We are a home-operated training program that focuses on behavior modification, obedience, and thorough exposure with a home setting as the focal point. One of the drawbacks of traditional training facilities is the limited scope in which we can present context to the dog. Our approach not only focuses on teaching your dog to respond correctly to your commands, but to understand how to effectively read and react to the environment around them. Sometimes the world throws a curveball at us and we want your dog to have as much exposure to situations that may occur in the real-world. Time and time again we hear of a dog going through a training facility and immediately reverting back to their old ways at home. While this can be overcome with the right tools, methods, and applications, we feel the dog gets the most out of their training by starting in a controlled home-setting and branching out from there. This allows us to delve into the nuance of day-to-day activity with your dog and establish better long-term associations. The dynamics within the home are one of the most critical aspects of a dog’s life and play a crucial part in shaping the dog’s overall understanding of their role in your life and your role in theirs.

At OTOA K9 we are firm believers in the effectiveness of presenting operational context first and obedience second. By sequencing our phases of training in this manner, we are able to gain insights into the dog’s emotional and mental state of mind that encompass specific behaviors and the long term implications associated with them. We can begin discerning what the dog’s objectives may be, how they view the transition toward the objectives, the variables they consider obstacles or openings, and the various ways in which these perceptions might change or conclude. Understanding how the dog interprets the world around them tells us exactly how the obedience needs to be implemented in order to attain the best results at home. While obedience itself can be very effective in managing a dog’s behavior, if the situation shifts and the dog can’t clearly understand why the obedience works for them in any given situation they will be much less receptive to following your guidance when it’s needed most. This is where we come in.

We are well-versed and experienced in correctly utilizing a variety of methods, training styles, tools, techniques, and motivation types to ensure your dog receives the best training possible. Whether you have a small sensitive dog, a powerhouse breed, a confrontational ticking time bomb, an avoidant introvert, or a happy-go-lucky extrovert, we strive to utilize the best approach that works for you and your dog.