Positive Being Positive Works.

I love dogs.

No.  I'm positive I love dogs.

About 10 years ago, I entered the world of positive, force-free training.  I didn't know what it was at the time but it changed my life.

A short time later, I became a volunteer leader of a dog 4H club and started my six month old puppy in lessons for something called agility.  My experience in dog training up to this time was the choke collar and the pop of the leash when the dog did something you didn't want it to, such as pulling on the leash when walking.

Agility taught me a different way of training.  One focused on telling the dog when they were correct by rewarding the wanted behavior with praise, play or treats.  Being a 4H leader drove home the importance of positive training-for both dogs and people.  I saw first hand how flipping the focus from what's not wanted to rewarding the behavior you want, changed the training from frustration to joy for both the handler and the dog.

A few years later, I was asked to help my agility instructor with a beginning class.  That lead to substituting when she couldn't be available.  Then teaching my own classes.  Before you know it, I was completely hooked.  The number of classes I taught grew as did the different types of classes.  I co-developed the curriculum for the 9-16 week old puppy life skills class, developed and taught a beginning Treibball class while continuing my own progression from beginning agility classes to higher, more advanced skill levels.

Reading, attending seminars and weekly lessons, both taught and taken, keep me up-to-date on the science and techniques that make positive force-free training so effective.

I believe training dogs in a positive manner increases the bond between handler and dog.  The dogs become quicker learners and the skills taught are performed willingly, time after time.

If you are interested in a enjoying a well-trained dog and building a partnership focused on the positive, please give me a call.  I'm positive Dog Barn Training will have something positive for both you and your dog.

Jan Gould, KPA CTP

KPA, CTP: Karen Pryor Academy, Certified Training Partner

Knowledge, training and teaching assessed.