Q. Why should I select The Pet Staff to train my dog?
A. The Pet Staff is Southern California's largest pet care company. Our strong local brand enables us to attract the top canine behavioral experts (see meet the team) in the field of dog training. Our Training Director John Van Olden is one of the nation's foremost authorities in training and obedience, recently serving on the Board of Directors of the IACP (The International Association of Canine Professionals).

This collaborative approach to training allows each trainer direct daily access to 7 other expert trainers that work as part of our company. No other California trainer has this opportunity - and the benefit to you is over 60 years of proven dog training experience at your disposal!

Q. What are your methods of training?
A. Our primary goal when training your dog is to set them up for success by taking away the opportunities for failures and teaching new, appropriate behaviors in their place. Once your dog has learned these new behaviors we re-introduce some of the stimuli that may have caused problems in the past. We strongly believe that it is our job to teach you, the dog owner, how to reinforce appropriately based on whatever decision your dog makes. We believe that training should take place at both ends of the leash, and feel that we're as talented at teaching people as we are at training dogs.

Q. How do I get started?
A. The first step is to call (866) 738-8474 to schedule an in-home training consultation with your area trainer. The purpose of this first meeting is not to sell you dog training; rather, what we will do is to come to your home and perform a complete intake and analysis in order to give you a professional assessment of exactly why you're having the issues you're having, maybe even in spite of the things you've done up to this point.

We will lay out a plan for exactly what you will need to do in order to be successful and then leave it up to you as to whether you feel it's a workable program for you. We wouldn't want to work with anyone that we don't think is going to be committed and ultimately successful, so no one is obligated to continue after we come out that very first time to meet with you and your dog. We're confident, however, that after this two-hour introduction you'll look forward to moving forward with our highly-regarded obedience curriculum.

Q. Where does the training take place?
A. We believe that the best approach is to begin in your dog's home environment free of distractions before progressing to a public setting where we work to make sure that your dog has the same level of focus that he/she has at home. Our Advanced Obedience course is conducted almost exclusively in distracting environments to ensure focus, control and reliability in all situations.

Q. Is my dog's behavior problem solvable?
A. In most cases the answer to this question is yes. Even in situations where a severe behavior problem cannot be completely "cured", the dog's behavior can typically be substantially improved. Our clients typically report noticing a dramatic improvement immediately after beginning our behavior modification and training program.

With aggressive dogs, our trainer's first goal will be to diagnose and address the exact cause(s) of your dog's aggression issue. Often aggression is a symptom of other circumstances. We will work with you to develop a comprehensive customized plan to help your dog overcome his/her aggression issues.

Q. Do you offer a Training Guarantee?
A. Any dog trainer that belongs to The APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) knows that they cannot make this sort of guarantee. It's actually written into the APDT's Code of Ethics! We refrain from giving written guarantees regarding the outcome of training, because there is no sure way to guarantee the cooperation and performance of all parties involved and because the knowledge of animal behavior is still incomplete - beware of any trainer that tells you otherwise! This position should not be confused with our desire to guarantee complete client satisfaction through education, expertise, follow through, integrity and a proven system based on many years of experience.

Q. What else can The Pet Staff offer me?
A. We are Southern California's largest and most trusted pet sitting and dog walking service. We can customize a fitness program for your dog and even watch him/her in your home while you're away. Your Pet Staff trainer can work closely with your Pet Staff dog walker to insure that specific commands are followed and behaviors reinforced - it's a major advantage to working with our team of pet care professionals! We also provide Pet Taxi services to transport your dog to the vet or groomer once you're signed up as a pet sitting client. To learn more, see our dog walking and/or pet sitting tabs in this web site.

Q. What if I have a question not listed here?
A. Please ask us by phone at (866) 738-8474 or send us an email. Please briefly describe your dog's behavioral issue, breed (or mix), age and any prior training you have had. Also tell us where you are located and leave both a work and cell phone number if possible. We look forward to hearing from you soon!