With all the different dog training programs we offer, you may be wondering which one is the best choice for you and your dog. The answer really depends on what you want your dog to learn, and whether or not you are local. To help you make an educated decision, we’ve compiled this guide to make it easy to compare our different dog training programs and packages side-by-side.
As the name suggests, this training is specifically for puppies, and it’s designed to establish a healthy, happy owner-puppy relationship, as well as to teach you and your dog the fundamentals of obedience. This training is typically recommended for dogs between 14 weeks and 1 year of age. However, we recommend starting as early as possible to prevent bad habits from forming first.
Your puppy will learn the basic commands of heel, sit, stay, down and place, as well as an introduction to recall and manners, such as no jumping and no biting. As an owner, you’ll learn about proper dog handling and dog behavior, how to deliver commands, and use reward and praise.
Puppy Training is offered at our facility in Clifton Park NY as a Private & Group Training Package, or as a 3-Day Training Package with International Dog Trainer Tom Davis.
While obedience training is usually associated with puppies, dogs can learn at any age. In fact, training helps keep your dog’s mind sharp and offers mental stimulation and structure. Similar to Puppy Training, our Dog Obedience Training is designed to establish a healthy relationship between you and your dog and teach your dog basic commands and behaviors.
This training is great for owners who have recently adopted an adult dog, but it is also beneficial for older pets who need a refresher course, or for teaching adult dogs new skills.
Dog Obedience Training is offered at our facility in Clifton Park NY as a Private & Group Training Package, or as a 3-Day Training Package with International Dog Trainer Tom Davis.
Once your dog has mastered basic obedience commands, Off-Leash Training is the next step. Using a remote collar, or e-collar, you’ll learn to control your dog from a distance, including recall, without a leash. Not only will this allow you to enjoy a hike with your dog off-leash, knowing that you can recall them should you encounter wild animals or other hikers, but it’s a great insurance policy should your dog slip their collar while walking on a busy street.
Your dog must be at least 6 months old for off-leash training, and have 100% mastery of basic obedience commands without the use of food rewards. We also require a minimum commitment of 5 sessions for this advanced training.
Off-Leash Training is offered as a Private Training Package (min. 5 sessions) in Clifton Park NY. We also offer Board & Train and a 3-Day Training Package for those who are not local.
Behavior Modification Training is the most sought-after dog training we offer. Our creative and personalized approach to each dog’s behavioral issues has allowed us to help owners and their dogs with leash reactivity, food aggression, resource guarding, anxiety, even dog and human aggression. In fact, we regularly work with dogs who have a bite history.
Our proven methods put an emphasis on owner education, and our extensive canine behavioral knowledge and experience allow us to adjust tactics and strategy as we progress with each dog and owner.
Our Board & Train program is ideal for in-depth work on most behavioral issues. However, if a dog has severe issues toward humans, we recommend the owner is involved in the process by enrolling in Private Sessions or a 3-Day Training Package for those who are not local.
When you sign up for basic dog obedience training or puppy training, you’ll choose a package with a combination of private and group classes. Which package you choose will depend on your goals and the issues that you’d like to work on. Private sessions allow us to address specific issues and enforce specific commands and behaviors, while group sessions put you and your dog in a high distraction environment to ensure the obedience training is effective in real-life situations.
Our Online Dog Training & Virtual Consulting Sessions allow you to work with International Dog Trainer Tom Davis in the comfort of your own home via live video chat. These private, one-on-one sessions are tailored to your specific goals and concerns, and they can sometimes reveal underlying issues faster than in-person training.
Online Dog Training is ideal for pet owners who are not local and want to work one-on-one with Tom, but also for anyone who would prefer to train their dog at home, as opposed to our dog training facility. Many out-of-state pet owners also opt for online training to consult with Tom prior to traveling to our facility for our other training packages. For more severe behavioral issues, we may recommend our 3-Day Training Package, or our Board & Train program.
When learning new habits and behaviors, dogs need consistency, and our Board & Train program provides that. Available as a 3, 4 or 5 week session, Board & Train is essentially a training camp for your dog. He or she will stay with us at our facility in Clifton Park and benefit from specialized training with professionals in a controlled setting, as well as off-site training in realistic environments.
We customize each Board & Train program depending on your goals and your dog’s needs, which can include basic beginner obedience, off-leash training, behavior modification, and more. The goal is to develop a dog who is obedient, confident and can follow commands with anyone, anywhere.
At the end of the Board & Train program, we provide you with a private training session to learn the proper tools and techniques to ensure continued success when you and your dog return home.
Out-of-state dog owners as well as local residents seeking a more comprehensive training program enroll their dogs in our Board & Train sessions.
For owners who want to work hands-on with International Dog Trainer Tom Davis, we offer 3-Day Training Packages at our facility in Clifton Park NY. This unique training program runs Thursday-Saturday on select dates each month at our state-of-the-art training facility in Clifton Park NY. Each weekend program includes up to 3 other dogs and owners, allowing Tom to work one-on-one with you and your dog in private sessions, as well as around other dogs and people in group sessions to simulate real-life distractions.
Our 3-Day Training Packages are ideal for those who live outside the area and whose dogs are not well-suited for Board & Train, or for those owners who want to be more involved in the training process. For overnight accommodations, there are pet-friendly hotels less than 5 miles from our facility.
If you’re still unsure which dog training package is right for you, our knowledgeable and experienced staff is happy to help. Simply contact us online, or call (518) 952-7873, and a member of our team will answer any questions you may have and provide you with personalized recommendations.
For local dog owners, we offer free, 30-minute, in-person consultations with a trainer to go over our private & group training packages. The trainer will offer recommendations as to which program and package is best for you, and provide you with an overview of the training process. If you’re local, and interested in our private & group training packages, call us at (518) 952-7873 to request a free consultation.
Client Testimonial
Everything about my experience with them was first class. My dog, Whistle is a 4 year old Siberian husky and we live in Denver, CO. I was able to get my dog to Tom and staff where Whistle did the 2 week board and train. They worked on all sorts of behaviors that typical husky owners have a hard time with: off leash recall, manners on the leash, General obedience. Whistle came back to me a very well mannered and obedient dog with all of the quirks and personality I love in him still in tact!Because we were not local, we decided to have Tom fly back with us to reinforce my dogs behavior in our home. I learned more about my dog in the hours I spent with Tom than I could have imagined. It was by far one of the best things i could have ever done for my relationship with my dog!! can’t thank the team at the academy enough!!!