Positive Reinforcement Dog Obedience Training
Good manners start with good training, and the approach matters. Our obedience classes use positive reinforcement: rewarding the behavior you want instead of punishing the behavior you do not. Your dog builds obedience skills and a positive association with training, and the bond between you gets stronger along the way.
Every lesson is private and happens in your home, so your dog practices sitting at your actual front door and walking politely on your actual street, with the people they live with.
The Cues and Skills Covered
Our dog obedience classes cover the essential commands, sit, stay, come, and heel, and go on to more advanced work: loose leash walking, off leash reliability, recall, working around distractions, and impressive tricks if you want them.
Which skills you work on, and in what order, comes out of your dog’s customized plan rather than a fixed curriculum.
Obedience Training at Every Age
Young dogs. Foundation work: basic commands, early socialization, and the manners everything later builds on. This is the ground covered in our puppy training classes.
Adolescent dogs. Adolescence can be a challenging phase. Training at this stage reinforces the basic commands, refines obedience skills, and addresses the behaviors that tend to show up during this transition.
Adult dogs going further. For owners who want to take an older dog to the next level: canine good citizen behaviors such as polite greetings, walking on a loose leash, responding to commands amidst distractions, and trick training.
One Set of Rules for the Whole Household
Dogs learn the rules of a house from everyone in it. Because lessons happen at home, the whole family can take part, children included, and your dog gets one consistent answer from everyone.
Consistency Is What Makes It Stick
Long-term success comes from regular practice and reinforcement of what your dog has learned. Short practice built into your daily routine, at mealtimes, at the door, on the walk, keeps obedience skills sharp long after the lessons end.
Lessons are available across Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, and the rest of the service area.
Dog Obedience Training Questions Owners Ask
Is my dog too old for obedience training?
No. The program covers every stage, from puppies through adolescents to adult dogs, and the advanced classes are built specifically for older dogs refining their skills and learning new ones.
Can you help with one specific behavior?
Yes. Your training program is customized, with focused attention on the specific behavior problems you call about, whether that is leash pulling, jumping, or ignoring recall.
What if my dog barks or lunges at other dogs on walks?
That is usually reactivity rather than an obedience gap, and it has its own program: reactive and aggressive dog training.
How many lessons will we need?
It depends on your dog and on the behaviors you want to change. Rachel gives you a straight answer at the free phone consultation, once she has heard what is going on.
Do I have to practice between lessons?
Yes. Regular practice and reinforcement between lessons is what maintains your dog’s obedience skills, and building it into your existing daily routine works better than occasional long sessions.
Will you use a prong or shock collar?
No. We use reward-based methods only, and never anything that works through pain or fear.
