Welcome to One to One Training & Behaviour

Thank you for booking a One to One Training / Behaviour Modification Course with Activdogs, and I look forward to meeting you soon.

I have put together this letter to let you know what to expect from our training sessions and how it works. If, after reading through, you have any questions, please do get in touch.

Checklist

  • Complete the Pre-Session information form here
  • A space where we can concentrate on the training.
  • Your dog’s favourite treats.
  • A Kong, or something similar, to occupy your dog.

Training with your dog is a journey we will go on together; as you progress, it is worth remembering:

Training Is An Investment

Working with me is a partnership in which we work together to reach your goals. It is essential to know that I can’t train your dog for you; no one can! My role is to give you all the support and tools you need to train with your dog. In return, I ask that you commit to working with your dog every day, even if it is only five minutes. The best training plan in the world won’t work if it isn’t practised consistently.

Training Is A Partnership

Working with me is a partnership in which we work together to reach your goals. It is essential to know that I can’t train your dog for you; no one can! My role is to give you all the support and tools you need to train with your dog. In return, I ask that you commit to working with your dog every day, even if it is only five minutes. The best training plan in the world won’t work if it isn’t practised consistently.

Training Takes Time

All good, long-lasting training and behaviour modification is a journey that takes time and repetition. Completely resolving a problem, particularly with behavioural work, cannot be guaranteed. But by working together, we will make progress, and you will gain the knowledge to continue to make progress in the future. However, what is certain is that you will get to understand your dog better and, most importantly, form an even closer bond.

 

What Is Involved In One To One Training / Behaviour Modification

This short training course comprises an initial telephone consultation, an intensive session, generally at your home, to cover both the principles and practices of teaching and learning with your dog. This is complemented with comprehensive notes and an interactive training plan. After this, there is the offer of an optional follow-up session, typically outside, to put the training into practice.

Before the first session, please:

  • Fill in the form here.  
  • Make a note of any questions.
  • Let me know if you or anyone else who will be present has any special requirements

If you need to re-arrange an appointment, please use the link on the confirmation email to select a new date and time. If you wish to cancel an appointment, please contact me as soon as possible. Sessions cancelled with less than 72 hours’ notice will not be eligible for a refund.

During The Session

Every session is entirely bespoke to you, your family, your dog, and your situation. I will try to make it as enjoyable as possible and welcome questions throughout

To make the absolute best use of the first session, it is beneficial that there is:

  • A room or space available where we can all sit down and concentrate on the training.
  • Sufficient, uninterrupted time – initial sessions are generally around 90 minutes.
  • Your dog’s favourite treats (particularly if your dog has food sensitivities/intolerances).
  • Open minds!

I encourage children to be involved. Training is fantastic for creating a strong and lasting bond, and I will often include specific training exercises children can try. However, in this first session, we often will need to cover a fair amount of ground in a limited time. The whole of this session may not be the most engaging for younger children, and they may want to have something else to do.

If you have additional dogs not involved in the training, or other animals, who may be disruptive, it would be beneficial if they were in a different space for the initial training session.

Other Requirements

Meeting your dog is, of course, an essential part of the training session and something I always look forward to. However, if your dog has particularly persistent disruptive behaviours (barking, nipping, humping etc.) I may ask that you put your dog on a lead and/or take them into a different space for parts of the initial session. This is to ensure that we can make the best use of our time.

It may be worth preparing a stuffed Kong, or similar, in anticipation of my visit. Please get in touch with me before the session if you would like some help planning for this.

If your dog has a bite history with humans, I may ask that your dog be muzzled and in a separate space when I first arrive. Would you please get in touch so that we can plan?

After The First Session

I will get notes and the training plan to you as quickly as possible, but this can take up to ten days at particularly busy times. Most training plans will include an element of homework, exercises for you to do with your dog. For this type of training course to be effective, there needs to be an amount of momentum. To achieve this, please get in touch with me to book your follow-up session no later than (5 weeks) after the start of the training course.

Additional Sessions

You can book additional one to one sessions at any time. These can be useful for more complex issues, where you would like additional support or where you may wish to put the training into practice in the real world. These additional sessions will be essential to ensuring the best outcomes in behaviour modification cases.

I hope you enjoy all the training and learning with your dog, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Steven