Dog Training Services Information Booklet

Transcription

1 Dog Training Services Information Booklet Dog training that is both fun and productive! Alpha s methods not only achieve immediate improvement on virtually all dog behaviour, they also produce even better mid and long-term results! The Canine Group Established in 1996 And still actively pioneering and developing exciting new methods and Industry leading standards based on genuine service ideals, And relevant solutions for owners and their dogs! Teaching our puppies and dogs how to listen and behave in the real-life situations that affect their sociability and behaviour on a daily basis.

2 INDEX Keeping Dog Training Positive, Relevant & Real!... 1 From The Alpha Canine Group s Facebook Page... 4 Positive Results Dog Training Methods... 5 Practical & Commonsense Methods... 5 Balanced Methods That Teach Dogs Right From Wrong... 7 Training Dogs For Real-Life... 8 The Free Hands-on Information Session The Alpha Canine Group Has Two Purpose-Built Locations Dog Training Services Other Services From The Alpha Canine Group Alpha Dog Training Weekly Canine Communication & Leadership Classes Group Classes In A Huge Indoor Dog Training Facility Alpha Interactive Tuition...20 Alpha Puppy Social & Behavioural Development Classes Alpha Canine Good Behaviour Shaping (CGBS) Day Fast-Track Course Alpha One-on-One Tuition...46 Alpha Boarding School For Dogs We can train your dog for you A Quick Review of Alpha Boarding School s Services Day Canine Communication Course Day Advanced Canine Communication Course....39

3 Keeping Dog Training Positive, Relevant & Real! What are you really teaching your dog? Supposedly positive training methods, dubious behavioural theories and dog less experts just a few of the things that dog owners need to be aware of when choosing a training service that will actually teach their pup or dog how to listen and behave! When looking for a great dog training service, what are you actually looking for? There are so many training options available to owners and choices will be made based on location, price, methods and perhaps positive referrals. You might also assume that the training of your dog would result in a more sociable, well behaved and controllable pet, regardless of which trainer you choose and what methods you apply during the training process. However, many owners don t understand that the most important considerations relating to the training of their dog, such as reliable obedience training and canine social and behavioural management under distraction, ARE NOT automatic inclusions in most training methods! If these ingredients are missing from the training process, what are you really teaching your dog? 1

4 Many experts tell you that their methods are positive, but are they really? Over the last 30 years the dog training world has been saturated by academic theories and opinions based on scientific data that is subjective at best. The scope of these studies is often severely narrow and not the slightest bit relevant to how a dog reacts or misbehaves in real situations. For some reason it has now become normal for experts in our industry to talk up behavioural theory, but not to demonstrate hands-on how that theory actually makes a positive difference to the dog s behaviour in challenging situations. The modern phenomenon of positive dog training methods that focus so heavily on techniques that virtually bribe the pup or dog with food and only require it to obey commands if and when it wants to, actually promote active disobedience and bad behaviour. They achieve this disturbing outcome by setting a flawed learning precedent that allows pups and dogs to willfully ignore their owners instead of teaching them to listen when required. If you give a command and your pup or dog ignores you, and is allowed to continually do so, then they are learning that ignoring you is a valid option it becomes normal. You need to learn how and when to give commands, and how to reward (without impractical food treats), or how to correct and reward depending on your dog s response. Most supposedly positive dog training methods are completely unbalanced and focus on positive reinforcement and reward, but don t offer any meaningful, contrasting correction process that actually teaches the pup or dog the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Ignoring the dog or withholding food treats is not the slightest bit effective if your pup or dog is actively misbehaving and already ignoring you. Many, many owners have told us that their pup or dog just continued to misbehave only to get a treat anyway when it finally decided to stop (as per expert instructions) there are many reasons for the negative outcomes that commonly arise with this simplistic approach. The experts, by the way, never show how this positive training technique, without a meaningful and contrasting correction process, actually gets results in distracting, real-life situations! That s just one of their tricks, but there are many other equally dubious techniques in their bag. Inadvertently teaching dogs not to listen, if you think about it logically, is a huge mistake that can have disastrous implications on the owner and dog relationship, particularly for the dog. A dog that doesn t listen to its owner when required is potential trouble waiting to happen. It s hard to believe that in this modern age where more and more dogs are being euthanised every year for behavioural problems, that the experts themselves aren t challenging the popular, but incomplete positive theories with requests of proof, showing both practicality and relevance to guided canine social and behavioural development. 2

