Canine Classroom
Our Philosophy
At Top Dog Obedience, we believe that a happy partnership with your dog begins with you taking the leadership role. Being aware of how your emotions influence the dog, the timing of rewards and how to create a marker that indicates reward is coming. We teach the dog to engage with their handler "yield" to leash pressure (not pull on the leash). The dogs are taught the desired behaviors and commands through consistency and repetition. Most importantly, training should be fun for you and the dog!!!
Being the leader
Taking the leadership role means that you decide the boundaries and rules that will govern the relationship you have with your dog, and be consistent in your enforcement of these rules. Your dog will learn to trust and respect your leadership, and you will build a mutually fulfilling life-long partnership with your dog.
Working as a team
Training your dog takes time and practice. You will need to be consistent and practice reguarly to teach your dog how to behave the way you want. As you spend this time working together, you build mutual trust and gain a true canine partner that is a joy to be around.
Socialization
A socialized dog is one who can behave calmly, respectfully, and attentively in any situation. A socialized dog will pay attention to you regardless of what is happening around them. We do not believe that socialization means allowing your dog to greet and play with every dog or person he sees. In contrast, we believe a truly socialized dog is one who is focused on their handler regardless of the distractions.
Leash and collar
We use a martingale training collar and a 6 foot leash.We are strong believers that your hands should make contact with your dog for praise, love, and affection only. The communication that comes through the leash and collar lets the dog know if they are doing the right thing. Most behavioral issues can be solved by keeping your dog on a leash and under control until you have taught them the desired behaviors.
Simple Methods
We teach simple, common sense training methods that get results, but there is no magic or quick fix in dog training the only limit to what you can accomplish with your dog is how much time and effort you are willing to put in. With your understanding of how to teach your dog, time, patience, and consistency both you and your dog develop a happier, healthier relationship that you can enjoy for years to come.