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 your dog scared to go outside? Or frantically tries to get back inside after going on walks? Maybe your dog is terrified of loud noises? Our science-based dog training programs are crafted to eliminate fear and anxiety from your dog’s daily life.
We address fearful behavior by creating a personalized program that best meets the unique needs of your dog. We employ a blend of classical conditioning and positive reinforcement. This approach includes teaching specific obedience commands to manage your dog’s reactions to their triggers. We provide luxury dog training services, serving Miami and South Florida, including Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, Sunny Isles Beach, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.
Our team will work with you to identify why your dog is engaging in fearful behavior and the severity of the behavior. This allows our team to develop a step-by-step treatment plan, directly targeting your concerns. We provide luxury dog training services, serving Miami and South Florida, including Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, Sunny Isles Beach, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.
Benefits of Fearful Behavior Dog 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.
Your dog will learn to overcome their fears and build confidence. This includes helping your dog not to be frightened of cars or bicycles, the presence of other dogs and people. By the end of the training program, your dog will be more confident and comfortable exploring out in public, when guests are at your home, and when visiting the vets or groomers.
Training Programs
This program offers virtual consultations with Dr. Echterling-Savage to address your dog’s fearful behaviors. It includes a personalized training plan, ongoing support, and expert guidance to guarantee long-term success.
As one of the few certified Behavior Analysts specializing in Applied Animal Behavior and among just 50 CAABs nationwide, Dr. Echterling-Savage brings a wealth of knowledge to every session. With a doctorate in the field, published research on canine behavior modification, and 25 years of practical experience, she is a trusted authority in behavioral modification training. Dr. Echterling-Savage’s consultations provide a unique opportunity for those seeking significant progress in their dog’s fearful behavior.”
Dr. Echterling-Savage will meet with you virtually to assess your dog’s fearful behavior and create a customized training plan to address their unique challenges. Following your initial session, she will provide ongoing guidance and future consultations to modify your dog’s fearful behaviors, ensuring steady progress in your dog’s training. This program runs for four weeks for mild cases and six weeks for moderate or severe cases.
The goal of this personalized training program is to treat fearful behaviors including:
Depending on the distance from Tampa Bay, travel may be complimentary or require a small additional cost.
Our personalized training plan combines proven scientific methods with more than 20 years of hands-on experience helping dogs overcome fear-based behaviors.
This includes the use of function-based interventions, such as classical counterconditioning, in which positive rewards, such as treats, are paired with stimuli that can cause fear. Through multiple sessions, dogs will learn to form positive associations, which will reduce or eliminate the fearful behavior.
During this program, your dog will stay with Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage at their home in Tampa Bay Florida.
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 training dogs and addressing complex behaviors. Dr. Echterling-Savage mentors and trains Beyond the Dog’s trainers.
Sean Savage is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), who has over 20 years of experience helping dogs with problem behaviors and obedience training.
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.
This program begins by getting a deep understanding of your training goals and your dog’s behavioral history. We gather this information through virtual consultations with Dr. Echterling-Savage, combined with assessing your completed “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior.
Once a personalized training plan has been developed, one of our trainers will transport your dog from your home to Tampa Bay, Florida. Your dog’s safety is our priority, during this time, your dog will either sit in the cabin with a trainer, or travel in the car with them.
Your dog will then live with Dr. Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage at their home in Tampa Bay for four weeks of training. During this time, your dog will be a part of the family, dedicating time to play, train and relax.
Training will take place both at their home and across the Tampa Bay area, so that we can treat fearful behaviors and obedience training in various settings. This includes training at your home, hiking trails, parks, shopping areas, dog-friendly beaches, restaurants, and farmers’ markets.
During the four-weeks of training, you will be regularly updated on your dog’s progress and how they are enjoying their retreat. This includes virtual meetings, via phone, progress reports and emails.
At the end of the four weeks of training, your dog will be brought back home and receive 4.5 hours of return and follow-up lessons. These lessons are important to teach you how to manage all that they have learned during training and how to achieve lasting results.