5 At Alpha we meet too many dogs that are already out-of-control despite their owners having previously attended training sessions using supposedly positive methods. These owners have tried to do the right thing, but have often been let down by poor method only to be told that their dogs now have serious behavioural issues. It never ceases to amaze us that there are experts out there that can t teach reliable obedience and manners under distraction, but they can assess a pup s or dog s uncontrollable behaviour as serious and even in need of pharmaceutical intervention. In the vast majority of cases we have found that the teaching of reliable obedience and good manners, not invasive drug therapy, has helped rehabilitate these dogs to a point that they are now safe and manageable. But it can also be argued, if not demonstrated, that the same training approach would have prevented the bad behaviour in the first place! To train a pup or dog without a meaningful, contrasting correction process leaves owners and their dogs seriously unprepared for the real world that they live in. Not all correction processes are the same, nor do they break the dog and spoil its life, but most experts know nothing of this because they blindly follow popular theory without ever asking for proof of relevance! For many years now there has been too much unchallenged, negative propaganda and assumption coming from the ranks of dog less experts who are stuck in a theoretical world that is so far removed from the real world in which owners live with their dogs. If their methods are genuinely positive, effective and beneficial to your dog, why can t they show you their own dog as one very important validation of their chosen methods, and other dogs that have benefited from their training approaches? Do they even own a well trained and behaved dog? Ask to see their dogs and other dogs they have trained! At The Alpha Canine Group we go to great lengths to explain and demonstrate a contrasting correction process that is practical, positive and extremely effective in teaching puppies and dogs how to listen when they are distracted or misbehaving. All of our Alpha qualified instructors have their own well trained and behaved dogs with them, no matter where they teach, for demonstration of technique, or as distraction during training sessions. Positive is as positive does. The proof is in the consistent, positive outcome! 3

6 From The Alpha Canine Group s Facebook Page.. ALPHA BOARDING SCHOOL FOR DOGS: Meet Jack (pictured below). Jack is staying at the kennels for training and behavioural rehabilitation after his owners were told by previous trainers that they could/should return him to the animal shelter where he came from. Jack s problem? - Dog aggression! He was a problem for his owners out on walks because of his aggressive nature whenever they saw other dogs. When Jack came to us he was actively, and intensely aggressive to other dogs through his pen gate and was prepared to have a fair crack when other dogs were close by during training. However, as is often the case with dog aggression, not all is as it seems. Once leadership training began, and then the introduction of Canine Good Behaviour Shaping (manners), Jack s confrontational attitude started to change as he put more trust in his trainers and followed their lead. Jack now runs free with about other dogs as part of his re-socialisation to other dogs - he s having a great time! He is genuinely happy in his new environment - so much more relaxed and confident. This is the beginning of his rehabilitation and once he returns home his owners will be taught in great detail how to continue on from this very exciting starting point. Well done Jack! If you take the time to visit our detailed websites for each of our services, you will see that a lot of effort and handson research and development has gone into the growth and success of our businesses. To go with all this detail there are also plenty of videos to watch and our Facebook page also has many, many videos showing our services and methods in action Website videos can be found on individual sites or in one place at: multimedia The Alpha Canine Group s Facebook page can be found at: There is a lot of information in this booklet and on our websites, we hope that it helps you to make an informed decision about Alpha s services. Some explanation and themes may re-occur throughout different sections of this booklet describing our various services, but that is because our methods are so consistent and incredibly relevant to achieving the all-important positive outcome, regardless of which service you choose. 4

7 Positive Results Dog Training Methods Alpha continues to develop new standards for positive dog training methods by demonstrating relevance and effectiveness in relation to the prevention and rehabilitation of unacceptable canine behaviour. Many methods claim to be positive, gentle and best for your dog, but the experts themselves can t even demonstrate any relevance to a pup s or dog s ability to listen when it becomes distracted, agitated, aggressive, fearful or inappropriately over-excited. There is nothing positive about methods that produce negative outcomes, ultimately allowing a dog s behaviour to spiral out-of-control as it matures! The Positive Outcome = tangible improvement in your dog s training and behaviour. ABOVE: This beautiful Labrador was destined to be destroyed for mauling sheep. A court ruling allowed Alpha to train and rehabilitate the dog, seen here during off-lead training around the sheep. In the end he could run free with nobody in the yard with him! That s what we mean by positive outcome! The before & after video for this dog is on the Alpha Boarding School For Dogs website: Practical & Commonsense Methods Alpha s reward-based dog training and good behaviour shaping methods don t require impractical food treats to teach dogs and puppies to listen when distracted when we need them to listen the most! Groundbreaking canine learning and behavioural principles developed by The Alpha Canine Group take genuine off-lead voice control of puppies and dogs to levels of relevance and reliability completely unknown by other training approaches particularly those that are over-reliant on food treats and textbook theories that can t be demonstrated. Owners need to see methods that can be demonstrated in real time, teaching their dogs to listen in incredibly common situations! Puppies and dogs, can and do, learn under distraction this can be so easily demonstrated! Why would you use methods that teach pups and dogs to continually ignore their owners? Alpha s methods help owners to manage their dogs social and behavioural development in the human world they live in! 5

