THE TOOLS
There are many tools we use here to create proper communication and an effective experience for you and your dog. Below are the most effective and misunderstood tools in our tool box.
Prong Collar
A Prong Collar guides a dog using directional pressure. We like to refer to it as our “steering wheel”. This tool is designed to give a ‘hug’ around the dog’s neck instead of direct pressure in one spot, much like flat collars do. Sure flat buckle collars and harnesses sound and look nice but they don’t tell you the disadvantages and injuries that could come from them. Also noting that a harness actually initiates pulling for dogs (ex. Sled dogs use harnesses to pull).
Prong Collars distribute even amounts of pressure around the dogs whole neck – almost acting as a mother’s corrections to their pups. This collar may look “mean” to most but we promise it is the most gentle and humane way to work on any unwanted behaviour such as pulling on walks. Once a dog fully understands leash pressure with a prong (pressure on/pressure off), then we are able to move towards introducing the E-Collar.
E-Collar
This is by far the best tool for communication! And no... it is not a “shock” collar.
An E-Collar is very similar to a TENS unit which stimulates muscles along a dogs neck – much similar to what people use in physical therapy. We are NOT just slapping on the E-Collar and correcting at high levels to get the dog to do what we want. This is unfortunately the ultimate thought for some people when it comes to this collar.
We use low level stimulation starting off also called a “working level”. This is a communication that the dog understands through the pressure on/pressure off approach. This is where they learn how to turn off that tingly sensation on their neck when a command is given. This is not as easy as it sounds making it extremely crucial to condition a dog properly to the E-Collar. At first, we are not teaching any commands, we are layering the pressure with all well-known commands. Once conditioned and practiced over and over through repetitions, we can then start holding them accountable and make commands non-negotiable.
This is such a great tool for every dog. We can “whisper” at low levels when there are no distractions around or, we can “shout” by dialling up to higher levels when we are in areas that have more distractions and our dogs are more stimulated.
Crate
Yes... We fully believe in crates!
The Crate is the safest place for your dog when you are not around and actively watching them. It prevents your dog from getting into certain situations that could have been avoided like counter surfing, getting on to furniture, chewing things they shouldn’t be, or getting into the trash and eating something harmful. Dogs are den animals and it is totally natural for them to be able to relax in a confined area. A dog who is not comfortable with being in a Crate is imbalanced in important ways, and this often stems from being given free reign of the whole house at the beginning. This is where you will find a push back when you introduce a crate (confined area). This tool also provides structure and boundaries in a home. For new puppy owners Crate training is actually beneficial and helps out a ton for potty training in general. I can not stress enough how important a Crate is for a dog mentally!
‘Place’ Cot
We truly believe that a ‘Place’ command is the best management tool there is within your home! It provides a peaceful place for your dog to lay which means they are not running around the house engaging in poor behaviours. A ‘Place’ command can be on any object (cot, bed, towel, etc.) – we just use a pet cot to teach this command and simplify it for the owners. The Place Cot also helps with dogs that are fearful, struggle with impulse control and/or need confidence building.