Preparing For Your First Session!

​You’ve booked, or are preparing to book your first session with the Best Dog Training Company in the area, Say It Once Dog Training as seen on Good Morning America. What do you need to do, know, and have for your special day. In this blog, we will go over everything from the equipment that you'll want to have ready for our training day, how to prepare, and how to pay for your dog training lesson. 

First off, breathe. You don’t need to be nervous for your training session. Remember, we are absolutely NOT coming to your house to judge you. We are coming to your house to help you and your dog reach your potential, build your relationship, fix the behavioral issues you are having, and give you the confidence it takes to be the leader your dog desperately needs. I have so much respect for owners who know when it’s time to call for help, and we cannot wait to be the help you desperately need. 

What do you need to have for your session?
Every dog is different, as well as every household environment, but there are a few things that should be in every house. Whether you have a puppy, or a dog with a behavioral issue, you will benefit from having the following. 

• A dog bed. You will want a good dog bed so that we can teach the "Place Command." We teach our dog's to stay for a long time, upwards of 45 minutes at a time, and you'll want a good bed to train with. We use and recommend a style of "elevated dog cots", they are $20 on amazon, and have tremendous benefits for training, but any dog bed that is a few inches thick will do. A blanket won't cut the mustard as they say. (If your dog chews up beds keep your plush bed hidden until the appointment, and the elevated bed is a great choice!

 

• You'll want a quality 4-6 foot leash, but you will not want to use a leash that expands or retracts. You may see us frequently use slip leads and training collars. This is something I do NOT want you to order ahead of the training. There are quite a few sizes and variables based off size, coat, and other factors. We will bring anything needed to train on this front, so don’t worry. 

 

• (Excluding Play Biting) If your dog has bit, attempted to bite, or is a risk to bite (whether it be people, yourself, other dogs etc. it doesn’t matter) you need to get a properly fitted basket muzzle. There is a link on our website in the video tab, as well as our Youtube page on how to condition your dog to the muzzle. By getting this ahead of your session, you can save your dog from any unnecessary stress, and save time during our session. 

 

• A size appropriate crate. For the peeps who already have the crate in house, great! Set it up, and you can even throw treats in every now and again to make sure your dog loves going in. If you have a puppy, an adolescent dog (9-18 months) or an adult dog struggling with a behavioral issue (such as reactivity, separation anxiety, resource guarding) the crate is a tool that will be highly beneficial in their progress. 

 

• You will absolutely want a notepad for your session. Remember, we are not a cookie cutter program. This will not be a training session that has printed out guidelines, because your dog will need different rules and exercise to be practiced that fit their needs and your lifestyle. Everything will be personalized to you and your dog's needs. At the end of our session, we will have you write down brief notes so you can refer back to them during your training until our follow up lesson.

 

• Water for the humans. It’s hot out there! 

Two very important notes! Make sure you don’t over exert your dog before our training session, and do not feed your dog directly before our training session. Even if they miss a meal, or only eat half, it will help. Remember, in order to train, we need some energy, and we definitely need food motivation! 

What should you do when your trainer arrives at your house? If your dog is a bite risk, we put these particular dogs in the crate, or a back room when we get there. Remember to condition your dog to the Baskerville Muzzle before the session! If your dog is human friendly, even if they are a pain in the butt at the door, let them do their thing! We will coach you through it, just have a leash handy. The first 10-15 minutes your trainer will sit down with you and have a conversation at the kitchen table, get to know you and your best friend, and explain the layout of the session before starting the hands on portion of your training.

As the owner of the company, and having been training dogs for the past 10 years I want to thank you very much for trusting our team with your dogs. I know how much they mean to you, and it’s my honor to help you and your dog achieve balance, and reach their true potential. Happy training! 


PAYMENT: 
Our payment process is very simple, pay only for what you need. You don't need a one size fits all package, because your dog and situation is unique. You pay after your session, and we take payments via a card reader on Square. You can use both debit and credit cards.

CANCELLATION:
We know your time is valuable, and ours is too. Please understand that we only have limited availability, and out of respect for our employees and our other clients, we kindly ask that you give us at least 5 days notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. We will always contact you with a reminder 7 days before your appointment via the cell number you signed up with. I understand that life happens, and it’s not always possible to control your schedule 5 days in advance, however cancellations made within 48 hours of your scheduled appointment will result in a $50 fee to get rescheduled. We will do our very best to reschedule your service for another time that is convenient to you.