Private Puppy Training
Enjoy an easier puppy today – and a great dog tomorrow.
At Project Potential we have 3 goals:
Goal #1. Reduce Fear
Fear is the main cause of aggression. Once we train to alleviate fear the aggression disappears with it.
Goal #2. Prevent Fear
It is much easier to prevent fear in puppies before it has a chance to develop as they age.
Goal #3. Educate our Community
Dog training is an unregulated, messy industry with tons of misinformation. We only use scientifically proven methods to prevent or alleviate fear to therefore reduce aggression.
Aggression Explained
4 Common Types of Aggression
Why do some dogs growl, snarl, snap or bite?
Growling, snarling and snapping serve as warning signs when a dog is scared. It is as if the dog is trying to say, “You scare me, please don’t come any closer. I’d rather not have an interaction with you, go away.” Dogs will often bite if their request for distance by growling, snarling and snapping is ignored.
4 Types of Aggression and how to identify them.
1. Resource Guarding: Aggressive behavior while the dog is eating or is in possession of an item (toy, bone, or stolen item).
2. Stranger Danger: Aggressive behavior towards humans that the dog is unfamilar with, usually anyone not living in the same household.
3. Body Handling: Aggressive behaviors when someone attempts to touch or pick up the dog. The feet and neck area tend to be problem areas for many dogs however some dogs will not tolerate being touched anywhere.
4. Location Specific: Aggressive behaviors near their favorite resting spot (couch, bed or kennel) or places such as the car or Vetrenarian’s office.
Resource Guarding
Although this behavior is largely genetic there is a very good track record of successfully changing it with the correct training protocol. If dogs were left to their natural behaviors in the wild an instinct to guard their food and bones would serve them well in the challenge of not starving to death.
“But my dog has plenty of food so why is he still so uptight?” Great question! He’s got some left over software in his brain from his ancestors that drives him to protect his favorite things regardless of his current situation.
“So how can we get him to chill out about his food?” With the help of a professional trainer who can identify his specific emotional triggers we can come up with a training plan that will show your pup that Food + People = Even better food! This will make your dog happy which means he is no longer concerned you’re going to steal his favorite things and he can finally relax and stop being aggressive.
Location Specific Aggression
Dogs tend to see their favorite resting spot as a prized resource and my act aggressively if anyone attempts to disturb them in their favorite spot. This is also an old software program in their brain left over from their wild days. We can devise a training plan to get them to willing leave their resting spot or show them: Resting Spot + People = Food/Chews so they happily anticipate the next human visit while they’re resting.
Just as many humans hate visiting doctor’s and/or dentist’s offices, dogs too can dread certain scary locations. Unfortunately dogs do not understand that Vet and grooming visits are in their best interest so they may act aggressively to try and save themselves from a repeat experience. We can train dogs to actively participate in their own grooming and vet care. This helps dogs feel in control of what happens to them and therefore less scared of these painful procedures. We can also teach dogs that these locations predict good things (treats and praise) too, not just scary people and painful procedures.
Strangers of the human variety
Many breeds of dogs have been selectively bred to find unknown humans as a threat and with any threat you’d prefer they keep their distance. The only way a dog has to tell you to keep your distance is to act aggressively! This is especially the case for live-stalk guardian dogs who see it as their job to prevent thieves from loading up all your cattle. On the other end of the spectrum is the lovable Labrador whom no one would trust to guard anything!
“So can we teach our wary pup to like new humans?” This one is a tad more complicated as social dynamics tend to go but depending on the severity of fear along with some other key factors in most cases significant progress can be made to get Fido more comfortable with strangers and therefore more easily manageable around strangers.
Body Handling Aggression
There can be many reason why a dog might prefer not to be touched. Some dogs may be scared of being touched by strangers specifically while others won’t even let family members touch them. Some dogs don’t like specific body parts being touched such as their feet, neck, or tail. This might be because they expect it to hurt or it just plain scares them! If they’ve been handled roughly in the past by a child or perhaps the groomer or veterinarian they may have issues with people who remind them of their past experiences of pain or fear.
Fortunately the why is not an important factor when building a training plan to help a dog feel comfortable with being touched. We can devise a training plan to teach him that being touched is safe and enjoyable. Once he feels safe while being touched there’s no longer a need to be aggressive.
