Training Philosophy
Is your dog unruly on leash, barking at people and dogs as you try to pass? Do you long to take them on stress-free walks while enjoying the Katy Trail or Dallas Farmers Market? Do you want to have guests come over while your dog remains quiet and well-mannered? We have solutions to both! Reactivity and aggression are the most common behavioral issues we address.
Reactivity is defined as dogs that engage in barking, lunging, growling, or biting directed at unfamiliar people, dogs, and/or small animals (e.g. squirrels, bunnies, etc). This may occur only at home or in your neighborhood, or it may happen wherever you see another person or dog. At Beyond the Dog Dallas, we specialize in treating reactivity and aggression in dogs using the latest scientific research in dog behavior modification. Starting with our Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, which has been developed over 20 years and across 4 markets, we start by identifying why your dog is engaging in reactivity and the severity of the behavior. This allows our team, led by our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, to develop a step-by-step treatment plan. We then communicate with your trainer and involve them in the treatment plan before starting the program with you and your dog.
Your personalized training plan will use a combination of classical and operant conditioning. This training works to both systematically desensitize your dog to the unfamiliar person or dog and to teach your dog more appropriate operant behavior that competes directly with reactivity, like going to your bed instead of barking at the door.
Training Programs
The All Inclusive is our most popular program to reduce and eliminate reactivity and aggression including:
Over 20 years of treating reactivity, we have found exactly what works and what doesn’t. We use the most ethical and scientifically proven way to treat dog behavior. Behavior modification is a systematic approach to understanding and changing dog behavior through the application of learning theories, such as classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and learning theory. In a 2015 study conducted by our very own Dr. Echterling-Savage, researchers examined the effectiveness of an aggression reduction procedure on dog aggression. They found that the behavior modification treatment reduced dog aggression to zero or near-zero levels across multiple environments for all dogs participating in the study. Furthermore, the study proved owners were able to reduce aggressive behavior as well and maintain training after learning how to implement treatment. According to Dr. Echterling-Savage, “Reactivity is one of the most common behaviors we treat at Beyond the Dog. After working with thousands of reactive dogs, I can confidently say my team can effectively treat all types of reactivity.”
The All-Inclusive Program includes 22 hours of private training. During this time, your trainer will work on the reactivity where you need it the most, whether it is on-leash barking at your local park, aggression towards guests, or fence fighting with neighbor dogs After crafting your dog’s training plan, for five weeks, your dog will work one-on-one with your trainer Monday to Wednesday during a 1-hour session. Thursdays will be your lesson days, in which you learn how to practice with your dog outside of trainer-only sessions. After the five-week training, there are two follow-up sessions to ensure your continued progress. This structure is designed to produce seamless learning and long-term behavior change. 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.
Many insurance companies such as Trupanion will cover behavioral training when under the direction of a CAAB or a Board Certified Vet Behaviorist. Check with your provider to see if they will cover the cost of reactive dog training.
This program will focus on dog reactivity on leash, your trainer would also likely teach loose leash walking, sitting, and staying within the presence of other dogs. In this program, we can address:
The most ethical and scientifically proven way to treat dog behavior is through behavior modification. Behavior modification is a systematic approach to understanding and changing dog behavior through the application of learning theories, such as classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and learning theory. Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage leads Beyond the Dog’s reactivity and aggression training protocols based on science-driven research on dog reactivity training. In her 2015 study, researchers examined the effectiveness of an aggression reduction procedure on dog aggression. They found that the behavior modification treatment reduced dog aggression to zero or near-zero levels across multiple environments for all dogs participating in the study. Furthermore, the study proved owners were able to reduce aggressive behavior as well and maintain training after learning how to implement treatment. According to Dr. Echterling-Savage, “For milder cases of reactivity, a little can go a long way. In my opinion, addressing reactivity is what we do best at Beyond the Dog.”
Our Executive Training Program for Dog Reactivity ranges from 9-12 hours of training across three to four weeks. Your trainer will learn all about your dog’s history and behavior through the Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior. After our pre-training team crafts your training program, your trainer will work directly with your dog for (2) 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.
Many insurance companies such as Trupanion will cover behavioral training when under the direction of a CAAB or a Board Certified Vet Behaviorist. Check with your provider to see if they will cover the cost of reactive 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 reactivity 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. We also offer 1-hour consultations with our Dallas behavior consultants. Following protocols led by Dr. Echterling-Savage, our Dallas trainers are experts in treating reactivity and aggression in dogs. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with one of our Dallas trainers starts at $150.
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