Training Philosophy
If your dog exhibits anxiety or fear-based behaviors, Beyond the Dog can help! Dogs best suited for this program may hide or back away in front of strangers or other dogs. In some cases, they constantly tuck their tail on walks or become too fearful to walk far from the house. Maybe it is cars or bicycles that are making your dog jump and prevent them from loving their time outdoors. Whatever the scary thing, our Dallas-based behavior consultants are ready to build your dog’s confidence and help them lead a happier life.
After filling out the Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, we will identify why your dog is engaging in avoidance and the severity of the behavior. This allows our team, under the guidance of our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, to develop a step-by-step treatment plan, directly targeting your concerns. We then communicate with your trainer and involve them in the treatment plan before starting. Your dog will practice confident behavior where it matters most, from your house to your neighborhood to any other local spots you want to be able to take them! Whether it is your goal to walk through the Turtle Creek Trail or have a relaxing Saturday with a trip to LaLa Land Kind Cafe and Half Priced Books, your trainer will customize the program to reach your goals. We treat anxious and fearful behavior by using a combination of classical conditioning and targeted obedience in a uniquely structured program only offered by Beyond the Dog. Led by a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, one of only approximately 50 in the country, Dr. Echterling-Savage uses the latest behavioral science in all training protocols. In hundreds of fearful dog cases, we have perfected our training techniques and service anxious or fearful dogs throughout the Dallas area.
Training Programs
This Dallas dog training program is best suited to reduce and eliminate fearful behaviors, such as:
After culminating decades of research based on treating thousands of fearful dogs, our unique behavior modification treatment can reduce fearful behavior in any dog. In our fearful dog training program, we start by using classical counterconditioning. This technique is used by researchers to modify a variety of fear-based behaviors. In S. Riemer’s “Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs,” the study shows that counterconditioning was the most effective training technique in reducing fear behaviors in dogs due to fireworks. At Beyond the Dog, we use counterconditioning and take it a step further by adding function-based operant techniques to positively reinforce obedience in the presence of the stimuli. By using both techniques in the training program, Beyond the Dog’s unique All-Inclusive Program is the most effective and efficient way to modify fearful behavior. According to our resident CAAB Dr. Echterling-Savage, “There is nothing quite like watching a fearful dog become confident. The results of treatment truly amaze me.”
The All-Inclusive Program for Fearful Dogs 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 5-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 dog’s behavior and if deemed severe you may incur a small additional fee.
Most insurance companies such as Trupanion will cover behavioral training when under the direction of a CAAB or a Board Certified Vet Behaviorist. Be sure to check with your provider to see if they will cover the cost of fearful dog training.
Whether your dog is avoiding dogs on daily walks or backs away from guests in the home, our Executive Program can tailor the training program to target your dog’s behavior, such as:
Over 20 years and thousands of cases, Beyond the Dog has created unique protocols based on science-driven classical counterconditioning techniques combined with function-based operant conditioning to deliver high-level training with your specific goals in mind. Our approach involves a combination of classical counterconditioning and operant conditioning to create the most effective dog training program to treat fearful or anxious behaviors. Classical conditioning continues to be proven effective in a variety of situations. In S. Riemer’s “Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs,” the study shows that counterconditioning was the most effective training technique in reducing fear-based behaviors in dogs. According to Dr. Echterling-Savage, “The behavior change in just a few short weeks can be incredibly powerful. It is incredibly rewarding to watch owners see confident behavior in their dog that they never thought was possible.”
The Executive Program includes 12 1-hour sessions over four weeks. Using the most up-to-date behavioral science, our pretraining team, led by Dr. Echterling-Savage, creates a personalized training program for your dog. Our Dallas behavior consultants then work one-on-one with your dog 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 dog’s behavior and if deemed severe you may incur a small additional fee.
Most insurance companies such as Trupanion will cover behavioral training when under the direction of a CAAB or a Board Certified Vet Behaviorist. Be sure to check with your provider to see if they will cover the cost of fearful dog training.
If you live outside of the Dallas Fort-Worth service area or would like a one-off consultation with an expert, schedule a virtual consultation with our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, or one of our Dallas behavior consultants. We will create a customized training plan for you to treat your dog’s fearful behavior yourself. After your consultation, 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 Dallas trainers starts at $150. Following protocols led by Dr. Echterling-Savage, our Dallas trainers are experts in treating fearful behaviors in dogs.
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