Private Dog Training &
Specialized Dog Walking
Passionate. Professional. Positive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1 How can I become your client? A1 Thanks for your interest! Please submit the basic contact form, on the Contact Us page in the menu, to declare your interest or get started with any questions you may still have after reading through this page. I will reach out by phone or email as soon as possible to discuss your needs. For Specialized Walks and Cooperative Care Programs, you'll be asked to complete a client profile in my easy-to-use client portal. Then, we'll schedule your New Client Consult. For Walk-and-Train and Private Dog Training, you'll be asked to complete an in-depth New Client Questionnaire with information about you, your household, your dog, and your dog's history. From there, we can schedule a virtual or in-person New Client Consult to get started!
Q2 What services do you offer? A2 Perky Pet offers Private Dog Training Consultations, Walk-and-Train packages, Specialized Dog Walks/Visits, and Cooperative Care Programs for families and professional groups.
Q3 What is the difference between the Walk-and-Train program and your Specialized Walk service? A3 Specialized Walks are like normal dog walks or home visits, but with a dog trainer who is experienced with all breeds and needs. The dogs that benefit most from Specialized Walks/Visits are dogs with fear or anxiety, dogs that struggle to trust new people, and dogs with medical conditions including post-operative care. Walk-and-Train packages are training sessions done during your dog's walk, as more of a 2-in-1 deal: your dog gets their walk, and you get the benefit of dog training.
Q4 What is Cooperative Care? A4 Cooperative Care, also called Care With Consent, is a training program designed to make caretaking and pet handling less stressful for everyone involved. Using combinations of desensitization, counter conditioning, Cooperative Care animal husbandry methodologies, my expertise in animal behavior, and LOTS of love and patience... I can help you teach your pet to tolerate, and even enjoy, being handled for things like nail trims, grooming, vet exams, medication administration, and coat maintenance.
Q5 What is fear free dog training? A5 When a trainer says they are "fear free", that means they promise to never use pain, fear, intimidation, or unnecessary force while training your dog. Fear free dog trainers refuse to use aversive tools, techniques, and methods including but not limited to: shock collars, choke chains, prong collars, leash "pops", rattle cans, yelling, hitting, "alpha-rolling", or other "dominance" tactics. You may see trainers that are not fear free referred to as "balanced", "traditional", or "old-school".
Q6 What is a Certified Dog Trainer? A6 The dog training industry is, unfortunately, completely unregulated. This means that anyone can wake up one day and decide to call themselves a dog trainer. For the safety of your family, the well-being of your dog, and the respect of your wallet, it is important to find a dog trainer that has received an education or certification from a reputable source. Some of the most well-respected certifications you might see behind a credentialed trainer's name are: VSA-CDT (like Sophia!) KPA-CTP IAABC-ADT CCPDT-KSA CTC
Q7 Your company offers walks for dogs with severe anxiety, fear, and reactivity---but does not offer training for those dogs' families? A7 Correct. I have many years of experience working with fearful, anxious, overreactive, and fear-aggressive dogs in a dog walking & pet sitting capacity, and am very confident in my ability to establish myself as a trusted member of a dog's network in that way...but I have not completed nearly enough education in canine psychology and aggression to assist with these complex behavioral cases in the dog trainer capacity (yet!). ***Any dog trainer who claims to be able to assist in cases where a dog has severe and debilitating fear, aggression, or separation anxiety should have an extensive list of qualifications that have prepared them to do so. Please do not take a chance on anyone claiming to be a "fear and aggression specialist" if they do not have a substantial education to set them up for success with your dog. Please reach out if you would like recommendations for reputable and qualified professionals that are equipped to handle these cases. I would be happy to work in tandem with your dog trainer or vet behaviorist.
Q8 What if I have more questions? A8 Please submit the contact form on my Contact Us page with any and all questions about me, my company, and my services! I will respond as quickly as I can.