Igniting a spark between you and your dog!

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Ariel

Ariel has been working with animals since she was a child, and has been professionally training dogs for 5 years. She found and joined the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) in 2017 and remains a member today. She is one of less than 10 in the United States to earn the prestigious title of Professional Canine Trainer (PCT-A) from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. The testing process for this credential is extremely rigorous, requiring letters of recommendation from clients and a veterinarian, 200 logged training hours over the course of no more than 24 months, 20 hours of approved continuing education units, passing a 100 question written test, and passing a video test including explaining how to teach basic behaviors and demonstrating different ways of eliciting behavior, creating a conditioned emotional response, and videos of coaching a group. Her other credentials include Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI) and being an All-Star Trainer of the Year in 2020, Canine Conditioning and Fitness Coach (CCFC), Stunt Dog Judge (SDJ), Pet Dog Ambassador instructor and assessor, Canine Good Citizen (CGC) evaluator, and Be a Tree presenter.

Halligan

Halligan was rescued by Ariel in 2014. He was very ill and needed months of steady vet treatment and care at home. Ariel nursed him back to health and later began training him to be her service dog. This process led her to learn more about service dog training and becoming a service dog trainer. Halligan performs a large variety of tasks to help Ariel day to day. They have been a working team since 2015. Halligan is also her demo dog and has earned many titles himself. The team has competed in AKC obedience, rally, agility, and has also competed in Stunt Dog trials.

Certifications and Titles Currently Held (updated regularly)

Ariel's Certifications and Titles

Professional Canine Trainer Accredited- PCT-A

Certified Trick Dog Instructor- CTDI

     All-Star Trainer of the Year 2020

Canine Conditioning Fitness Coach- CCFC

Stunt Dog Judge (SDJ)

Canine Good Citizen Evaluator- CGC Evaluator

Pet Dog Ambassador Instructor/Assessor

Be a Tree Presenter

Pet CPR and First Aid


Halligan's Titles

Canine Good Citizen- CGC

Community Canine- CGCA

Urban Canine Good Citizen- CGCU

Novice Trick Dog- NTD

Intermediate Trick Dog- ITD

Advanced Trick Dog- ATD

Expert Trick Dog- ETD

Trick Dog Champion- TDCH

AKC Trick Dog Performer- TKP

Novice Stunt Dog- NSD

Open Stunt Dog- OSD

Proven Stunt Dog- PSD

Professional Stunt Dog- SDPro

Rally Novice- RN

AKC Achiever Dog

Beginner Novice (Obedience)- BN

Pet Dog Ambassador Level 2- PDA2

Frequently Asked Questions

What equipment do you use/recommend?

     The short answer: nothing that could cause your dog to react out of pain or fear.

      The longer answer: only safe equipment that does not inflict pain or fear. Standard training equipment typically consists of body harnesses and non-retractable leashes. Clickers are our go-to marker because they are highly effective at marking the behavior we desire. In some instances, we will sparingly recommend martingale collars for escape artists. Rarely will we recommend head collars, but in instances where there is risk of severe injury to dog and handler, we may suggest this, however, only with proper conditioning prior to its use, and only in conjunction with training so as not to rely on it longer than absolutely necessary.

      We never use or recommend equipment that's sole purpose is causing pain or fear, such as choke collars, prong or pinch collars, or electronic collars.

What happens when my dog gets it right?

      To reward behaviors we like, we mark the behavior with either a click or a verbal marker, such as, “Yes,” and give the dog a treat. While some dogs like toys, we find the majority of dogs enjoy working for food. By marking the behavior and offering food, we are using positive reinforcement and building the dog’s understanding of what behavior we are looking for, and therefore they will be more likely to perform the behavior in the future. This is the premise of reward-based training.

What happens when my dog gets it wrong?

     Simply offering the wrong behavior (i.e. sitting when he was asked to lie down) means the situation will be set up again and he will be given another opportunity to perform. If the dog offers the wrong behavior twice in a row, it's best to retract to an easier step in the process (for the previous example, going back to using a hand signal to give the dog a visual representation of what is being asked) or redirect them to something else before going back to the original behavior. There’s a vast number of reasons a dog may get it wrong, and it’s the human’s job to set the dog up for success.

      If the dog is exhibiting signs of stress (lip licking, yawning, looking away, tucked tail, hunched body, tightly closed mouth,intense stare, stiff body, piloerection or raised hackles, etc), we will remove the dog from the environment as quickly and gently as possible. We will then work with you to determine the cause of your dog’s stress and how to desensitize your dog to the trigger, and how to manage the situation during that time.

What organizations do you belong to? What credentials do you hold?

We are proud of the Pet Professional Guild membership! This organization has strong ethical standards and believes pain, force, or fear should NEVER be an option for animals. This organization has tough vetting for potential members to ensure they meet the strict standards.

See above for a list of credentials.

To view PPG membership profile, click HERE.

To view PCT-A credential profile, click HERE.

What are your payment and cancellation policies?

Payment is due at time of booking to reserve your spot. Payment can be Square, cash (in person only), or check by mail. If check is sent in the mail, please be aware that your spot will not be saved until the check is received.

• For packages, payment for package is due in full at time of booking. You have 6 weeks after your first lesson to use a starter package or 4 lesson package. You have 12 weeks after your first lesson to use 8 lesson packages.

• For single sessions purchased, cancellations must be made 72 hours prior to time of service for a refund. If cancellation is made less than 72 hours prior, no refund will be issues.

• For packages, cancellations are only accepted up to 72 hours AFTER BOOKING for refund. After 72 hours, no refund will be issued, but a reschedule may be available.

• Reschedules for package lessons will only be attempted for 2 different occasions. After the second reschedule request, you will forfeit the missed lesson. This is in consideration of other clients who need to schedule sessions. Please note that reschedules cannot be guaranteed. Every effort will be made to reschedule if necessary for your first 2 reschedule requests, but cannot be guaranteed. Please choose your day and time carefully.

Email

[email protected]

Call or text

804-876-2128

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