Training

We offer training packages / programs that are tailored to the specific dog and the owner's goals for the dogs.

Board & trains (on and off leash obedience) - Length of time will be dependent upon the owner's specific goals and the individual dog's needs.

Training packages include but are not limited to: basic obedience (on and off leash), puppy training, and to be completely transparent - just helping you navigate how to best deal with every day stuff with your dog. Things that will help enhance your relationship with your dog and reduce frustration. Packages will be where we come to you once a week for a certain amount of weeks (will be dependent upon goals and the dog).

Consultations will be required before confirmation of any package and/or program. Consultations will be where I come to you, see your dog in its own environment, and have a conversation with you about your goals. This is because I want to be 100% sure I would be your best option. When I say i'm in the dog business for the love of the dogs it is the most honest and transparent thing I say. I know I can teach your dog sit, down, place, whatever. And if I was just in this to see how much money I could make, how many dogs I can get in the door, etc. I would take on each and every case and teach your dog obedience in a short amount of time, which is not hard to do. The problem with this is that I wouldn't be addressing underlying issues that may be present. And that short fix would not really fix the real issues. Issues that you might not even know are there. Issues that I might not even be able to explain. In a situation where I came out and felt I wasn't the best fit, I will be able to point you in the right direction.

Who I am / my background:

For those of you that don't know, my name is Jill Caldwell. My entire life I have been fascinated (borderline obsessed) with dogs. I was never good in school but I memorized a book about dog breeds at a very young age. (true story - you can ask my family). In the midst of elementary school I got a cocker spaniel, Abby. Abby was the first dog I ever worked with hands on at a young age. I taught her sit, down, shake, wave bye, play dead, roll over, etc. All through positive reinforcement methods only. I didn't realize then that this was just what I was meant to be doing.

Fast forward to 2014. I got married and my husband and I decided we wanted a doberman pinscher. Ammo was her name and once again I taught her all the things (she knew ridiculously unnecessary but impressive tricks) I trained her through positive reinforcement methods. What we noticed, though, was that we created an amazing dog but we could only get her so far through positive only methods. That is when we brought in a professional dog trainer through OutstandingK9. He taught us owners so much and introduced us to proper training that got her to the next level and allowed her to be trained off leash in what I would consider advanced obedience. This is when my interest in dog training really sparked.

We then brought in Ari, a belgian malinois puppy (who I can't claim to have anything to do with his protection training but was able to learn a lot more through observation). Ari is completely off leash trained and is the just your typical amazing "man's best friend dog."

And finally. After the unfortunate passing of Ammo we brought in the one dog who has probably taught me the most about lifestyle dog training (I might've just made up that term), Halo. Halo is our doberman pinscher that I practically ruined. When we brought Halo in I did some things right, but more things wrong. I coddled her, treated her like a human child, and tried to train her through love and affection. Sounds ridiculous but I was grieving and didn't even notice what I was doing. So yes, she was trained in obedience but she also had a lot of behavioral issues. And they were mostly my fault. But here's the thing. She's not ruined. We turned her around by changing our lifestyle with her and treating her like what she is; a dog. If you came over today she might not impress you with all the tricks like Ammo, but she won't jump on you, she'll leave you alone and will respect your space, and she is just a well behaved dog. That didn't happen solely through obedience, that happened through obedience on top of lifestyle changes.

Another thing that has helped me tremendously along the way is dog sitting/boarding. Through dog sitting/boarding i've been able to work with so many different dogs, different temperaments, different lifestyles, different owners, etc. This has taught me things you just can't learn in a book or on a podcast.

Fostering has also been crucial to my growth and has helped me understand things about a dog you just can't learn in a book. We have successfully fostered 6 dobermans and 1 bulldog. We have never had a foster returned. I believe this has a lot to do with the structure and lifestyle they were provided with while in our care.

Why I started offering training & my goals moving forward:

Over the years i've had several family members and friends ask me to train their dogs. But I usually refused. It took me a very long time to actually get involved with / offer training. I studied a lot. Read a lot of books, listened to podcasts, studied on youtube, even got so called "certifications" along the way. But at the end of the day the extent of my love for the dog held me back. I never felt qualified enough. I never felt like I knew enough to be fair to the dog or owner in front of me. And the truth is, I still battle with this. But I started realizing I'd rather have a trainer come in with the best intentions with the risk of them telling me honestly, "i don't know, let me do more research before handling this situation or referring you elsewhere" than bringing in a dog trainer or sending my dog to a trainer that would just step into the picture and handle the situation in a way that might work, but wasn't the most fair to the dog.

And that right there is my goal moving forward. I want to help owners train in a way that is fair to the individual dog and dog owner with the best intentions along the way.