Shape your dog’s behavior under the guidance of Certified Canine Behavior Specialist, Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage
Looking for training you can access anywhere? At Beyond the Dog, we believe expert training should always be within reach. Our virtual training courses are structured, accessible and effective; you will receive expert coaching from Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage. Our Virtual Consultation Training Programs provide you with personalized programs over three to six-week sessions. Explore your options below and schedule a consultation.
Partner with Dr. Echterling-Savage, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a PhD in Behavioral Psychology. Dr. Echterling-Savage brings expert knowledge to every session, with her credentials including research publications on canine behavior modification, over 25 years of hands-on experience, including both training and mentoring trainers. Dr. Echterling-Savage will design a personalized training plan to ensure long-term success and provide professional guidance to address behavioral or obedience challenges, troubleshooting issues as they occur, and providing ongoing support.
Personalized Reactivity Virtual Training Course with Dr. Echterling-Savage
For moderate and severe cases over 6 weeks
For mild cases over 4 weeks
- Goal
Our training goal is to address your dog’s reactivity with a personalized training plan that uses positive reinforcement and classical conditioning. We will address your dog’s reactivity through high-level obedience training, focusing on the following:
- Barking at dogs while on a leash
- Barking at people while on a leash
- Barking at environmental stimuli, including cars and bicycles
- Barking, biting or lunging towards guests at home
- Barking at dogs, people, and animals seen from windows
- Research
This personalized training plan is developed by Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage. Dr. Echterling-Savage conducted a 2015 study demonstrating that behavior modification is highly effective in correcting dog aggression, which has guided our approach using scientifically proven training techniques. Dr. Echterling-Savage explains, “The first step to helping your reactive dog is to determine why your dog is becoming reactive in the first place. Once dog reactivity has been properly identified, it is very treatable!”
- How it Works
Your program begins with a 45-minute virtual consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage. In this first session, she’ll assess your dog’s reactivity, discuss your training goals, and design a personalized training plan.
Within 48 hours of this consultation, we ask that you submit short videos of treatment and feeding routines (if relevant). We also ask you to complete a spreadsheet tracker and send in additional videos within the next 4–5 days.
From there, you’ll stay connected each week through a mix of live check-ins and video submissions. Every week includes a 30-minute virtual consultation where you and Dr. Echterling-Savage review progress together, make adjustments, and address any challenges. In between consultations, you’ll share short videos and updates on your tracker. Dr. Echterling-Savage will review these in detail. These 15-minute reviews (typically twice per week) allow Dr. Echterling-Savage to provide ongoing feedback and troubleshooting to help ensure training progress.
This structure gives you steady support while you implement the personalized training plan. It’s designed to keep progress on track, make adjustments as needed, and set you and your dog up for long-term success.
- Insurance
Personalized Resource Guarding Virtual Training Course with Dr. Echterling-Savage
For moderate and severe cases over 6 weeks
For mild cases over 4 weeks
- Goal
Our training program treats resource-guarding behaviors that include:
- Snapping, lunging, and growling at others associated with:
- Treats, meals, and other edible items, such as bones
- Dog toys
- Stolen items, including the owner’s clothing
- Comfortable places such as dog beds and couches
- A particular person
- Being aggressive toward others over high-value items.
- Research
It is common for resource guarding behaviors to get worse if it isn’t addressed. Resource guarding behaviors can be influenced by life experiences, genetics, exposure to aversive training techniques, and the behavior of other pets. Function-based interventions, including classical counterconditioning, are effective in treating resource guarding behaviors with long-lasting positive results. Dr. Echterling-Savage states, “I’ve seen resource guarding cause families immense levels of stress and concern. Luckily, it is very treatable with proper function-based training.”
- How it Works
Your Personalized Resource Guarding Virtual Training Course begins with a 45-minute virtual consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage. In this first session, she’ll evaluate your dog’s resource guarding behavior, discuss your training goals, and create a personalized training plan.
Within 48 hours of this consultation, we ask that you send in short videos of feeding and treatment routines (if relevant). You’ll also send in additional videos and complete a spreadsheet tracker within the next 4–5 days.
