Training Philosophy
Does your dog evade you when you try to put on their leash or collar? Does your dog growl or snap at you when you try to touch their paws? These may be signs that your dog is touch-sensitive.
Touch sensitivity is often observed when you try to put a harness on your dog, bother them when relaxing in a comfortable place, or are handled by a veterinarian or groomer. Touch-sensitive dogs may react aggressively by growling, snapping, or biting when touched or someone attempts to touch them. If you notice this behavior, our Sarasota-based behavior consultants are here to help! Beyond the Dog has successfully treated dogs with touch sensitivity issues for over 20 years. Touch sensitivity is closely linked to resource guarding; it’s common that dogs who display aggressive behavior for touch sensitivity will also use aggressive behaviors when resource guarding.
Led by our Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, our team will work closely with you to evaluate the intensity of the behavior and the specific situations in which they occur. We will then create a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses your concerns. During our training program, we let each dog move at their own pace while still achieving substantial behavioral improvements. We will guide you through exercises to treat your dog’s touch-sensitive behavior, including mock veterinary and grooming exercises, collar handling, and more. We will also focus on teaching obedience commands that apply to everyday life. After enrolling in our training program, you’ll see improvements within the first week, with the touch-sensitive behavior significantly reduced or eliminated in as few as four weeks.
Training Programs
Our 22-Hour Training Program is focused on addressing your dog’s touch sensitivity so your dog can comfortably perform the following tasks:
Our touch-sensitivity programs are developed by our Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, in collaboration with our behavior consultants. Our team has a vast amount of knowledge through our 20+ years of experience treating touch sensitivity in dogs, during which we have successfully treated thousands of cases.
Beyond the Dog uses a unique approach that combines positive reinforcement, cooperative care, and classical counterconditioning. Our approach helps dogs overcome their fear of being handled by teaching them to associate these citations with positive associations. Our training methods follow scientific research, including a 2019 study by Stellato et al. that demonstrated that counterconditioning is particularly effective in reducing fear-based behaviors, especially during veterinary visits. Dr. Echterling-Savage emphasizes, “Contrary to popular belief, sedatives can make veterinary visits more difficult for touch-sensitive dogs in my experience. Behavior modification with proper management is superior to treating dog touch sensitivity.”
Our 22-hour Touch Sensitivity Training Program is designed to treat your dog’s touch sensitivity and teach general obedience. Before training begins, you must submit your completed “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior .” This assessment will provide our team, led by our Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, with information used to develop a personalized training plan that treats your dog’s specific touch-sensitive behaviors.
Your behavior consultant will then provide private one-on-one training sessions at your home and neighborhood to treat your dog’s fearful behavior and teach general obedience and manners. During this time, Dr. Echterling-Savage will provide continued support to ensure success in your dog’s progress. Each training session is 1 hour long, with the final session of each week scheduled as a lesson for you. During this lesson, our behavior consultant will teach you how to reinforce your dog’s learned behaviors and obedience commands. Follow-up sessions will be scheduled after the completion of the program to support ongoing success in addressing your dog’s touch sensitivity.
Many insurance companies, including Trupanion, will cover behavioral training when a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist or a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist provides it. We recommend that you verify with your insurance provider if they cover touch-sensitivity training.
Our Touch Sensitivity Training Behavior Modification Package provides virtual consultations with Dr. Echterling-Savage, our Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). As one of the few Board Certified Behavior Analysts specializing in Applied Animal Behavior and among only about 50 CAABs nationwide, Dr. Echterling-Savage brings extraordinary knowledge to each session. Her extensive background, including hands-on training, mentoring of all Beyond the Dog’s behavior consultants, and published research on canine behavior, ensures she can provide expert guidance to help your dog make long-term improvements in their touch sensitivity behaviors.
During virtual consultations, Dr. Echterling-Savage will evaluate your dog’s touch sensitivity behavior and create a personalized training plan that addresses your dog’s specific needs. After the initial consultation, she will provide continued support, helping you with various scenarios that reinforce positive behavioral modification and ensure ongoing success. The Touch Sensitivity Training Behavior Modification Package costs $750, including several sessions and support.
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We’ll get back to you in two wags of a dog’s tail!