Training Philosophy
Does your dog bark at pedestrians and other dogs on the leash? Would you like your dog to be well-behaved when guests come to your home? Beyond the Dog specializes in treating reactivity and aggression behaviors.
Reactivity refers to behaviors such as lunging, biting, barking, or growling directed at unfamiliar dogs, small animals, or people. This behavior can occur when your dog sees a dog or person in your home or neighborhood. With over 20 years of experience across six cities, we have extensive shared knowledge from working with thousands of reactive dogs. Each training program is unique as our trainers and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, will customize each program to meet your dog’s specific needs.
Beyond the Dog Sarasota utilizes proven positive reinforcement and classical conditioning methods to help modify a dog’s reactive behavior. Desensitizing your dog by systematically exposing them to unfamiliar dogs and people and teaching desirable operant behaviors that counteract with reactivity, like walking calmly beside you instead of barking at other dogs.
Training Programs
Our program is designed to correct and manage reactive and aggressive behaviors in dogs, including:
Beyond the Dog uses our unique behavior modification program to eliminate or reduce dog reactivity and aggression. This program has been created by our 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!”
Our 22-Hour Reactive Behavior Training Program has been designed to address your dog’s reactive behaviors and general obedience training.
Before training begins, you’ll submit the “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior,” which provides insight into your dog’s behavior and history. Dr. Echterling-Savage will use this assessment to collaborate with your behavior consultant to develop an individualized training program that addresses your dog’s unique needs.
Training sessions are 60 minutes long and can occur in your home or throughout your Sarasota neighborhood, depending on what environment best supports your dog’s success. All of our sessions are conducted as private lessons with one-on-one training. The week’s final session will focus on you, teaching you how to reinforce your dog’s learned behaviors and ensure continued progress. After the training program is completed, follow-up sessions will also be scheduled to ensure ongoing success in addressing your dog’s reactive behavior.
Many Insurance providers, including Trupanion, will cover the cost of behavioral training if supervised by a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) or a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist. Contact your insurance provider to learn if they cover reactive dog training.
This program is ideal for reducing or eliminating low-level reactivity concerning one or two distinct stimuli in one or two locations. Common behaviors that we address include:
Our training programs are designed by our Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, in collaboration with our behavior consultants. We have a comprehensive knowledge in treating reactivity behaviors in dogs, with over 20 years of experience and handling thousands of cases.
Reactivity often emerges as a way for dogs to create distance from other dogs and people. This behavior can be confusing, as many dogs are comfortable meeting strangers and interacting with other dogs when off-leash. We address this through behavior modification, which has proven highly effective in addressing reactivity. As Dr. Echterling-Savage explains, ‘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 16-hour Reactive Dog Training Program extends over four weeks. Before training begins, you are required to submit your “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior.” Our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, will use this assessment to design a personalized training program that focuses on your dog’s reactive behaviors.
After this training program has been designed, our behavior consultant will help overcome your dog’s reactive behaviors through one-on-one sessions. Depending on the specific behaviors being addressed, these will occur at your home and neighborhood. Each session will last for one hour, with the final session of each week being a lesson for the owner to reinforce the learned behaviors.
Many Insurance providers, including Trupanion, will cover the cost of behavioral training when led by a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) or a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist. You should contact your insurance provider to see if they offer coverage for reactive dog training.
Our Reactive Behavior Modification Package includes virtual sessions with Dr. Echterling-Savage, our Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). As one of the few experts in the country specializing in animal behavior, Dr. Echterling-Savage has the experience and knowledge to help your dog overcome reactive behaviors. She has a deep background in canine behavior, including hands-on training, mentoring our team of behavior consultants, and published research on dog behavior.
In your virtual sessions, Dr. Echterling-Savage will assess your dog’s behavior and create a personalized training plan focusing on their unique challenges. After the initial consultation, she will provide ongoing support, guiding you through different situations to encourage positive behavior and ensure ongoing progress.
The cost for the Reactive Behavior Modification Package is $750, which includes multiple sessions and support.
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We’ll get back to you in two wags of a dog’s tail!