Best Life Canine specializes in functional, lifestyle training for the real world, every day experiences with your dog or puppy. Our philosophy is holistic, meaning we consider all the parts of the dog, their daily life, and your lifestyle. And because the dog is looking to you as their guide for life, we place an emphasis on educating and empowering the pet parent through relationship building and communication skills development. As part of the holistic training philosophy, we employ science based learning and behavioral theory, using both Classical and Operant Conditioning. We believe in teaching with clarity and kindness by ensuring the dogs understand both a “Yes” marker for good behavior, and a “No” marker for undesirable behavior. It is simply not clear, or fair, to teach through a one sided vantage point and expect our dogs to “figure out” to only offer good behavior. We must also define what is unwanted behavior. This is truly the yin & yang of any fair, balanced, logical education. With our skilled method of maximizing the use of positive reinforcement to teach new behaviors and encourage desired behaviors, we bring fun engagement to the whole training process and enhance the dog’s desire to learn. Positive reinforcement simply means adding something the dog finds reinforcing. Food is generally the simplest reinforcer, and most used by pet parents and trainers, however we also encourage the use of toys, play, and praise to build your dog’s motivation to learn and tap into their broader spectrum of desires. Play and praise are especially important as they are truly tied directly to you and strengthen the bond between you and your dog, far beyond what food can offer. We do not want your dog to only view you as a meal ticket. We may guide you to implement appropriate training tools, routine changes, or protocols especially if you have been unsuccessful without them but have genuinely attempted to follow the work we give you. We are here to help you find a resolution that works. We require regular check-ins and homework assignment evaluations to help us better help you.

We know you can do this and know your dog can do it too! Our programs and protocols are designed for long-term success for you to be your dog’s friend, guardian, and trusted handler. 

“Holistic - the belief that the parts of something are interconnected and can be explained only by reference to the whole.” What does that mean when it comes to our dogs and how we train? Well, we know we cannot simply address isolated behaviors and expect clarity - fairness - completeness for our dog. That’s like trying to play “whack-a-mole” with our dog’s behavior and with their life needs. As one issue is “dealt” with in a singular way, it typically means the underlying cause was not actually addressed, but rather it was suppressed. And eventually, that suppression will pop up the behavior in another way, place, or time. Holistic also means we place an emphasis on ensuring we discuss nutritional needs, social needs, and are meeting their needs as a prey animal. They are complete, sentient beings that have their own species needs physically, mentally, and emotionally. This includes the health of the dog from physical exercise to keeping the joints healthy to nutrition to exercising their mind to meet the needs of their breed. We educate and coach both the dog and pet parent from the perspective of treating the dog and their needs as a whole.

Building an education for any living being is not something that happens instantly, or even quickly. To impact change, establish healthy expectations, and condition desirable responses we have to consider the learning scale of each individual dog in order to evaluate how and when to layer more information to build higher level expectations. Training is a journey that is never truly “done” in the traditional sense of the word. Teaching and educating our dogs is much like teaching and educating a human, dogs are influenced by their experiences, environment, and maturity which makes “training” an ever evolving process of continued education. Training is not something that is taught then only used when you desperately need it. It is learning to communicate for life with another species. We do not believe or support pressuring a dog to learn simply so that it can be “done as fast as possible”.

We can begin our training programs with puppies as young as 8 weeks of age. Our Puppy Programs are catered to puppies between the ages of 8 - 22 weeks of age. Adult/Adolescent Programs are designed for dogs at least 5 ½  months of age. If you are getting your new puppy or dog soon, we can begin your program before they arrive! This will set you up for success the moment you pick up your new family member and bring them to join your home. Those first few hours and days are a critical transition period where a lot of information will be imprinted with the dog so knowing what to do and expect right away can truly make a major difference in what the future holds. Check out our programs specifically for introducing a new dog to your family.

