Are you tired of feeling like you're in charge of your dog's behavior all the time? Do you wish your furry friend could make their own choices and become a true partner in your adventures together? Then, look no further than the Scotch Pines Method!
Life is about choices... make the one's your happy with
At the core of our training philosophy is the belief that dogs are capable of learning and making choices. We follow William Koehler's method, which emphasizes fairness to the dog and allows them to choose. The results of this approach are truly amazing, creating not only impressive obedience but also a deep bond between dog and owner.
Doggy's Drivers Ed-The Teaching Phase
We know what you're thinking - how on earth can a dog make choices?
It's easy with our structured, step-by-step program. We start with a teaching phase, which we like to call "doggy driver's ed." Then, just like how you need to learn the rules of the road before you can drive safely, we teach your dog exactly what we want when we say commands like "sit" or "stay." And don't worry, there are no corrections during this phase - we believe in being fair and giving your dog a chance to learn.
To make sure the dog understands the command, we use a physical placement method. For example, when we say "sit," we gently push their bum down and praise them when they're in position. We do this 100 times to ensure the dog knows what we're asking. We utilize praise as our dogs paycheck! We don't need cookies to make us the coolest thing in our dogs life! We teach, and by teaching we bond with our dogs... and then we add in lots and lots of praise.
Getting that driver's license brings great responsibility
After we complete the 100 placements, we "graduate" from driver's education and begin applying corrections as necessary. The correction process involves preparing to halt our heel and commanding the dog to sit within a 3-second window. If the dog sits, we reward them with a big praise party. However, if they do not sit, we use a specific correction method for the sit command only, which can be likened to a "ticket". Similarly, when we are driving on the road, if we choose to speed and get pulled over, it is fair for us to receive a ticket because we know and understand the consequences of our actions.
But don't worry; these are fair corrections. If your dog doesn't follow the command after we've taught it and praised them for it, we use a training collar to correct their behavior. We know some people are skeptical of training collars, but we only use them when necessary, and we've seen firsthand how they can bring us closer to our furry friends. You can see this in Kathryn's experience with the Scotch Pines Method(and many others!)
"Hello! My name is Kathryn and my husband, Matt, and I are the parents of three goofy dogs: Kimber, 10yr old female lab/maybe border collie mix; Angus, 5.5yr old male lab/pit mix, and Wylie, 3yr old first generation labradoodle.
We took Kimber and Angus through Sarah's in-person course fall of 2019 and it was amazing!
Now it's Wylie's turn to do the course. He's an odd combo of highly reactive/protective, very visually stimulated (hello prey-drive!) and super eager to please/submissive.
Funny story – even though we've been slack working with our pups, Kimber and Angus still have very fond memories of it all. When I got our chain collar and long line and other equipment out and brought it in the house, they were crazy excited and kept trying the stick their heads in the collar while I was attempting to put it on Wylie. Goofy dogs.
Speaking of – Wylie hates anything around his head (we had to put a t-shirt on him when he was neutered as he fought all e-collars we tried so much we were concerned he'd pop his stitches). I knew the chain collar going on and off would be a challenge, so we've spent this last week slowly building up to it and praising, praising, praising when he shows even the slightest acceptance. Now he willingly sticks his head in the collar when I open it up. Of course, I'm sure the fact that the other two dogs want to wear it has helped as he thinks he's getting a special treat they're not."
Our method has brought impressive results and has kept many dogs in their homes. We're a last-ditch effort for many pet parents to keep their dogs in the home, and we take that responsibility seriously. We understand tough dogs and know there is joy to be found with your furry friend!
So if you're ready to give your dog the gift of choice, join us for our upcoming Obedience program sessions. We have an online program starting on May 2nd and an in-person program in Idaho Falls starting on June 22nd.
And don't just take our word for it - check out our testimonials and see the results we've achieved with other dogs.
At the end of the day, we believe in giving you the power of choice too. If our method doesn't feel suitable for you and your dog, that's okay! There are plenty of other trainers and methods out there. But if you're ready to try something new and see amazing results, we're here for you.
So why not book a quick virtual meet and greet to see if we're the right fit for your training needs? And while you're at it, join our free Facebook group and get some live training! Let's give your furry friend a chance to choose and become the best partner they can be.
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