You will stay connected each week through a combination of video submissions and live check-ins. Each week includes a 30-minute virtual consultation where you and Dr. Echterling-Savage review training progress, make adjustments, and address any challenges. In between consultations, you’ll share short videos and updates on your spreadsheet tracker. Dr. Echterling-Savage will review these in detail. These 15-minute reviews (usually twice per week) allow Dr. Echterling-Savage to provide ongoing support and troubleshooting to help ensure the success of your training plan.
This structure gives you ongoing support while you implement the personalized training plan. It’s created to manage ongoing progress and ensure long-lasting success.
- Insurance
Personalized Dog Separation Anxiety Virtual Training Course with Dr. Echterling-Savage
For moderate and severe cases over 5 weeks
For mild cases over 4 weeks
This program is designed for dog owners wanting to address their dog’s separation anxiety. Our goal is for you to confidently leave your home, knowing your dog will remain calm while you are away.
- Goal
This progam targets separation anxiety behaviors that include:
- Whining, barking or salivating excessively when the owner is away.
- Urinating and defecating in the crate or the home when left alone.
- Scratching or biting at the crate or door when alone.
- Damaging property when trying to escape the crate or room when left alone.
- Research
Separation anxiety behaviors will often develop when your dog is between three and five years old. However, in severe cases these behaviors can appear with puppy’s and adolescent dogs. Signs of separation anxiety include excessive barking or crying in the crate, defecating or urinating in the crate and behaviors that can cause self-injury. Early intervention is crucial to avoid any long term problems. As Dr. Echterling-Savage explains “Pet parents’ worries about separation anxiety can be put to rest with behavior modification training and simple modifications to their “daily routine”.
- How it Works
Your program begins with Dr. Echterling-Savage reviewing 1–3 videos of your dog’s separation anxiety behavior, along with your Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior. This helps her understand your dog’s needs even before your first session.
The program then begins with a 45-minute virtual consultation, where Dr. Echterling-Savage will assess your dog’s separation anxiety behavior, discuss your goals, and develop a personalized training plan. We ask that you submit short videos and updates on your spreadsheet tracker. Dr. Echterling-Savage reviews these in detail, and offer guidance to ensure your dog is making consistent progress. You’ll also have scheduled check-ins via phone to address challenges.
This training program is designed to keep your dog’s training on track, build confidence, and create lasting improvements in behavior.
- Insurance
Personalized Dog Cat Chasing Virtual Training Course with Dr. Echterling-Savage
For moderate and severe cases over 6 weeks
For mild cases over 4 weeks
- Goal
Our goal is to address and prevent unwanted behaviors around your cat. This includes:
- Growling or barking at your cat
- Stalking your cat
- Chasing your cat
- Research
A dog’s cat-chasing behavior is often influenced by their past experiences, prey drive, and genetics. Our training uses positive reinforcement and counter-conditioning techniques to help manage and correct behaviors such as chasing and aggression toward cats.
- How it Works
Your program begins with a 45-minute virtual consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage. In this first session, she’ll assess your dog’s cat chasing behaviors, discuss your training goals, and design a personalized training plan.
Within 48 hours of this consultation, we’ll ask you to share short videos of your dog’s treatment and feeding routines (if relevant), along with a spreadsheet tracker and additional videos within the next 4–5 days.
You’ll stay connected each week through live check-ins and video submissions. Each week includes a 30-minute consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage to review progress, fine-tune strategies, and troubleshoot challenges. Between calls, you’ll submit short videos and tracker updates. Dr. Echterling-Savage will review these each week. This regular feedback ensures you are supported throughout the program and create lasting improvements.
