FAQ
Are your services expensive?
I am not the most expensive trainer located in Townsville, but I am also definitely not the cheapest.
What are your payment options?
You can pay using cash, direct bank deposit, Visa/MC credit- or debit cards, Google and Apple Pay.
Do you offer free behaviour or training advice to people in general?
No, I do not - I will not offer free advice beit on the phone, via email, messenger nor on-line in relation to dogs I have never seen.
Doing so it unethical, irresponsible and can be detrimental to the dog and owner, and in some cases, downright dangerous.
How do I contact you?
Current and former clients: Phone, email, txt, Facebook messenger or Instagram.
Everybody else: Email, Facebook messenger or Instagram only.
Calls from unknown phone numbers will not be accepted due to all the spam calls i am getting, please don't leave a message on my voicemail, use one of the above, three forms of communication instead.
Can you guarantee that you will be able to "fix" my dog?
No, anybody who tells you that they can guarantee solving/fixing a behaviour issue, are not being honest with you. We are dealing with a living, sentient being, not a machine - and every single dog is different. What worked with one dog may not necessarily work with another dog.
What I can guarantee is;
1. I will offer, professional, unbiased advice.
2. I will keep all appointments, barring any emergencies.
3. I will not take your money if I do not think i am the right trainer for your dog, in which case I will refer you to another trainer who might be in a better position to help your dog.
4. I will not tell you that your dog is untrainable and should be medicated, or worse, euthanized. See point 3.
5. I will not "dazzle" you with jargon and pretend I know everything there is to know about dog training.
So, what am I paying for?
You are paying for customised one-on-one training and behaviour modification work, you are paying for a professional service by a professional trainer with over 20 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge - and a genuine love of all things canine.
On completion of a training package, you will be entitled to ongoing support via e-mail, Skype, messenger or phone at no extra cost, you are also entitled to three additional sessions to work on any behavioural issues; completely free of charge!
I never stop learning, and I am not afraid of change should new, scientific evidence emerge which challenges how I train, and suggests a better way. It is after all, all about the animal..
Also see my post on Facebook dated March 16th 2021.
Do you price-match?
No
Will you train my dog?
No, I will train you to train your dog.
How can cheap group classes prove costly in the long run?
No private trainers will put your dog in a group class without evaluating you and your dog first - they don't, then they are potentially setting you and your dog up for failure.
Most behaviour issues tend to develop during the first 12 to 18 months of the dogs life. Putting your dog in a group class without addressing these issues first, can, and in most cases, will, lead to more serious behavioural issues.
It is normally a lot easier and quicker dealing with these issues at an early age rather than later on in life when these unacceptable behaviours have become "learnt behaviours". This in turn means more costs involved as it will now take a lot longer to rehabilitate your dog.
My dog pulls on the leash, lunges and barks at other dogs - what's going on?
You have a what is commonly known as a "reactive" dog, this is, unfortunately a very common issue.
You need to contact a professional trainer for help before it escalates even further. However, there are different types of reactivity, or more to the point, causes, and whichever trainer you employ, must know how to identify all, and how to treat them.
And, enrolling such a dog in a group class, without prior assessment, will in the vast majority of cases, escalate the reactive behaviour even further.
But, don't get the same level of service if I enrol in a class at the Obedience Club?
Sorry to disappoint you, these are group classes, so the time the instructor can spend with each handler is very limited and how the dog behaves in class might not be how it behaves at home. Remember, more often than not, I find the handler has to make changes in the home environment before I even see the dog. There is a reason my logo says "Training Dogs One Human At The Time". :)
Why do you need to assess my dog in my home first - can't we just start training?
I need to learn as much as I can about your relationship with the dog, why you chose a particular breed, any previous experience with dogs and so on, as well as feeding routine, behaviour concerns etc - all this before i even look at the dog. That interview will normally take close to an hour.
Then it is time to assess your dog, allowing me to quickly pick up on any issues which you might not even be aware of, as well as giving me an idea of level of foundation obedience and so on.
I will discuss my findings with you, and give you a short overview regarding any changes you may have to make as well as ongoing training.
I will, within 24 hours of the assessment, e-mail you a detailed report containing my observations and recommendations.
You are under no obligation to sign up with me after that, however, the assessment fee will be deducted from the training fee should you decide to sign up.
Are you a "pure positive" type of trainer?
No - I am more what a lot of people describe as a "balanced trainer", or "positive first" (a term first coined by Glenn Cooke of the Canine Paradigm) if you will.
That means I do not lock myself into an agenda or belief system as by doing so will let the animal down when that specific training system fails and the trainer is only willing to use half of the science underpinning animal learning, instead of all of it.
However, I do spend most of the time using Positive Reinforcement Based (R+) training as you cannot beat this when it comes to teaching new behaviours, or reinforcing existing behaviours.
However, Positive Reinforcement (R+), has its limitations, this is where the rest of the science kicks in; Negative Reinforcement (R-), Positive Punishment (P+) and Negative Punishment (P-). you now have all the four quadrants of "Operant Conditioning"
Let me add that in animal training, "positive" does not mean "good" and "negative" does not mean "bad". The mathematical definition is used to describe these, where "positive" means something is added, and "negative" means something is removed.
"Punishment" is also a very emotive term, whereas "inhibitor" would be more accurate.
It is also very important to understand that neither "Classical Conditioning", nor "Operant Conditioning" are something which was invented by humans, and that it only applies to dogs.
They were defined by scientists, so we can better understand how they work, but every single organism on the planet are affected by both classical and operant conditioning - and have been so ever since the first organisms appeared.
And that includes us, the humans - we are after all also animals; mammals.
Do you service all areas in the Townsville region?
No, I do not service Alice River, Alligator Creek, Black River, Bluewater, Rangewood, Rupertswood and Magnetic Island.