In Home
We're happy to offer services right in your home. It's the best place to directly support you and your furry family member.
Here at Top Notch
Our facility is a safe place for all dogs. It's a new and neutral place where dogs are welcome to be themselves.
Out and About
For loose-leash walking, socialization, and desensitization it can help to be where the action is or to get out of our comfort zones.
Virtual
Our trainers can train your dog without ever touching him or her, simply by coaching you. We can work remotely, wherever you are.
So many ways to work with us.
The keys for compatible companionship:
If bolting out the door, barking or jumping at strangers, chewing furniture, or wetting in the house are challenges you face, we'll resolve these problems through positive training.
We use positive training to build understanding between you and your dog so you can have the kind of relationship that serves you both.
The main outcome of this program is that your dog will want to pay attention to you. This means coming when called, walking on a loose leash, and responding to commands.
Commitment: Weekly Meetings for 2 Months
The Gold Standard to Start on the Right Paw:
If you’re planning to have a new puppy in your life, equip yourself with the Do's and Don't of finding your new furry family member. We offer guidance and coaching to find the best companion for your lifestyle. With an encyclopedic knowledge of dog breeds and their behaviors, we can match you with the dog of your dreams. We also have insight to connect you with reputable sources of healthy pups to avoid some unhappy outcomes.
When your adoption plan is in place, it's time to get supplies. We provide an extensive list of the things you'll need and links to purchase them. We've done our research to save you the trouble of reading reviews and buying things that will just be a waste of money. We'll even go to the store with you to pick out all the goodies that will benefit your puppy. And if shopping's not your thing, opt for full service supply delivery. We'll take care of everything.
Last but not least, we'll be there to set up and prep your home so you can welcome your puppy into an appropriately engineered environment for an errorless learning strategy.
Foundations for a Lasting Loyal Friendship:
When you bring a new puppy into your home, it's a big life change for both of you. This puppy has been living its first 8-10 weeks of life without a care, surrounded by other dogs. Now there are new people, and new rules, too.
To make this a happy new chapter, you'll want to learn to communicate with your dog. The most important thing is to build trust, which you can do by creating a safe space and setting up a schedule.
If you can make this commitment, your dog will be devoted to you. He or she will also come, sit, stay, "place", and even relax when cued to do so.
Our trainers will help you to desensitize your dog to things like the doorbell and delivery drop-offs, loud noises, or whatever triggers unease. Through exposure with a positive association, these regular events become stress-free.
Another great piece of this program is the puppy playground, which we'll help you create right in your home.
Commitment: 1 hour weekly in-home visits, one to one, 2 Months
New Challenges at 5-7 Months Old:
Do you feel like you have a furry pirate living in your home, breaking into rooms, stealing stuff, disrupting the peace, and reeking havoc? The good news is it's a phase. The tough news is that the next chapter in your dog's life depends upon how well this phase is addressed.
Don’t overlook this transitional stage of your dog’s life. It’s like your dog is seeing the world with a fresh pair of eyes every single day.
Right now your dog has a diminished sense of self-control, self-awareness, and self-preservation. Because his or her brain is developing and changing so rapidly we re-teach the skills your puppy used to have and set good habits and routines for all future phases of maturity.
Your dog will learn or relearn hand target, voluntary eye-contact, relaxation, recall, sit, down, stay, and loose-leash walking for life. These foundational behaviors will become rock solid.
Commitment: 1.5 hour consultation. Highly customizable
This Has Got to Stop!
Barking, chewing, jumping, marking, begging, digging, leash pulling, impulsive and undesirable behaviors- We'll help you find a resolution.
It helps to understand the root of the issue before a solution can be found. Problematic behaviors can stem from genetics, natural instincts, environment, health problems, personal history, and lack of training. The reason is never "bad dog."
We'll work with you and your dog to diagnose the root of the behavior and get to the source. It helps to have a trainer who can act as interpreter and teach you both how to understand each other. With a little time and attention, most behaviors can be understood and addressed.
Get the support you and your dog need!
Commitment: 1 hour weekly visits as needed
Your Dog is Stressed, and You Are Too:
Does your dog whine when you leave, dig through a door, self-harm, destroy furniture? These are signs of stress and anxiety. Your dog is having a hard time, not giving you a hard time. Working together we can set up an environment that helps your dog to relax and feel secure. We offer mental enrichment and calming supplements that ease anxiety.
When your dog's mental and physical needs are met many of these symptoms can decrease or stop altogether. We'll manage your dog's environment and prevent them from practicing the undesirable behaviors.
Commitment: 1 hour weekly visits as needed
It Takes a Village:
Join us to introduce your dog to people and pups of all ages. We provide off-leash group meetings at our facility. It's a safe, clean place for your puppy to make friends and learn about the world. We have a puppy playground, indoor and outdoor spaces to explore, and supervision for all our furry friends.
Another option is to bring your dog to meet us at a low-distraction public place and learn about the busy world of people. We do these fieldtrips to provide socialization outside our facility.
Only well dogs are admitted to social groups. Proof of current age appropriate vaccinations is required.
Active, fun, and a Great Challenge for All Dogs
Agility training is a rewarding and fun activity that offers numerous benefits for dogs of all kinds. It's a fun challenge that you and your dog can enjoy together, regardless of experience or age. This training provides essential physical exercise, helping your dog stay fit, healthy, and mentally stimulated. Navigating obstacles like tunnels, jumps, and weave poles challenges their body and mind, preventing boredom and promoting confidence.
Agility isn’t just great for dogs—it’s also a bonding experience for owners. Working together to learn new skills builds trust, improves communication, and deepens your connection. While your dog learns to look to you for guidance, you'll become more in tune with your dog. Whether you’re competing or simply training for fun, agility is a positive, engaging way to enhance your dog’s well-being while strengthening the joyful partnership you share.
Commitment: 1 hour weekly
It helps to understand the root of the issue before a solution can be found.
Where might these behaviors and problems come from?
-
Natural Instincts- Certain breeds are predisposed to chewing, chasing, digging, and other undesirable activities, that are, from certain points of view, their most valued traits. Herding dogs, for example, are known to direct children by barking, nipping and pushing. Give them a better outlet and this busy energy becomes manageable.
-
Health Problems- Strange behaviors seemingly out of nowhere are always worth a deeper consideration. Sometimes an easy lifestyle adjustment like adding fiber to your dog's diet can stop them from going through the trash and eating toilet paper. Sometimes these behaviors are a clue to a bigger problem. We can tell you when it's time to consult a veterinarian.
-
Personal History- Trauma comes in many forms. When triggered, a dog can put themself or others in danger with unexpected actions. If you want to help them feel secure, it's important to learn and recognize the signals your dog is sending.
-
Lack of Understanding- It's unfair to expect dogs to know the rules when we're not speaking their language. Since we cannot read each other's minds, it helps to have a trainer who can act as interpreter and teach you both how to understand each other. With a little time and attention, most behaviors can be understood and addressed.
