Dog. Man’s Best Friend.
That’s what you were promised, that’s what you asked for. Someone to go on adventures with, work with, play with, chill with. A friend who is always down.
But something is in the way of that promise and now you’re here wondering if I can help. Most likely I can. Most of our issues with our furry friends come from a small but crucial miscommunication. We have some thought of how a dog learns based on some set of experiences we had in the past. It’s probably really, really close to right; however, sometimes a small misunderstanding can ripple out into huge problems. I don’t just know how to speak dog. More importantly than that, I can see where it’s going wrong for people.
If you’re here, then you’re looking for help. I won’t B.S. you. I’ll explain the cause and effect ripple that’s creating a rift between you and your pet, and you’ll see the path to fixing that rift clear as day. Dog training is easy, it’s just a bit unintuitive at times.
Please look at Training Records, and feel free to send questions and videos through email or text. There’s an AI agent on this site programmed to help you find your way around.
El Paso County, Colorado, and surrounding areas
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Services
- In-Home ConsultEvery client starts here. I come to your home, meet your dog, and we build a training plan around your goals. $30 depositCredited toward training
- Behavior ModificationThe path through fear or aggression can be long and hard, and sometimes you need help. I pick up your dog for desensitization sessions, and we work toward habituation.Requires: In-Home Consult 30-120 min
- Group LessonsPack walk, nosework, obedience, and ball work. Check the schedule for what we're doing that day.Requires: Verbal Marker Training Until every dog has a turn
- Fundamentals BootcampAn example full build that trains your dog from the ground up. It's a guideline: we customize the sessions to fit you and your dog.Requires: Verbal Marker Training About 7 sessions
- E-Collar TrainingThe safe way to ditch the leash.Requires: Verbal Marker Training 1-3 sessions
- Verbal Marker TrainingDogs don't understand English, but they can seem to when a word reliably predicts a reward or a consequence. Every other service builds on this foundation.Requires: In-Home Consult 1-2 sessions
- Verbal CommandsCommands are markers too. We teach sit, down, place, and here, and build engagement through distractions.Requires: Verbal Marker Training 1 session
- Chill TrainingTeach your dog to settle, even when excited, by adding distance and duration to their commands.Requires: Verbal Commands 1 session
- RecallBulletproof your dog's recall in real-world distractions.Requires: Verbal Commands 1 session
- HeelingA fun, endlessly improvable skill that builds your bond and keeps your dog safe.Requires: Verbal Commands 1 session
- CapstoneA custom goal we design together, recorded as a training record of where you and your dog are today.Requires: Verbal Marker Training Set together
Pricing & area
$30 deposit for the In-Home Consult, paid at the consult and credited toward training.
$100 per session. Sessions run about 60 minutes.
I train Fridays and Saturdays, in your home and out in the world.
El Paso County at no extra cost. Surrounding counties have a mileage fee.
How I train
I do in-home dog training through classical and operant conditioning.
Dog training is mostly simple. However, the way we communicate with our dogs isn’t always as intuitive as it looks when you compare yourself to others. I invite you to sit down and talk with me, and together we can solve the challenges that have made life with your dog harder than it needs to be.
I’ll show you modern techniques from all four corners of dog training. We’ll learn food and play training, also known as force free dog training, and pair it with modern escape and avoidance training, also known as Traditional dog training, to create a clear channel of communication between you and your dog. At each step, you’ll be 100% confident in what your dog knows and how to apply what you learn with me to any situation, in any environment.
The most important thing to understand about our dogs is that our verbal language is unintuitive to them. They don’t learn English the way we do. To give them a vocabulary, we start slow and build associations with the important words, sounds, and phrases we want them to react to. This is called classical conditioning. Once we’re sure that foundation is clear, we use it to show the dog which behaviors we expect. This is operant conditioning: learning through consequences.
For each behavior, you’ll learn how to use the cornerstones of modern dog training to shape it however you see fit. In each session, you’ll understand which cornerstones are available for that behavior and the drawbacks of relying on only one, and you’ll have complete confidence in the result we can expect.
Below is a grid of the four cornerstones of modern dog training. For more information:
- Ask the chat assistant at the top of the page. It finds answers across my websites, so what it tells you comes from me.
- Check out the FAQ. I answer as many questions there as I can, which also gives the chat assistant more to draw on.
- Still stuck? Call or text me at 406-533-5127, or email training@k9-communication.com. It’s the real first step toward the life you picture with your dog.
- Force free
- Training with food and/or play.
- Traditional
- Escape and avoidance training.
- Balanced
- A blend of force free and Traditional training.
The four corners of operant conditioning, from the log book.
Ready to start?
Sessions are limited each week. Book while a slot is open.