In home dog training provides both owner and dog with many benefits that are commonly overlooked. At first blush the prospect of having a dog trainer come to your home for a personalized training session may seem like an expensive option reserved only for the wealthy. The truth is that in home dog training can be both the most cost effective and productive training that you can provide for either a young puppy or an older dog with behavioral issues.
Dogs much like humans act differently inside their home as compared to being out in social settings. It is common that an issue which manifests itself inside the home might never occur in an obedience class or in a kennel environment. Inside the home, dogs feel comfortable since they are in their own environment. This allows them to be themselves without the added pressure or distraction of being in a foreign place. The comfort of both the dog and the owner makes the home the ideal place to train.
Having a trainer come to your home allows the trainer to see issues with their own eyes, not just based on the owners descriptions. Many times dog’s issues can start off as small, difficult to detect behaviors that grow over time when they are not addressed. An experienced trainer can pick up on these small details by assessing the dog and environment as a whole. Taking all the dogs behaviors into account the trainer can then provide the most detailed description of what they would do to move forward and begin addressing the situation before it turns into something more serious.
When done correctly, in home dog training gives the owner a chance to form a bond with their pet through the training. The goal of a house call is not for the trainer to immediately fix every issue during an hour and a half session. Instead, the trainer explains why a training technique will work with detailed instruction and physical examples. The owner can then utilize this technique as a tool going forward because they truly understand it. This can be more effective than a trainer taking a dog, correcting the issues and then training the owner on how to maintain the progress. The owner is a part of the process from the start and feels a sense of accomplishment as progress is made. In home training allows the owner and the dog to build their relationship in a positive and structured manner. This also helps save on the cost of training, the owner is spending their time on the physical act of training (instead of the trainer) which keeps the total cost of training down.
House calls are completely tailored to the needs of your dog and your environment and can be structured to provide you best impact for your dollar. Obedience classes tend to focus on a set curriculum and may cover things that your dog already knows, or doesn’t have an issue with. This wastes some of the time that you are paying for with the trainer. In a house call a trainer will focus directly on things that the owner wants to see addressed with their dog. Both basic obedience and behavioral issues can be addressed during a house call.
It is common that for basic obedience training, a trainer may offer a package of lessons (usually around 3) in which they will cover the various aspects of an obedience class. This should include; Heel, Sit, Stay, Down, and Come. Each dog is different and the trainer will teach the owner the techniques in an order that makes sense for the particular dog. Each lesson will build off the last and the owner will continue to build their training skills as they move forward.
Behavioral issues vary, some can be handled in a single house call with great results and others may require multiple lessons. The trainer should explain what they feel is necessary and not pressure an owner into paying for lessons that they do not feel like they need. This is why Suburban K-9 does not sell packages of lessons. We discuss the progress after each session to determine how many lessons make sense for a particular situation. It is important that the trainer and the owner are on the same page and come up with a detailed training plan.
While all training methods have their advantage and disadvantages, in home training has proven to be one of the most effective methods for training a dog both in terms of cost and productivity.
Matt Wlos
Senior Trainer
Suburban K-9