Pricing and package details:
Our 45 minute Zoom Call is free and will help you decide
if one of our packages is right for your dog, situation, and personal goals:
To book a call: https://calendly.com/tovahlynnpdx/discovery-call
Puppy Board and Train: For puppies needing manners, life skills, and basic cues. Includes 2 transfer training sessions in your home:
**8-20w old with 1 or more rounds of puppy vaccines**
$1000/Weekly: 2-3 weeks recommended per lifestyle goals
12 Week Fear and Aggression Coaching Package: For Dogs and owners with fear and or aggression issues: Includes 90 minute consultation, customized training plan, weekly group coaching calls via Zoom, daily text support, life time access to online learning portal.
Local Fear and Aggression Consultation : For adult dogs with fear and aggression issues ranging from food/bed guarding to stranger aggression. 9 minute session. In home consultations available within a 30 mile readius of downtown Branson, MO: $160
Small Dog Over Night Boarding: $35/Night
also =uppy Board and Train: $1600 – $3200
In-home Transfer Training Sessions + Potty Training, Basic Cues ,Socialization Field-Trips.
- What your puppy will learn to love
- Car Rides
Nail trims
Teeth brushing
Veterinarian’s office lobby and scale and veterinarian staff
Grooming salon, table and bath
Hair cuts (breed specific) - How old does my puppy have to be?
Ages 8 – 20 weeks old are welcome. Starting this program at 8weeks old is ideal because your puppy will still be in the socialization phase of brain development and positive experiences will be remembered for a lifetime. - What if my puppy is alreay showing signs of fear or aggression?
Not to worry, at this age, reversing fear and aggression is comparatively much easier than working with adult dogs. They will still get a lot of benefit from this training package as this training can change the tragectory of their development. - What Breeds are accepted?
All breeds are welcome. Training techniques will be adjusted with your dog’s breed in mind. Your dog’s breed will be taken into consideration when we form training goals which is discussed prior to booking. - What should I expect during Transfer Training Sessions when my puppy returns home?
Owners should allow for 90 minutes of hands on coaching the day your puppy comes home. I’ll model for you all the cues your dog has learned and we’ll practice your puppy doing these behaviors for you too. If your puppy does any unwanted behaviors, I’ll model for you how to curb these behaviors immediately so that your puppy learns that all the new rules apply in your home too.
Fear and Aggression Coaching Package:
Book a Discovery Call
3 Month of Intensive Training and Coaching Support will transform you and your dog.
- What types of aggression are covered by this package?
Food, bone, toy or bed guarding
Body handling aggression
Stranger aggression
Location and scenario specific aggression - Where will training sessions take place?
Our individual assessment will be hosted on Zoom meetings. Weekly group coaching calls are also hosted on Zoom. You’ll recieve credientials to log into Skool.com to engage in our online learning platform and connect with others in the program that are also living throught the struggles of owning an aggressive dog. - What training methods will be used to help my dog?
Only scientifically based training methods will be used to help your dog overcome their fears that feed their aggressive behaviors. Classical conditioning is used to help change emotional pathways in the brain and operant conditioning is used to change behavior patterns that provide relevant consequences for the dog. As a fear free trainer I only use positive association pairings to change the emotional state of the dog. Once the dog is in a better emotional state positive reinforcement is used to build more appropriate behavior patterns surrounding the problematic situations. If undesired behaviors still linger after the emotional state is changed then negative punishment is used to deliver an undesirable consequence for the dog, for example: social interaction halting or food/toy momentarily disappearing. I am careful not to elicit fear or pain at all times during training as this causes negative emotional states which motivate aggressive behavior.
Program requirements:
Puppy Board and Train is available for puppies starting at 8 weeks old. Puppies must have their first round of puppy vaccinations a minimum of 7 days prior to their arrival. For training concepts to transfer to your home it’s important that your home be available for transfer training sessions.
Board and Train guests must submit proof of vaccinations before arrival. Rabies, Distemper, Parvovirus, and Hepatitis vaccines are required. Titer testing will be accepted. Flea and Tick medicine type and last application date is required.
Does your dog scare you or your veterinarian?
Does your dog scare you or your veterinarian?
A community approach to puppy raising
Our mission is to build great canine community members through active, fun, science-based puppy raising. We try to be great community members ourselves, too. In every group of 5 puppies we help train and socialize you’ll find a foster puppy—a future PDX canine citizen who hasn’t yet found her forever home. By learning alongside our client puppies, these fosters become ready to step successfully into their new families when their perfect person comes along.
Aggressive dog training and coaching, including food, grooming, and veterinarian aggression
Phone:
870.365.8907
Email:
tovahlynnpdx@gmail.com
