Frequently Asked Questions
Feel free to contact us with any additional questions or concerns you have.
AM I THE DOG TRAINER FOR YOU?
Some might disagree with my philosophy on dog training which is okay mostly because they fail to understand that there is a big difference between human psychology and dog psychology, two very big different types of psychology to take in consideration. Since we excel in understanding the dogs not only physical needs but mental needs we are able to successfully change any dogs, any breeds, and any ages state of mind. We do understand that there are different methods on training and we do know them but we realize that the way we train now gets us faster and better results. None of our methods involve hitting, punishing, mistreating or harming any of our dogs, no matter how aggressive or misbehaved they are.
WHAT WILL YOUR DOG LEARN?
We train our dogs with a lot of structure and with real world situations. We teach them that there is a time and place for everything and if there comes a point in time when they need guidance or help then we will be there to be their source of guidance which we want BEFORE they make a bad decision. We strive for your dog to not only listen 50% of the time or 75% or “just at home” but 100% of the time, which is why we get the results we get. We teach dog commands that will help them in real world situations from sitting in the place command at home when company comes to rocking a down/stay downtown on the busiest streets. We teach:
🐾 Down/Stay (the “stay” command is incorporated into all of our commands)
🐾 Sit/Stay (the “stay” command is incorporated into all of our commands)
🐾 Place
🐾 Out (to drop whatever they have in their mouth and LEAVE it, two commands in one)
🐾 100% recall (Here or Come)
🐾 Advanced Obedience
🐾 Heal
🐾 Kennel Up
🐾 Structured walk
🐾 Proper Socialization Skills
🐾 Proper Feeding
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
Here at the Happy K-9 we are big on commitment, pack leadership and creating a strong positive bond with your dog to the point where any command you give they listen out of respect, which is why we do not incorporate treats into our training, we aren’t against it just decide not to use when dealing with behavior modification cases (aggressive). Creating such a leadership role in your dog’s life will not only strengthen your relationship but also have people astound of how well behaved your dog is at the park, public stores, home, and pretty much everywhere else. We will give you the tools and information you need to take control and becoming the pack leader every dog seeks but does not get.
WHY DO PEOPLE COME TO US?
Dogs are just like kids, some learn at different speeds and some learn with different methods. We tend to be the trainer’s people come to as a last resort. I am the Trainer other dog trainers recommend for dogs that have INTENSE behavioral problems that they cannot fix. But I don’t just work to fix behavioral problems with dogs. I can prevent such problems from happening.Mostly people come to us after spending HUNDREDS of dollars in other trainers and get nowhere or very little results. Here at the Happy K-9 we pry our selves on finding the best fit to train your dog no matter what age, breed, size or level of aggression/ disobedience they have.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM OUR BOARD AND TRAIN PROGRAM?
All dogs respond to a balanced training program no matter what the breed, age, or previous history. Dog Breed is not an excuse for bad behavior! If you have heard this from other trainers, it could be an excuse for their bad training system.
We are Proactive in two things; training your dog good behaviors & correcting/interrupting your dog’s bad behaviors. It is important to understand that dogs cannot just be rewarded for doing things right, they need to also be corrected for doing things that can cause harm to themselves, the public, your family or other dogs. Keep in mind that our Board and Train Program will give you an incredible head start on training, eliminate bad behaviors and train great behaviors. We help dogs make better choices than they have in the past. Once the dog returns home, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that all of the training be continued daily by you & all members of the family in contact with your dog. Dogs need constant reminders about what the right choices are or they will choose to make their own decisions. This is why the most important component is the in home training after the Board & Train Program on my property is complete. Remember, if you don’t stop a behavior, you will train a behavior-good or bad.
WHY IS THE HAPPY K-9 SUCH A BIG FAN OF PRONG COLLARS?
We use prong collars because we find them to be the best tool for connecting, communicating, and creating a harmonious relationship with the least amount of physical stress to the dog and owner. Most tools tend to only mask or manage the behavior, while the prong collar allows us to actually break through and effortlessly communicate, creating a vastly different state of mind and a highly responsive dog. While prong collars tend to look horrible, when used correctly, they have been proven to be the least physically taxing, most humane, and one of the safest tools available.
DOES THE HAPPY K-9 USE TREATS TO TRAIN DOGS?
Our training approach is relationship-based. Nelson believes firmly that our dogs should be working for us, not for a food morsel. Treat training has many limitations and tends to cause dogs to be overly-excited, hyper, and food-fixated rather than relaxed and calm, which is great if you are training flyball or agility, but not when you are training a family dog to calmly co-habitate with you!