Recommend a dog trainer. (Charlotte, Statesville: home, neighborhood, price)

[pinkpocketbooks]

We have not done any formal training with our dog. She's done well with at home training, but there are some obedience commands that we want to fine tune. The gist of it is that #1 she doesn't want to listen when there are distractions and #2 I would like for her to be trained off leash and still come when called.

I'm not opposed to PetSmart or Petco classes, but I would want a well qualified trainer. And I'm not sure if I want to do private lessons or group classes.

Thanks!

[dori33]

Dog Training in Your Home, Inc' worked great for us and is located in Charlotte. They have a website you can look up and gives you the local number. We had a stray that we took in and trained, it worked wonders on her!

[carolina_guy]

I second that! http://dogtraininginyourhome.com/

[black_fx_35]

I HIGHLY recommend Gretchen at The Dog Wizard http://www.thedogwizard.com. I have a 4 year old Lab who was a mess until I started training with Gretchen. I had even done a puppy training class (8 sessions) at http://www.citydogusa.com when Righley was a pup. The Dog Wizard is a bit expensive, but she does UNLIMITED 1 on 1 sessions with you and your dog, at locations that you would normally frequent (around your neighborhood, parks, etc). She also holds group classes on Saturdays that you can attend at no additional cost (attend as many as you would like for as long as you would like). I stopped using a leash about 3 months after I started training - and I can walk my dog Uptown Charlotte in the middle of the day with no leash. It is an amazing feeling to have a dog that you can count on 100%. I could go on and on about The Dog Wizard. She is expensive, but WELL worth it. I would have paid twice the amount to get half the result. Feel free to PM me for additional questions.

Randy

PS. Not sure why the URL's posted are not showing up as links.

[carolina_guy]

Originally Posted by black_fx_35

I HIGHLY recommend Gretchen at The Dog Wizard http://www.thedogwizard.com. I have a 4 year old Lab who was a mess until I started training with Gretchen. I had even done a puppy training class (8 sessions) at http://www.citydogusa.com when Righley was a pup. The Dog Wizard is a bit expensive, but she does UNLIMITED 1 on 1 sessions with you and your dog, at locations that you would normally frequent (around your neighborhood, parks, etc). She also holds group classes on Saturdays that you can attend at no additional cost (attend as many as you would like for as long as you would like). I stopped using a leash about 3 months after I started training - and I can walk my dog Uptown Charlotte in the middle of the day with no leash. It is an amazing feeling to have a dog that you can count on 100%. I could go on and on about The Dog Wizard. She is expensive, but WELL worth it. I would have paid twice the amount to get half the result. Feel free to PM me for additional questions.

Randy

PS. Not sure why the URL's posted are not showing up as links.

Yes, Gretchen is good but she was trained and employed by Dog Training in Your Home before she opened Dog Wizard. So she learned from the best but is more expensive and doesn't offer as much.

[black_fx_35]

Originally Posted by carolina_guy

Yes, Gretchen is good but she was trained and employed by Dog Training in Your Home before she opened Dog Wizard. So she learned from the best but is more expensive and doesn't offer as much.

The intention of my post was not to say who is better or worse, rather to simply give information that the OP requested. You may believe Dog Training in Your Home is better than The Dog Wizard, and I may disagree. At the end of the day, I have never used Dog Training in Your Home, so I am not commenting on their ability to train dogs (for all I know they are better than Gretchen - unlikely, but certainly possible). I had a very positive experience with Gretchen, and that is what I am attempting to articulate for the OP.

PinkPocketBooks should take all information and make a decision on who she/he likes best.

[carolina_guy]

Originally Posted by black_fx_35

The intention of my post was not to say who is better or worse, rather to simply give information that the OP requested. You may believe Dog Training in Your Home is better than The Dog Wizard, and I may disagree. At the end of the day, I have never used Dog Training in Your Home, so I am not commenting on their ability to train dogs (for all I know they are better than Gretchen - unlikely, but certainly possible). I had a very positive experience with Gretchen, and that is what I am attempting to articulate for the OP.

PinkPocketBooks should take all information and make a decision on who she/he likes best.

lol......didn't mean to come across like I was competing, just that she can get more for her money with the other. Both are very good quality but I like bargains.

[black_fx_35]

Originally Posted by carolina_guy

lol......didn't mean to come across like I was competing, just that she can get more for her money with the other. Both are very good quality but I like bargains.

Thats fine, sorry for coming across as defensive. Does DTIYH have unlimited 1 on 1 sessions and group lessons? Just curious.

I too am always looking for a bargain. I found out after spending over $150 with my initial puppy kindergarten at City Dog, that it wasn't much of a bargain if my dog wasn't that much better.

For me, working with Gretchen was more about me being trained and understanding what I can expect from my dog, vs my dog being trained. Dog training is about consistency, and what happens when you are not in a training session with a dog trainer.

I like that I can call still call Gretchen and have a 1 on 1 session to work on something net new, as me and my dog have advanced. For instance, my wife and I are expecting our first child, so we have arranged a session with Gretchen to work on introducing dog to baby. This is at no additional cost 18 months later.

Nonetheless, sounds like pink has options to evaluate.

[carolina_guy]

Originally Posted by black_fx_35

Thats fine, sorry for coming across as defensive. Does DTIYH have unlimited 1 on 1 sessions and group lessons? Just curious.

I too am always looking for a bargain. I found out after spending over $150 with my initial puppy kindergarten at City Dog, that it wasn't much of a bargain if my dog wasn't that much better.

For me, working with Gretchen was more about me being trained and understanding what I can expect from my dog, vs my dog being trained. Dog training is about consistency, and what happens when you are not in a training session with a dog trainer.

I like that I can call still call Gretchen and have a 1 on 1 session to work on something net new, as me and my dog have advanced. For instance, my wife and I are expecting our first child, so we have arranged a session with Gretchen to work on introducing dog to baby. This is at no additional cost 18 months later.

Nonetheless, sounds like pink has options to evaluate.

No worries....what do you mean about unlimited 1 on 1s? Are you talking about the guarantees? Yes they guarantee the training for as long as necessary. They also have group work on the weekends.

One thing I like best about DTIYH is they offer protection training for a great price. It would cost us $1000 to go to Highland Canine in Statesville: http://www.highlandcanine.com/protection.htm .

Anyways, I don't think the OP could go wrong with either company, and I am a big supporter of training in your home because that is where the dog is most comfortable and is the setting you will be everyday.

P.S. Petsmart training sucks.

[Mike409]

Originally Posted by pinkpocketbooks

We have not done any formal training with our dog. She's done well with at home training, but there are some obedience commands that we want to fine tune. The gist of it is that #1 she doesn't want to listen when there are distractions and #2 I would like for her to be trained off leash and still come when called.

I'm not opposed to PetSmart or Petco classes, but I would want a well qualified trainer. And I'm not sure if I want to do private lessons or group classes.

Thanks!

That type of training will take very little time. The most important element in any dog training is consistency, that goes for all family members. Good luck.