In the Flow

Training a dog is about creating good habits, Our goal is to help you quickly get ‘In the Flow’ with your dog, as a unified human-dog team. Once these habits are formed and strengthened over time through proper practice the bond intensifies and develops into reliable leadership with trust and love.

The Training Triad

Using the Training Triad - Training, Motivation and Socialization, our focus is on achieving ‘Flow State’ - the point where all the circles touch.

We begin to achieve this by teaching you proper leash work – this is the foundation of all obedience training! We teach you the practical and physical skills of leash work while simultaneously revealing the underlying principle of combining relaxation with activity.

This focus is on being able to work without strain, in a way removing yourself, to be in the present moment without forcing or making your dog perform. This coexistence brings the best out of you and your K9 companion.

Focusing on the three key principles of In The Flow K9 Training Triad - Training, Motivation and Socializing provides owners with effective tools. When an issue occurs in your progress you can go through each of the circles to identify and correct the weak link.

Training.

We use a 6’ and 15’ handlers leash and a Herm Sprenger Training Collar (prong collar) to leash train your dog. Both of which you can purchase from us at your evaluation. This is often the moment where some dogs learn to walk on a leash properly for the first time.

The prong collar is one of the most misunderstood tools of a dog trainer. It is not used to punish or inflict any kind of pain on the dog, it is a precision tool.

If you watch dogs off leash together you will see them immediately organize and define their roles. In doing so they will nip at each other, often on the back of the neck. This is what makes the prong so effective at communicating accurately with your dog. It is very slight and subtle and you will at times hardly see my hands moving. What I will say to students… “You have to correct as much as you have to, but try and correct as little as possible.” This is a bit of a mystery, but it is in the subtlety of dog training, the tools are not the solution, it is the proper application of the training.

We do not force, control or coerce the dog, we are searching for Engagement.

Motivation

Every dog is unique in this category. What motivates a dog? How do we get that focus? One big question I get is, “Why doesn’t my dog look at me like he looks at you?” My short answer is “I am communicating clearly with him.”

This is where dog training becomes an art. It is about reading the dog and being in the present moment, where the lines of communication become way more subtle. This is the biggest gift from having a K9 companion in your life, to be present, to read the dog in the moment and not be so focused on the outcome. This way we learn to enjoy the journey and their company.

Training is not a chore, but a privilege. The motivation and focus from your dog is something you have to earn, and the path is not through excessive treats or the over use of toys, but to figure out how to get your dog asking you questions.

Socialization

This is taking the other two components (Training and Motivation) of In The Flow K9 Training Triad and putting your dog in varied environments incrementally over time until he responds with the focus and engagement we desire. Socializing is not randomly letting your dog be exposed to the various stimuli. It is having structure and a plan to teach your dog good habits.

If you have specific issues or would like to expose your dog to other stimulus, we will help you achieve any goal you have through incremental progressions and exposure until your dog becomes solid in any and all environments.

in summary

This takes the three D’s - Discipline. Dedication and Devotion to the process, on a regular basis. Dogs are being trained in every single interaction you have with them. We are providing you with support and structure to become your dogs Leader.