Training Philosophy
Do you need help getting your puppy to stop barking and lunging on walks? Does your puppy bark incessantly at people passing by your Austin home? At Beyond the Dog, we specialize in treating all forms of puppy reactivity and aggression. We can help you spot the telltale signs of reactivity while your puppy is still young to prevent the problem from growing into a more severe behavior in the future. Using a proprietary combination of classical and operant conditioning, our puppy training programs use the latest scientific research in dog behavior modification to treat puppy barking and aggression. Led by one of the few Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists in the country, Dr. Echterling-Savage, our team is dedicated to improving you and your puppy’s quality of life in Austin.
Are you confused as to why your puppy won’t stop barking? After treating thousands of reactive puppies across four major markets, we have created a data-driven tool called the Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior to help us identify your puppy’s triggers and develop a step-by-step treatment plan to transform your puppy’s aggressive behavior. Our Austin trainers will work with your puppy to treat their barking or aggression wherever it is occurring. Puppy barking can make apartment life and walks especially difficult but we’re here to help stop that puppy barking once and for all! We will address your puppy’s reactivity so you and your puppy can get back to making fun and stress-free memories in Austin!
Training Programs
Our goal is to treat your puppy’s reactivity and teach them a wide variety of advanced obedience commands. During your program, our main focuses will be:
The great thing about enrolling your puppy in behavioral training while they are young is that we can address behavioral issues, like puppy reactivity, before they evolve into more severe problems. Reactivity is still very treatable in adult dogs, however, it is faster and easier to treat reactivity in puppies. Once reactivity is identified, we implement a proprietary treatment involving behavior modification. Our unique approach to puppy barking and reactivity utilizes classical and operant conditioning to modify puppy behavior over time. Research by our resident CAAB, Dr. Echterling-Savage supports behavior modification as highly effective in treating puppy reactivity and aggression. After implementing treatment, dog aggression was significantly reduced or eliminated in all dogs participating in the study. According to Dr. Echterling-Savage, “Puppy aggression can feel stressful and overwhelming for every pet parent. However, when the reactivity is identified and treated early on, the behavior can be eliminated!”
The All-Inclusive Program for Puppy Reactivity encompasses 20 training sessions across five intensive weeks with two follow-up sessions spanning a total of 22 training sessions over eight weeks! After you submit your training contract and Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, our pre-training team, led by our CAAB, Dr. Echterling-Savage, uses the information provided to craft your personalized puppy training program. Then, your trainer will put your training plan into action! Your trainer will work with your puppy one-on-one for three, 1-hour sessions during the week. The fourth session each week is dedicated to your training! This structure is designed to produce seamless learning and long-term behavior change. After the five-week-long training, there are two follow-up sessions to support your progress. Please note that our indirect behavior assessments will confirm the severity of your puppy’s behavior and if deemed severe you may incur a small additional fee.
If you are a pet parent with an insurance policy covering behavior modification, our reactive puppy behavior modification is likely covered. When behavior training is under the direction of a CAAB or a Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist, most companies with behavior policies such as Trupanion will cover behavioral training.
Our goal is to treat your puppy’s mild reactivity coupled with relevant obedience commands including:
Whether your puppy is barking at other dogs on leash or barking and hiding under furniture whenever guests come over, we can get your puppy to stop barking with our unique treatment involving behavior modification. Using a proprietary combination of classical conditioning and positive reinforcement, we can teach your puppy confidence around their past triggers. We will create new, positive associations with whatever was causing your puppy to bark and teach your puppy relevant obedience commands to train calm behavior around their triggers. Research supports behavior modification as an effective method to treat puppy barking and reactivity as seen in an article by Reisner. According to our Co-Founder Sean Savage, “It is critical to address puppy reactivity and puppy barking before a puppy reaches adulthood. For puppies showing fear-based behavior and low levels of reactivity, a little can go a long way, and training can make a positive, lifelong impact.”
Our Executive Training Program for Puppy Reactivity ranges from 9-12 hours of training across three to four weeks. After you submit your training contract and Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, our pre-training team, led by Dr. Echterling-Savage, uses the information provided to craft your personalized puppy training program. Then, your trainer will put your training plan into action! Your trainer will work directly with your puppy for two 1-hour sessions and with you for (1) 1-hour session per week. Please note that our indirect behavior assessments will confirm the severity of your puppy’s behavior and if deemed severe you may incur a small additional fee.
If you are a pet parent with an insurance policy covering behavior modification, our reactive puppy behavior modification is likely covered. When behavior training is under the direction of a CAAB or a Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist, most companies with behavior policies such as Trupanion will cover behavioral training.
Need help treating your puppy’s barking or reactivity but live outside of the greater Austin area? Schedule a virtual consultation with our CAAB, Dr. Echterling-Savage, or one of our behavior consultants under her direct supervision! We will deliver management strategies and create a customized training plan for you to treat your puppy’s reactivity yourself. After your consultation and depending on the severity of your puppy’s reactivity, you will have the option to schedule additional virtual sessions and continued expert advice to troubleshoot training situations. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage is $375. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with one of our behavior consultants starts at $150.
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