Training Philosophy
Offering Effective Humane Training is our PASSION
So, how do we train dogs?
We coach, mentor, demonstrate and empower YOU to work with your own individual dogs!
The methods we use are based on the Humane Hierarchy of behavior modification, following LIMA principles.
As a Licensed Veterinary Technician, I also have sworn an oath as follows:
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“I solemnly dedicate myself to aiding animals and society by providing excellent care and services for animals, by alleviating animal suffering, and by promoting public health. I accept my obligations to practice my profession conscientiously and with sensitivity, adhering to the profession’s Code of Ethics, and furthering my knowledge and competence through a commitment to lifelong learning.”
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What does all of that mean for you and your dog?
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I'm SO GLAD you asked!!!
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Keep scrolling to see how these methods work, what they mean and why they're so important for your dog's training journey.
Humane Hierarchy
Hierarchy of Procedures for Humane and Effective Practice
What Is the Humane Hierarchy?
The Humane Hierarchy serves to guide professionals in their decision-making process during training and behavior modification. Additionally, it assists owners and animal care professionals in understanding the standard of care to be applied in determining training practices and methodologies and the order of implementation for applying those training practices and methodologies.
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How these methods work
We always consider the needs and individual circumstances of your dog in any given situation, so we can fairly apply behavior change techniques after considering ALL humane options. Well-educated and experienced behavior professionals will have plenty of techniques that avoid force, it is important!
All parties can be on the same page in setting our dogs up for success.
Overall wellness is the first step! Behavior is influenced by emotion, and emotion can be influenced by underlying medical concerns.
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What this means for you and your dog
The main purpose of using the Humane Hierarchy is to be fair to the learner (your dog) so we're sure to account for all aspects of the causes of behaviors and what their purpose is, to truly understand each dog. You get to learn how behavior is caused by many factors including genetics, underlying and environmental factors, and their history. You can breathe a breath of relief, that your dog is not "bad" and that there are plenty of humane ways of achieving behavior change success without the guilt of inflicting unethical methods!
We will NOT use choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, leash corrections or fear, pain or intimidation to "get our way".
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Why they're so important for your dog's training journey
You love your dog, and you want to feel good about their behavior. And this is the blueprint for achieving that in an ethical way! No guilt, shame, or pain.
Why use harmful methods when we can achieve behavior change with compassion?
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*Learn more about the Humane Hierarchy by clicking
HERE
LIMA
Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA)
Effective Behavior Intervention Policy
What Is LIMA?
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LIMA is an acronym for the phrase “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive”. LIMA describes a trainer or behavior consultant who uses the least intrusive, minimally aversive strategy out of a set of humane and effective tactics likely to succeed in achieving a training or behavior change objective.
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LIMA adherence also requires consultants to be adequately educated and skilled in order to ensure that the least intrusive and aversive procedure is used.
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LIMA does not justify the use of punishment in lieu of other effective interventions and strategies. In the vast majority of cases, desired behavior change can be affected by focusing on the animal’s environment, physical well-being, and operant and classical interventions such as differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, desensitization, and counter-conditioning.
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How these methods work
We get to know YOUR dog as an individual, on a deep and compassionate level.
We assess what their motivations and fears are, what they like, and what they dislike, and will discover the best ways of approaching humane and ethical behavior change protocols for them.
Each dog can vary in how they learn best, so we aim to provide the most customized training plan for them.
We want to preserve their authentic selves and support them in making better behavior choices over time.
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What this means for you and your dog
The main purpose of using LIMA is to make sure we avoid unnecessary force or intimidation and aim to instead motivate and encourage our pups to offer the positive behaviors we want, instead of the ones we don't.
We will NOT use choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, leash corrections or fear, pain or intimidation to "get our way".
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Why they're so important for your dog's training journey
We won't use harsh methods that are proven to shut down their emotional system, which may appear initially to be "fixed" on the surface, but can often mean the dog is suppressing the behavior, leading to stress and confusion which then relies upon continual punishment to maintain the behavior.
We will avoid pushing them too far or incorrectly applying a technique that can cause underlying distress. We WANT them to feel comfortable telling us if something is wrong emotionally, instead of us saying "do it or else!"
Educated ethical trainers know this and happily comply to avoid this unnecessary pressure on dogs, knowing there are better ways to train a dog without being forceful!
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