Training with Jacob

Jacob’s approach to dog training is built on a foundation of clear communication, proper handling, and balanced leadership. The goal is simple: to help you achieve a healthy, accountable, and stress-free relationship with your dog.

For over 7 years, Jacob has been managing our doggie daycare, working hands-on with a highly diverse group of dogs of all breeds, personalities, and behaviors. This isn't just a brief interaction; it's spending all day, every day with these dogs. This has allowed him to develop a thorough, in-depth understanding of what it's like to truly live with many different types of dogs and to refine effective techniques for any challenge. We’ll teach you how to apply the structure and leadership we use here to create a thriving environment for your dog at home.

Achieving Lasting Results: Our Simple, Effective System

  • We work with all ages and behavioral needs, including:

    • Puppy Foundation

    • General Obedience (Heel, Place, Recall)

    • Unwanted Behaviors (Jumping, Nipping, Excessive Barking)

    • Reactivity/Aggression and Behavior Modification

    The core commands, Heel and Place, are essential for creating the structure and boundaries needed for a safe, well-mannered, and stress-free life.

  • While treats can be useful for very young puppies or highly stressed dogs, its recommended avoid them in training. This is because we want your dog's compliance to be based on a healthy relationship and leadership, not on the presence of food. Jacob’s philosophy is that: "Your only goal in using treats for training should be to stop using treats for training."

    The goal is to teach your dog to happily respond to you, the leader, in any environment.

  • Jacob’s method is designed to get you quick and lasting results. If you aren't seeing rapid progress, we know we need to adjust the how, not the what. Effective training is about clear communication, not just repetition.

    • The Four-Session Program: Our typical program consists of four 1-hour sessions, spaced one week apart. This is often all it takes to go from untrained to trained. We then encourage owners to continue refining their skills.

    • The 3 D's of Obedience: We build success gradually by working through Distraction, Duration, and Distance. We never ask too much too soon, ensuring your dog can confidently meet every expectation.

    • Owner-Focused Coaching: In a typical session, 15% is spent teaching your dog, and 85% is dedicated to coaching you, the owner, on proper handling, body language, and communication.

    • Training Environment: All sessions are held in our doggie daycare playroom after hours which offers a controlled, low-distraction environment. As we progress, we move training outside to proof obedience with real-world distractions.

    • Family Welcome: We encourage the whole family to attend the training sessions to ensure everyone is on the same page and communicating consistently with your dog.

    • The Training Assistant: Jacob’s personal dog, who went from struggling with aggression to thriving with training, assists in every session. He is trained to help socialize reactive dogs and acts as an example for owners to practice commands like Heel and Place. There are often other thoroughly trained, visiting daycare dogs present for distraction or examples.

    The result? Your dog remains the dog you love, full of character and unique quirks, but will now possess the clarity and structure needed to live a more relaxed, obedient, and confident life.

The Tools We Trust for Communication

Training relies on tools that ensure communication is clear, precise, and respectful for your dog. Have you ever asked your dog to sit, and they simply ignored you? Most owners face this challenge daily. That's where accountability comes in: a balanced tool allows you to gently follow through on your requests, ensuring your dog understands that listening is their best option for a stress-free experience.

The Slip Lead

The slip lead is an incredibly effective communication tool that is completely neutral when worn correctly. It only engages when you communicate a specific message. The gentle pressure we use is simply a way of saying: "Hey, pay attention."

  • Precision & Comfort: Unlike constant-pressure tools like harnesses or head collars that can cause ongoing discomfort, the slip lead is only active when needed, preserving your dog's confidence.

  • Custom Quality: Jacob makes and sells his own slip leads, using recycled rope and a unique stopper, to ensure maximum quality and effectiveness for clear communication.

    Slip leads are sold in our shop for $24.99

The E-Collar (Enhanced for Safety)

The e-collar is used to provide a clear, gentle signal that translates the communication learned on the slip lead to off-leash settings.

  • Respectful Signals: We use a high-quality e-collar and set it to the lowest level your dog barely perceives—a sensation like a gentle tap. This ensures safety and respect.

  • Safety Assurance: To further ensure safety, I've designed and personally add a skin-contact detection add-on to every e-collar, ensuring the signal is delivered accurately and gently every time.

FAQs

  • We typically recommend four 1-hour sessions, priced a $55 each, spaced one week apart. This is usually all that’s needed to establish a strong foundation of obedience and the core communication skills.

  • Yes, Jacob has extensive experience working with dogs struggling with reactivity, aggression, and anxiety. His focus on structure and clear leadership are highly effective in building confidence and managing these behaviors.

  • We focus on versatile, high-value commands like Heel (walking politely on a leash) and Place (staying on a designated spot). These commands are crucial for establishing boundaries and creating structure in any situation.

  • Jacob has designed and hand-makes these slip leads after rejecting countless samples, because he couldn't find a tool that met his high standards for precision and comfort. The rope was specifically chosen because its perfect width is comfortable for a wide range of dogs and feels secure in your hand, and because it has virtually no stretch, which is crucial for clear communication. The durable stopper is crafted from used shell casings, ensuring it won't slip during training. The final product is a precise, premium tool that is not only built to last, but also made using recycled materials.

Contact Jacob.