Of course! Being a proactive pet parent is something that trainers wish more people did. We want to help you avoid mistakes from the get-go and start off smoothly and peacefully with knowledge at your fingertips and a trainer to consult at the drop of a text.

While we understand the desire for assurance, it would be unethical to extend any guarantees when it comes to behavior and working with living beings. Here’s the thing about a “guarantee” - we simply cannot guarantee that you will put the work in to learn, teach, and maintain the skills. Because we cannot guarantee you uphold your end of the training and daily maintenance, we do not offer a guarantee on our services. However, we know if you consistently follow through with the training and protocols you will experience an exceptional difference. If you put the work in and demonstrate a purposeful, concerted effort to follow through with the training, we offer lifetime support at no additional cost. If you are doing the work but have new issues or concerns in the future, we offer discounted services to help you address those new needs. If you need refresher training because you have not maintained the training effort originally put forth, we are happy to schedule refresher training at discounted rates. 

No dog is too old to learn. A dog can be trained at any age, as long as you are willing to learn too. Based on your dog’s age and your goals for training we will recommend an appropriate training program. We want to be kind and reasonable with our Senior dogs so certain concepts may not be physically appropriate for them. Just like the ability to learn never stops for humans, the same is true for our dogs. There is no "cut-off" age for a dog to be incapable of learning and changing. 

The first step is to complete our Training Inquiry. This will trigger us to set up your Free Phone Consultation. During our phone call, we will review information provided in your questionnaire, talk about your training goals, and review our recommended training program. After the call, we will provide you with a summary of our discussion and details on our recommendations. If you are ready to move forward, simply follow the instructions provided, or call, email, or text us and we will get your enrollment process started as quickly as possible. If you are not sure which program is best or would like to work with us first, you can enroll in our Intro to Training Lesson. This is a working session designed to get to know you and your dog with an in-person assessment. During this session we will be evaluating your dog in order to make any necessary adjustments to your training plan. We will also be going through essential information and protocols for your program, as well as introducing your dog to our Foundation Games and Learning Principles. This is a great time for us to assess how your dog learns, their stamina and learning energy, and build trust and rapport with them as their new teacher and coach. Think of this session as an orientation and preschool session so you, your dog, and your Trainer know what to expect as the program moves forward.

If you are not quite ready to enroll in one of our complete programs, that’s okay! We get it! It can be a big investment and overwhelming to make a choice. We want you to feel comfortable with the process. If you would like to have us come to you for a Meet & Greet, we are happy to schedule this. The service fee for an in-home 30 minute (max) Meet & Greet is $52. If you are interested in a Meet & Greet, we encourage you to take advantage of our Intro to Training Lesson (ITL) instead. Because the Intro Lesson is a working session, you will actually get much more from this time with the Trainer, compared to a brief Meet & Greet. You will be able to begin learning essential skills, have the Trainer’s help evaluating the dog’s everyday environment, learn home safety protocols, receive coaching on leash handling skills, and an introduction to our Foundation Games and Learning Principles. The Intro Lesson is a 2 - 2. 5 hour session and followed with a custom Lifestyle and Learning Plan for you and your dog. The tuition for the ITL is $165 for 1 dog. If you have more than one dog in the home, each additional dog is $47. 

Every dog, human, and living situation is unique. We do not structure our programs as a “one size fits all” solution because that is not a realistic way to approach training goals. All our programs are customized to the needs, goals, and dynamics of each student. While our programs are offered with a base price, we may adjust your program based on factors that are revealed during an ITL. This is why our ITL is a great first step in your training process. We can thoroughly evaluate the factors that come together to determine your custom tailored training plan. If you wish to cap your training budget, we will tailor the training plan to meet the most critical needs that allow for appropriate, and effective, use of your training plan. This might mean commands or training concepts are reprioritized in your plan to accomplish the most important goals, within your budget. Pricing is subject to change without notice. Pricing for those who have receive a written proposal will be honored for 30 days. Payment preference is Credit/Debit Card through PocketSuite or Zelle.

