? No problem. Plucky Puppy will come to your house Monday through Friday while you’re at work, and on Saturday we’ll meet to introduce you to your dog’s new repertoire of manners and tricks. Includes 5 dog and trainer sessions and one one-hour session with you and your dog, where we show you how to maintain your dog’s behavior for life.
Board and Train
Are you short on time? Would you like a “doggy make-over”? Send us your dog for two to four weeks, and we’ll send you back a new dog. It’s not doggy boot camp, because we use gentle, scientifically proven methods based on animal learning theory. Your pup will have fun while learning, as well as develop good social skills and public behavior.
After his stay with us, we’ll return your new pup and spend an hour teaching you all that he has learned. Includes an additional follow-up session.
One-on-One Training
Do you have lots of time? Are you more of a do-it-yourself person? Plucky Puppy will come to your home and teach you how to train your dog. Hands on training in your home will help you develop the skills and knowledge to train your dog yourself.
Puppy Packages
Your puppy’s most critical learning period is between the ages of 3 to 18 weeks. This preciously short amount of time can make the difference between a well-adjusted, polite and charming family member and a problem dog that is an eternal embarrassment. The number one reason that dogs are surrendered to shelters is behavior problems that could have been prevented with a few basic training sessions.
Our puppy packages are an alternative to traditional puppy classes. We only require two shots for attendance at puppy socials, and your training can begin even sooner than that. As soon as you get your new puppy, his training can (and should!) begin. We’ll come to your home so that your pup isn’t exposed to potentially harmful diseases for which his immune system is not prepared. We will help you “puppy-proof” your home, and begin by teaching you necessary training and management. When your pup has received his second shot, he’s welcome at our puppy socials! Puppy socials are essential to raising a well-adjusted and confident puppy, and preventing future fear-based and anti-social behaviors, which often ultimately lead to aggression. At our puppy socials, your pup will be exposed to lots of safe play with others his age, as well as many different types of people, objects, and noises.
The Well Puppy Package
This package is for the puppy who is doing just fine when you get him, to ensure a start on the right foot for both of you.
The package includes two private in-home training sessions that will cover puppy-proofing your home, potty-training and chew-prevention, along with basic obedience commands such as “sit” “stay” “come” and “leave it.”
In addition, you will be provided with the “Plucky Puppy Primer” which contains instructions and training handouts.
You and your puppy will receive passes to 10 “Plucky Puppy Playgroups” where you and your puppy will get to socialize with other pups in the same age group.
Your Well Puppy package also includes 3 of the most useful puppy raising tools available.
The Problem Puppy Package
This package is for the puppy who is already giving you a little trouble. It includes all of the services in the Well Puppy package, as well as two additional private consults focusing on problem behaviors, such as biting, jumping, chewing on furniture, or house soiling.
Puppy Follow Ups
Once your puppy has graduated from our Puppy classes, we provide a lifetime of follow up. Should your adolescent pup grow too big for his britches, we offer follow-up behavior consultations, and the following packages:
Dog Packages
Behavior Brush-Up
Has it been too long since Puppy Class? Have you not had time to train your dog in a while? Does he jump on visitors or eat your shoes? If your dog is just lacking some basic manners, or reverting to his bad old ways, a Behavior Brush-Up package may be the thing for you.
Difficult Dog Package
For dogs that show aggression towards dogs or humans, we offer the Difficult Dog Package. This includes extended weekly training session with owners, as well as management and safety advice. In addition, your dog will go on weekly training walks.