Each relationship between dog and owner presents new challenges and individual goals. We will help you and your dog reach your goals, while, at the same time, develop a relationship built on trust and understanding. Moreover, we will guide you through your dog training and behavior challenges to accomplish your individual goals.
Modern, Science-based Training
With this purpose in mind, we continually attend dog training and behavior workshops, research the latest studies, read the latest literature, and network with colleagues to remain at the cutting edge of training and behavior.
Ongoing Communication
We know communication is a two-way street! Therefore, we encourage our clients to video behavior they find troublesome or exercises they can’t quite get the hang of and share them with us. We are always happy to text, chat, or Facetime with you to answer questions. In addition, we offer training videos and written behavior support information for our clients.
Ethical and Fear Free Methods
We use ethical, rewards-based training methods that do not rely on punishment or force. Our training is based on LIMA (least intrusive, minimally aversive) standards. We base all of our interactions with you and your dog on this principle. In short, it means we won’t cause stress, pain or anxiety to realize training goals. With this in mind, we won’t use shock, choke or prongs.
Crimson Hound LLC is based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. We offer in-person consultations in your home, as well as virtual sessions.
Family Dog Mediation
Are they really problem behaviors?
As the modern world continues to change, many of us find ourselves confused by the latest technology and missing the “good old days”. What’s more, our dogs’ lives have changed drastically as well.
Border collies no longer have sheep to herd … but herding kids, bikes or cars is frowned upon.
Jack Russell terriers are no longer employed in keeping vermin out of our barns … but killing our pet hamster is not acceptable.
Dalmatians were bred to run alongside carriages all day … now they may spend 8 to 12 hours per day in a crate.
Huskies were developed to pull sleds across the tundra … now some find themselves living in Florida condos.
Our pet dogs are captive animals with unmet instinctual needs and very little autonomy over their own lives. We control their food and water, where and when they eat. Not to mention, where they sleep, when they get to go potty and who they get to play with. As a matter of fact, many of us would struggle to name a handful of things that our dogs do have control over. Though we have the best of intentions, we have created pet dogs who are frustrated and confused by their own reality … often resulting in what we perceive as “problem behaviors”.
Are they problems behaviors or just unmet needs?
Our dogs have been stripped of the right of consent. Imagine, of you will, trying to dress up a wolf or a tiger – or even your cat? Get out the bandages, right?! But what happens when we decide to dress up our dogs? They had darn well better just relax and take it. In contrast, think of this same wolf/tiger/cat/dog scenario in other circumstances, such as, giving baths, walking on leash, recalls, even petting. In reality, a dog is the only animal that is expected to perform with perfection and precision regardless of what scenario we present – or, we see a problem to be “fixed”.
Are these issues to be fixed, or do we just need to adjust our expectations?
This is where Family Dog Mediation can help. We need to take an honest look at our relationships with our dogs and ask ourselves …
What was the original purpose of my dog?
Am I offering my dog opportunities to meet his needs?
Am I being realistic with my expectations?
How can I help my dog navigate this modern world into which he has been dropped?
What is Family Dog Mediation?
A Family Dog Mediator (FDM) is an individual with special training and education above and beyond training or behavior consulting. FDM’s assess each animal based on their L.E.G.S. – each individual’s Learning, Environment, Genetics, and Self – because each plays a critical role in that animal’s behavior.
What is L.E.G.S.?
Learning is composed of all of the combined information the individual has learned during his life–and is continuing to learn every single day. This includes things like other dogs aren’t safe to approach, or cars are scary, or cats are fun to chase, or when mom has that look I better hide. Learning is more than just training a hand signal to sit, or a pattern of behavior. Learning is the key to a dog’s ability to adapt through prediction and anticipation based on previous experience. It’s happening all day, every day, and it’s often not what humans may intend!
Environment isn’t just the inside or outside of your house. It’s everything your pet encounters and interacts with. Environment creates both questions and answers for your pet–Am I safe? What is happening? What do I do? And, I know what that means! Our job as humans is to control the environment, keep it safe, make sure it provides the things our animals need.
Genetics is all of the information about life that our pets arrived on earth with already encoded in their DNA. It’s the basics of how to be a dog, as well as all of the specializations that humans have selected for and against since we began breeding dogs more than 10,000 years ago. It’s the basis for herding, protection, companionship and retrieving.
Self considers the dog sitting directly in front of us. The individual. It’s his personality, his age, his sex and reproductive status, his health, his nutrition, his disabilities or injuries. Think of Self this way–the needs of a lost, skinny momma dog with 6 puppies are drastically different than the needs of the pampered, neutered Labrador who eats the most expensive dog food and has his own leather couch. We always need to start with the dog as the individual, not as dogs in general.
Family Dog Mediation
Family Dog Mediators evaluate these four L.E.G.S. and help mediate the places where there are conflicts between dogs and owners. As your FDM, it is my role to meet you and your dog where you are and to work with ALL of the L.E.G.S.. that both you and your dog bring to the table. Rather than setting out to simply “fix bad behaviors” through obedience training, we will work together to create meaningful solutions. I will help you manage your expectations for your dog’s behavior, help translate what your dog needs from you, and, moreover, help you meet those needs. In addition, I will help by giving you the tools to change behavior so that you can live happily with your pet! These tools, which will include training plans and/or management protocols, will be based on honesty, compassion, understanding and compromise.
Basic Manners – Dog and Puppy Training and Mediation
Basic Manners – Dogs and Puppy Training and Mediation
Whether you just brought a new puppy into your home or have had your dog for months or years, we are here to help. We will work with you to reach your dog and puppy training goals and to build a relationship with your dog based in trust and understanding
Our trainers will work with you to outline your goals and help you create solutions and a training plan that is appropriate for your dog’s breed, age and temperament, and designed to enrich your dog’s mind and body.
Crimson Hound offers basic manners and dog and puppy training, as well as methods to address behaviors such as house training, leash reactivity and resource guarding.
We use only modern, ethical reward-based methods that follow LIMA training principles. With this purpose in mind, we do not rely on use force, coercion or intimidation.
“Your dog is not giving you a hard time. Your dog is HAVING a hard time.”
Does your dog …
bark and lunge at other dogs or people during walks?
cower when greeting strangers?
guard food or toys?
fight with other dogs in your home?
act out when left home alone?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above, reactive dog training and mediation is what you are looking for. Our trainers will help you understand why your dog is doing what he is doing and work with you and your dog on a solution for these behaviors.
The vast majority of dogs that display any type of reactivity or aggressive behavior are experiencing some level of fear, frustration, anxiety, stress or even pain … others may simply be performing instinctual behaviors.
We are here to help you and your dog work through these issues with virtual and/or in-person fearful, aggressive and reactive dog training sessions. We use only modern, ethical reward-based methods that follow LIMA training principles and do not rely on use force, coercion or intimidation. .
“Ask a Trainer” sessions are 20-minute virtual sessions that allow you to consult with a trainer via Zoom about a specific issue or to update a trainer on your progress.
