Training Philosophy
Does your puppy avoid being picked up by you or other family members? Has your puppy ever snapped at you, the veterinarian, or the groomer? Puppy squirminess is normal but if a puppy engages in aggressive biting in response to any sort of restraint, your puppy might be touch-sensitive. Touch sensitivity is when a puppy is overly sensitive to touch by showing signs of abnormal fear or aggression when handled in certain contexts. This can make veterinary or grooming appointments incredibly difficult later in life. Our science-based Austin puppy training programs can help eliminate all aggressive behavior in puppies that are sensitive to touch! We recommend addressing your puppy’s touch sensitivity as soon as possible so that it does not progress into severe aggressive behavior as your puppy matures.
When low-level aggressive behavior like puppy nipping or growling is reinforced, they will likely persist. If the aggressive behavior is punished and seemingly goes away, pet parents run the risk of the behavior returning seemingly random yet severe as the puppy’s fear remains. Led by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, we only utilize the latest research in dog behavior in our touch-sensitivity programs. After collecting copious amounts of data over the past 20+ years, we have designed a data-driven treatment that can completely transform the behavior of any puppy that is sensitive to touch. Your Austin trainer will do various training exercises with your puppy, mock grooming veterinary exercises, and collar exercises to equip you and your puppy with all the tools you need to be successful. Your puppy will also learn relevant obedience commands that you’ll be able to use in everyday situations in which they used to be sensitive to touch. During training, you should already be able to see a difference in your puppy’s behavior within the first week of training!
Training Programs
Our goal is to treat your puppy’s touch-sensitive behavior along with teaching relevant obedience commands including but not limited to:
Fear-based behaviors like touch sensitivity only worsen with age. In severe cases, touch sensitivity in adult dogs could lead to a bite towards a family member. However, touch sensitivity can be eliminated with our unique Austin puppy training programs. Your trainer will teach your puppy that good things happen when they are handled through our proprietary training method based on classical conditioning. New positive associations will be formed in the situations that previously caused fear. Research by Stellato et al. supports that counterconditioning is effective in reducing touch sensitivity in dogs that previously experienced high levels of fear during veterinary examinations. Your trainer will do various training exercises with your puppy, mock grooming veterinary exercises, and collar exercises to equip you and your puppy with all the tools you need to be successful. According to our Co-Founder Sean Savage, “Our team works to address touch-sensitivity early so that it doesn’t strengthen with age and cause more serious issues later in life.”
The All-Inclusive Program for Touch Sensitivity 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 Dr. Echterling-Savage, uses the information provided to craft your personalized dog training program. Then, your trainer will put your training plan into action! Your trainer will work with your dog 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 your dog’s behavior and goals. If your dog’s training program requires additional oversight from our Animal Behavior Experts, a small additional fee may be required.
If you are a pet parent with an insurance policy covering behavior modification, our touch-sensitivity 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.
Want to learn how to prevent puppy touch sensitivity from turning into severe aggressive behavior from the comfort of your home? Schedule a 1-hour virtual consultation with one of our behavior experts! Our CAAB Dr. Echterling-Savage or one of our behavior consultants under her direct supervision will give you expert training advice on specific steps to take to help your puppy be comfortable with being handled in all contexts. After completing the Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, we will recommend one or multiple sessions with Dr. Echterling-Savage or with one of our other behavior consultants under her supervision depending on the severity of your puppy’s touch sensitivity. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with Dr. Ectherling-Savage is $375. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with one of our Austin trainers is $150.
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