Training Philosophy
Does your dog feel anxious when going outside? Does your dog panic and try to rush inside after being frightened during walks? Does your dog get scared when hearing loud noises? Our training programs are scientifically designed to alleviate or eliminate fear and anxiety so your dog is more comfortable in everyday situations. Our goal is for your dog to feel relaxed and confident on every outing around Tampa Bay. We will start your training program once you have submitted your “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior,” a questionnaire that will give us information on your dog’s history, behavior, and behavioral goals. We will assess the severity and underlying causes of your dog’s fearful behavior and then design an individualized treatment plan for you. Your behavior consultant will then work with you and your dog to address the cause of your dog’s fear through one-on-one private sessions. Upon completing your dog’s treatment plan, their fear will be replaced with confidence.
Our Tampa Bay dog training programs are designed to improve your dog’s well-being while addressing their unique needs. While it may seem like your dog is fearful of everything, this is often not the case. Our Co-founders, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Echterling-Savage and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant Sean Savage will create a comprehensive training program specifically targeting your concerns. Our team will provide one-on-one sessions for your dog, using positive reinforcement and classical counterconditioning techniques to manage their fear and anxiety. We will also train your dog in obedience, which directly supports treating fearful behavior. This may include teaching “stay” at Cypress Point Park or practicing loose-leash walking at Gadsden Park. Working across a variety of environments will help your dog build confidence, and our training programs are available at your home or in the Tampa Bay area. Our treatment plan follows the latest science-based research in dog behavior to help decrease or eliminate your dog’s fearful behavior.
Training Programs
This training program is designed to decrease or eliminate your dog’s moderate to severe fearful behavior, helping them replace their fearfulness with confidence. We focus on reducing or eliminating fearful behaviors, including:
Our Fearful Dog Training Program uses science-based training methods that help your dog reach its full potential. We take a function-based approach to identify the causes of your dog’s fear-based behavior and create a training plan that is designed to address these challenges. To ensure the best results, we will use classical counterconditioning with obedience and manners training. When using classical counterconditioning, we pair positive rewards, such as treats, with the stimuli that are linked to the fear. With repeated exposure, a positive connection is formed, which aids in reducing or eliminating your dog’s fearful behavior. Our training methods are supported by scientific research, which includes a 2020 study by Reimer that found that 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 saying, “I love witnessing the change in a fearful dog’s behavior. The results of treatment amaze me each and every time.”
Our 22-hour Training Program has been designed to treat your dog’s fearful behavior and teach general obedience. Before training begins, we ask that you submit your “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior .” This assessment will provide our Co-founders and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Sean Savage, with information to develop a personalized training plan that addresses your dog’s specific needs
Sean Savage will conduct private lessons at your home and various locations around the Tampa Bay area, depending on which environments best support your dog’s progress. Training sessions will be scheduled weekly, with each session lasting one hour. At the end of each week, the final session will be dedicated to you, the owner. This is an integral part of the program, as it allows you to review what your dog has learned and gain the skills needed to reinforce these learned behaviors. Follow-up sessions take place after training has been completed to ensure ongoing success in addressing your dog’s fearful behavior.
Many insurance companies, including Trupanion, will cover behavioral training when it is conducted under the guidance of a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or Board Certified Vet Behaviorist. Make sure to verify with your provider whether cover fearful behavior modification training.
The 16-hour Fearful Training Program is designed to decrease or eliminate mildly fearful behavior in your dog, including:
Our Fearful Dog Training Program uses science-based training methods to help your dog unlock its full potential. We use counterconditioning with our obedience and manners training to create a positive association between your dog and the fear stimulus. Our training methods are supported by a 2021 article by Hall et al., which shows that counterconditioning is especially effective in treating fear-based behavior in dogs. Our Co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, supports this approach when stating, “The behavior change in just a few short weeks can be incredibly powerful. It is incredibly rewarding to watch owners see confident behavior in their dog that they never thought was possible.”
Our 16-hour Fearful Dog Training Program is designed to address mild fearful behaviors in dogs over a period of four weeks, consisting of 12 one-hour sessions. Before the training begins, we ask you to complete our “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior.” This assessment will provide our Co-founders, Dr. Echterling-Savage, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, and Sean Savage, a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, with valuable information to create a customized training plan that addresses your dog’s specific challenges.
Sean Savage will work directly with your dog during private one-hour sessions in your home and neighborhood. The location will depend on your dog’s progress and what behaviors need attention. Every session is scheduled to maximize your dog’s progress. At the end of each week, you will attend a dedicated session to reinforce the behaviors your dog has learned.
Many insurance companies, such as Trupanion, will cover behavioral training if a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or Board Certified Vet Behaviorist leads it. Please check with your insurance provider to see if they will help you address fearful dog behavior.
Dr. Echterling-Savage will meet with you through two hours of virtual consultations to treat your dog’s fearful behaviors. This program includes virtual consultations, a personalized training plan, and ongoing support for long-term success.
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 extensive expertise to every session. She holds a doctorate in her field, has published research on canine behavior modification, and has 25 years of hands-on training experience. This background ensures she can provide expert guidance to help your dog make long term improvements in its fearful behavior.
Our Behavior Modification Package program provides personalized guidance from Dr. Echterling-Savage through two hours of virtual consultations. During these virtual sessions, Dr. Echterling-Savage will evaluate your dog’s fearful behavior and design a personalized training plan that addresses your dog’s problematic behaviors. Following the initial consultation, she will provide guidance, helping you with behavior scenarios that reinforce positive behavioral modification and ensure ongoing success.
The Fearful Dog Training Behavior Modification Package costs $750, including two hours of virtual consultations and support.