- Insurance
Personalized Touch Sensitivity Behavior Virtual Training Course with Dr. Echterling-Savage
For moderate and severe cases over 6 weeks
For mild cases over 4 weeks
- Goal
Our goal is to reduce or eliminate problem behaviors toward your car. These behaviors include:
- Barking or growling at your cat
- Stalking your cat
- Chasing your cat in the house
- Research
Touch sensitivity can be closely associated with resource guarding. It can be common for dogs who resource guard also to show touch sensitivity behaviors. When addressing touch sensitivity, we use a scientific approach that combines classical conditioning, cooperative care, and positive reinforcement. Our methodology teaches dogs to associate their fear of being handled with positive experiences. Dr. Echterling-Savage states, “Contrary to popular belief, sedatives can often make veterinary visits more challenging for touch-sensitive dogs. In my experience, behavior modification with proper management is far superior to simply using sedation to address dog touch sensitivity.”
- How it Works
Your program begins with a 45-minute virtual consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage. In this first session, she’ll assess your dog’s touch sensitivity behavior, discuss your training goals, and design a personalized training plan.
Within 48 hours of this consultation, we’ll ask you to share short videos of your dog’s treatment and feeding routines. We also ask you to complete a tracker and send in additional videos within the next 4–5 days.
From there, you’ll stay connected each week through a mix of live check-ins and video submissions. Each week includes a 30-minute consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage where you’ll review progress, make adjustments, and address any challenges. Between consultations, you’ll share short videos and updates on your spreadsheet tracker. Dr. Echterling-Savage will review these in detail, typically twice per week for 15 minutes, and provide ongoing feedback and guidance.
This structure gives you consistent support while you implement the personalized training plan. It’s designed to build create long lasting improvements in your dog’s touch sensitivity behavior.
- Insurance
Personalized Dog Fearful Behavior Virtual Training Course with Dr. Echterling-Savage
For moderate and severe cases over 6 weeks
For mild cases over 4 weeks
This program has been developed for dog owner’s looking to treat their dog’s mild to severe anxious or fearful behavior.
- Goal
This training program has been developed to address your dog’s fearful behavior, by helping them learn to associate their fearfulness with confidence. Fearful behaviors that we treat include:
- Pulling uncontrollably on a leash, cowering or stiffening when exposed to:
- Vehicles including cars, trucks and motorcycles as well as bicycles and scooters
- Loud noises
- People, dogs and animals
- Shaking, tail between the legs, ears flat, or desperately trying to sprint back to your car when outside, in your front yard, or in other crowded areas.
- Struggling to follow obedience commands such as place, down, sit, and leash walking when confronted with feared triggers.
- Research
Our training programs use a function-based approach to identify the causes of your dog’s fear-based behavior and develop a plan that can address these challenges. To help, we use classical counter-conditioning with obedience and manners training. We pair rewards, such as treats, with the stimuli that is linked to the fear to create a positive connection that helps treat the fearful behavior. Classical counterconditioning is one of the most successful treatments for fear-based behavior in dogs. Our Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, supports this approach when stating, “I love witnessing the change in a fearful dog’s behavior. The results of treatment amaze me each and every time.
- How it Works
The Personalized Dog Fearful Behavior Virtual Training Course starts with a 45-minute virtual consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage. After this virst consultation, she’ll assess your dog’s fearful behaviors, discuss your training goals, and develop a customized plan.
Within 48 hours of this consultation, we’ll ask you to share short videos of your dog’s daily routines (such as feeding, treatment, or other relevant situations). You’ll also complete a tracker and send in additional videos within the next 4–5 days.
From there, you’ll stay connected each week through a combination of live check-ins and video submissions. There will be a 30-minute consultation with Dr. Echterling-Savage each week. Where you’ll review progress, fine-tune strategies, and address challenges as they arise. Between consultations, you’ll share short videos and tracker updates. Dr. Echterling-Savage will review these in detail (typically twice per week for 15 minutes), to provide ongoing guidance and feedback.
This training course has been designed to give you consistent support to overcome challenges and treat your dog’s fearful behavior, and create lasting improvements in their overall well-being.
- Insurance
Locations
Looking for in-person training? Check out the cities Beyond the Dog trains in below!
We intentionally train and travel to you and your dog! We currently serve Austin, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Sarasota, and Tampa Bay areas.
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