Training Philosophy
What Is Fearful Behavior and How Do We Address This?
Fearful behavior is the combination of body signals, actions, and reactions a dog uses to cope with perceived stress or threats.
Perhaps you have noticed that your puppy is scared of everything the second they step outside the house? Do they ever flatten to the ground on walks or frantically try to go back home? When fear-based behavior is left untreated as a puppy, it can turn into aggression as your puppy matures. The good news is that fear-based puppy behavior can be easily addressed through our Board and Train Program The main goal of our science-based puppy training programs is to help your puppy gain confidence and eliminate the fear and anxiety from their daily life. We will teach your puppy relevant obedience commands such as leash training, come when called, and down-stay to name a few to promote calm, obedient behavior around stimuli that previously caused fear. We want your puppy to approach new situations and environments with confidence!
Our fearful puppy board and train programs can be completely personalized to take place wherever your dog is experiencing fear. We will take your puppy to a variety of different environments like busy shopping centers, parks, and anywhere else around Kansas City so we can treat your puppy’s fear directly at the source. Using our unique treatment that combines classical conditioning and positive reinforcement, we can eliminate all fearful puppy behavior.
Benefits of Fearful Behavior Puppy Training
Our team, led by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant Sean Savage, uses proven scientific training methods and over 50 years of combined training experience to address fearful behaviors. We provide luxury dog training services, serving Kansas City, St. Louis and Nashville.
Your dog will learn to overcome their fears and build confidence. This includes helping your dog not to be scared by passing vehicles such as cars or bicycles and when seeing other and people. By the end of the training program, your dog will be more confident and comfortable to go out on adventures with you, when greeting guests at your home, and when attending vet visits or grooming appointments.
Training Programs
Our Fearful Puppy Behavior Modification Package offers individual virtual sessions with Dr.Echterling-Savage, our resident Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). Dr.Echterling-Savage is one of only a few Board Certified Behavior Analysts who work in Applied Animal Behavior and one of approximately 50 CAABs in the country. With decades of experience that includes the publication of research papers on canine behavior, Dr. Echterling-Savage’s expertise places her at the forefront of her field, providing consultations that are a rare and highly valuable opportunity for those seeking transformative results.
Dr. Echterling-Savage will meet with you virtually to discuss your puppy’s fearful behavior, where she will develop a customized training plan that meets your puppy’s specific needs. Following your first meeting, Dr. Echterling-Savage will provide ongoing support and troubleshoot fearful behavior scenarios that ensure constant success in your puppy’s training. This program runs for four weeks for mild cases and six weeks for moderate or severe cases.
Fearful behaviors that we address include pulling uncontrollably on the leash, cowering, and stiffening when exposed to stimuli, including:
Depending on the distance from Tampa Bay, travel may be complimentary or require a small additional cost.
During this program, we use science-based training methods to help your puppy overcome fear-based behaviors. This includes the use of function-based interventions, such as classical counterconditioning, where we pair positive rewards, like treats, with stimuli that cause fear. Through a personalized training plan across multiple sessions, your puppy will learn how to form positive associations, which will reduce fearful behavior.
During this program, your puppy will live and train with our co-founders, Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage, at their home in Tampa Bay. While also working with our other Florida based dog trainer, Shelby Shipp.
Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology, specializing in animal behavior. She has over 20 years of experience teaching dogs obedience commands, manners, and addressing mild to severe fearful behaviors. Dr. Echterling-Savage mentors and trains Beyond the Dog’s trainers.
Sean Savage is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). With over 20 years of experience training puppy’s, he teaches obedience commands and manners, while addressing a wide range of behavioral challenges including fearful behaviors.
Shelby Shipp is a dog trainer who supports our board and train programs. Before joining Beyond the Dog, Shelby worked as a veterinary assistant while completing her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science. She has experience training dogs in obedience and manners, and addressing complex problem behaviors.