UNDERSTANDING and EDUCATING YOUR DOG
With Kacey Cooper
My GOAL is to provide people the necessary knowledge and skills to teach their dogs to be calm, balanced and well behaved in any environment.
My PHILOSOPHY is “Think like a dog!”. Understanding why dogs behave the way they do allows you to learn how to respond to their behaviors in a manner they understand. Dogs live in packs, which are usually family groups, and there is ALWAYS a leader. In order to be a good family member, your dog needs to look to YOU as the leader. Trusting you gives them the confidence they need to be a balanced dog.
My METHOD is to first and foremost get and keep your dog’s attention whenever you interact with them. No one, human or animal, can learn if you don’t have their attention. I have three foundation exercises that are incorporated in educating you and your dog. I teach by using consistent positive reinforcement. Rewarding and encouraging desirable behaviors, while correcting and discouraging undesirable behaviors. Mistakes are corrected not punished. The goal of every interaction with your dog should be to set them up for success.
I take pride in being able to make adjustments that work for each individual. Everyone is different, there is no “one size fits all” way to educate people or animals. The basics are the same, but the presentation may be different.