We work with many students who have been through other programs with little to no success. Many tell us they were left feeling uninformed, defeated, or rejected from their experience with other trainers and other programming. Or that the techniques and approach felt confusing or rigid, simply not making sense for their needs with their dog as an individual. Not only have we helped countless clients move forward with useful and effective training in our programs - we have been there ourselves many years ago. With our years of experience, we have designed unique programs that go far beyond many of the “traditional” training methods and programming options available in the past. Our programs are tailored to you and your dog with a relationship based approach. We know you love your dog and want the best for them. And we know you are trying and have tried. We are here to help you and your dog through a supportive process, that empowers you and your dog through teamwork. If we are hitting a stumbling block in the training process, we will shift as needed to help the process make sense as we continue to work towards your objectives. Our process has been described as “life changing” and “you saved my dog”.

We begin your Private Lesson Program in the comfort and convenience of your own home. This offers us the opportunity to help you troubleshoot concerns right at home, as well as evaluate the environment from a professional’s perspective. We often find subtle things within the home environment that are making it difficult for your dog to learn or inadvertently setting them up to fail. By beginning in the home, we can also start the learning process where the dog is typically the most comfortable which generally will allow for a more relaxed learning experience. This also allows us to work in a controlled environment, where we can manage the distraction level to create the most “sterile” learning environment possible. And that means a more clear, effective, and relaxed learning experience for both you and your dog. As the program progresses, your lessons will be held away from your home to advance the learning experience. During these “away” lessons we are working on your dog’s social enrichment, improving your handling skills in real world situations, and increasing the distraction level for your dog and for you. This is part of the advanced level obedience training included in your program. 

The short answer is yes but it depends on a few things. We absolutely value the entire family learning how to better live and communicate with their dog. That is essential for long-term success. So yes, the family will all be part of the process, when the time is right. However, we find that if children are present for the first 2 - 4 lessons, it is overwhelming for the dog and pet parent which disrupts the learning process. There is simply a lot to learn. The education and coaching shared during Private Lessons is expected to be handled by the pet parent as a responsible, adult dog owner. During your lessons we expect you to be focused on the lecture portion and fully available to take the reins for the hands-on practice portion of the lesson. If your attention is split with entertaining or managing the children, this becomes very difficult and, in our experience, you are not truly paying attention to the Trainer who is dedicating their time to teaching you and your dog, with their undivided attention. When to include the children also depends on what issues we are helping with during the training program. When dealing with behavioral concerns, like anxiety, including the children can often be far too much for the dog to handle, thus creating an unsuccessful learning experience for the dog. We will include the family during the program, but please allow us to coach you on when that is appropriate in the process so that we can set you up for success and make the most of your time.

All our obedience programs begin as private training. For students enrolled in certain obedience programs, we include access to our Best Life Canine Club. Our Club class is held approximately every 2 weeks in various locations. It is a continuing education and enrichment opportunity for you and your dog to work in real world situations and continue to improve your skills. 

All services and offerings are non-refundable. Private lessons and Day Train Programs must be completed within a 4 months time. Our VIP Programs offer extended support and time commitment from the trainer, and must be used within 6 - 12 months time depending on the custom program design of your individual VIP Program. As soon as the training contract is signed, the training timeframe begins. Everyone receives a training agreement to be read through, understood, signed, and dated. If the agreement is not returned, its contents and non-refundable fees are still enforced. No sessions will be scheduled and confirmed until the training agreement has been signed and returned. 

We accept cash, check, most major credit cards, Zelle, and Venmo. Our preferred methods of payment are Credit/Debit card or Zelle. If enrolling in a payment plan or subscription, we require an automatic draft set-up with a credit card through our booking and billing system, PocketSuite. All credit card payments are processed through PocketSuite using the Stripe payment platform. If you opt to pay by cash or check, we will require a credit card on file which will only be charged in the event of nonpayment for services rendered or violation of our cancellation policies or training contract.