Adventures in Canine Training, Inc.

Serving the DFW Area
214-731-3191
www.aictdfw.com

While all dog owners want to believe that everyone sees our pets as furry little angels, most of us know that is not always the case. Whether it's jumping on visitors, barking at other dogs, chewing furniture, or just a lack of basic doggie manners, dogs with behavior issues are not only frustrating to live with, but are often the victims of owner surrender at shelters. On the other hand, when you see your pet transform before your eyes into a well-behaved and happy dog, it's one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. Most of us need help making this transformation a reality and have considered hiring a professional trainer. Adventures in Canine Training, Inc. (AICT) has a proven track record of helping owners learn to communicate with their pets in a positive way to build trusting relationships that lead to well behaved dogs.

Meet the owner, Stacy Greer
Stacy has been training dogs since 1999, after becoming interested in professional training to help her Beagle overcome his behavior issues. She attended the Animal Behavior Center of New York and after completing courses that involved learning theory, hands-on training with New York shelter dogs, and working with trainers at the New York Aquarium, Stacy received certification as a "Canine Behavior Therapist." Stacy was also accredited through the PetSmart Corporation training program before starting her own training business in 2003. In addition to Stacy's impressive credentials, Adventures in Canine Training, Inc. also employs Michelle Robinet and Misty Roachelle who are both highly qualified trainers.

Positive and fun training methods
Stacy describes her training style as positive and focuses on replacing unwanted behavior with more appropriate behavior. "Modern science has proven that dominance theory, leash corrections, and other outdated methods don't work," says Stacy. Her recommended approach is taking private lessons first, to establish the desired behaviors in your home and everyday living environments, and following up with group classes. Stacy's main objective is to teach her clients how to properly discipline and reward their dogs. "I feel many trainers lean too much one way and don't have a happy medium," says Stacy, "which can sometimes yield short term results." Above all, she wants people to have a good relationship with their dog. "Dogs should see their human as their best friend, not another canine," explains Stacy. "Dogs that play with other dogs a lot will follow a dog's lead, and not so much the human's. Dogs that rely on other dogs for fun may show it by what the human would say is 'poor listening skills,' 'doesn’t listen when other dogs or distractions are around,' 'my dog has ADD' or other things when the truth is that the relationship just needs to be stronger between the human and dog." Building this relationship isn't always easy, since we're all juggling our many priorities and sometimes fall short on time. "I understand that life doesn’t revolve around the dog but that I think all dogs should be trained," says Stacy. "I myself have a 15-month-old (human) baby, so I completely understand that life can be complicated. I just want to make [life] easier on dog owners."

How to get started
To become an AITC client, first contact Stacy to discuss your pet's current behavior and the desired behaviors you would like to see from your dog. Stacy will recommend a training regimen and inform you of your class options. In addition to obedience training, Adventures in Canine Training, Inc. offers Canine Good Citizen (CGC) testing, seminars, workshops, and will soon offer a class called "Fungility," which is a combination of agility obstacles, tricks, and flyball. Private Training classes begin at $109 for a single 60-90 minute session, but AICT offers a "3-pack" of 1-hour lessons for $269, which reduces the price to approximately $90 per class. Group classes are held at several different parks in the DFW area and start at $119 per class. If you are concerned about your dog playing nicely in a group setting, Stacy will complete an evaluation before your training begins. AICT accepts dogs with all types of behavior issues, including aggression, and will never remove or "fail" your dog from training classes.

Community outreach
Adventures in Canine Training, Inc. not only provides a valuable service to its clients, the trainers also assist rescue organizations when they are needed. Stacy has worked with the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas and also runs a non-profit organization called Paws Partners, Inc. that provides training and certification for people who want to do therapy with their dogs.

To learn more about Adventures in Canine Training, Inc., please visit their website at www.aictdfw.com, where you can find a detailed pricing schedule, information about the trainers, class prerequisites, policies and procedures, and more. You can also receive timely and relevant training articles by being a fan on Facebook or reading their blog, Chronicles of a Dog Trainer. Call or email Stacy at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to schedule your class today!