8 ABOVE: Another example of dogs holding a reliable Drop Step-away under distraction. The leadership precedents learned from practical and reliable obedience cannot be underestimated. See the video on our Facebook page 22nd April 2013 ABOVE: 94 dogs holding a Drop Step-away (Stay), no rehearsal and many had never done this exercise with so many other dogs and people. See the video on our Facebook page 2nd December

9 Balanced Methods That Teach Dogs Right From Wrong Alpha s methods go way beyond the popular, but incredibly unbalanced behavioural theories and methods that are focused on the dated and emotive dichotomy of positive reinforcement being good, and punishment being bad. Methods based on positive or negative reinforcement as predominantly singular, opposing concepts, actually present an incomplete learning framework for your puppy or dog producing pups and dogs that won t listen to their owners. However, when you contrast the two together to create the positive outcome, the results are often immediate and amazing even under distraction. Reinforcement Contrast Effect is one of several Alpha developed principles that cleverly combine to turn academic learning theory on its head. This is because we have chosen hands-on research and development, working with real owners and their real dogs that are experiencing very real (and common) behavioural issues to achieve consistent results. Alpha s principles cover the short, mid and long term stages of canine learning, socialisation and behavioural development. We have many, many well trained dogs to prove our point! ABOVE: This picture is from an instructional video As a 9 week old puppy, this Rottweiler chased and jumped on the cats no inhibition what-so-ever. A couple of simple contrasting corrections and Good Boy does the rest! ABOVE: Years later, best friends saying hello, tails wagging. ABOVE: Playing with the new cat. ABOVE: This picture shows him at 5 months of age relaxed with the cat because he was clearly taught, as a pup, that it was not acceptable to be rough. The contrasting correction process created an immediate positive outcome as a puppy that has lasted all the way through adolescence and then to adulthood - Good Boy was the most important part of the whole process! 7

10 Training Dogs For Real-Life Our dogs are our pets, our companions, our mates and best friends, but we still need to teach them how to behave in our human world! At Alpha we don t just focus on teaching your dog to Sit on command, we want you to understand how to get it to Sit anywhere, any time, when it s distracted, when it s anxious, when it s fearful, when it wants to be aggressive, what to do if it doesn t want to Sit and why this approach to reliability is so important to your dog s overall social and behavioural development. We want owners to understand the importance of leadership and language and how Good Boy/Girl can convey so much more than just what a good doggy. By becoming a positive leader in your dog s life they will be more inclusive around family and friends and you will be able to take them on more outings, giving them so much more to live for! ABOVE: Taken from a instructional movie showing well trained and behaved dogs demonstrating Alpha s relevant and realistic Canine Good Behaviour Shaping method - manners that really matter. The dog will not break the front door boundary even though the door is wide open, and he has not been given a cliché`d stay or wait command he has been taught with methods that are measurable by results! Important note: Although The Alpha Canine Group is now one of the bigger players in our industry, don t for a minute think that bigger means less personal. Nothing could be further from the truth and all you have to do is come and see us in action to understand that we have created a whole new standard in friendly and professional service, with the positive outcomes to match! It still gets back to one fundamental comparison Alpha can show you what we can do for you and your dog! Ask others to do the same, to provide opportunities to see the experts own well trained and behaved dogs, and those belonging to their clients/members. Since 1996 we have worked hard to develop the best trainer courses, to set the highest standards and to create a culture of genuine service that is second to none. Seeing Is Believing! 8

11 We couldn t promote such high claims about our business if we weren t so confident in the unique service and teaching initiatives that we have developed to help owners understand and train their dogs. The Alpha Canine Group has pioneered exciting new training techniques for obedience training and behaviour shaping that are relevant to modern dog owners in today s society. To achieve this reality we have discarded what we consider to be outdated training techniques, theories and attitudes and replaced them with logical concepts and strategies that have actually proven to work for owners and their dogs from all walks of life. If a training technique doesn t work, or is impractical an doesn t make sense, we don t use it just because it is what everyone else does. First and foremost, our training techniques have to work on our own personal dogs and then for our valued customers dogs. We have a very proud and dedicated standard of Lead By Example at Alpha and have many, many impressive dogs of all shapes and size to prove it! ABOVE: Taken from an instructional movie, Alpha trainers, in black & gold uniform, move freely through their classes actively looking to help out wherever they can. They also create distractions so you can learn to read your dog s body language and develop the different tones of praise to ultimately shape, and then control their behaviour, when necessary, with little more than your voice! Canine Cognitive Tonal Conditioning is an Alpha developed principle that allows owners to teach their dogs under distraction. 9

12 The Free Hands-on Information Session Come And Check Us Out Please Bring Your Dog. As good as all the information seems over the phone, on our websites, or in this info booklet, nothing actually beats seeing the service and training method in action by attending the Alpha free information session and experiencing how our methods work with your own dog. We have run these sessions since 1996 and love showing dog owners what we can do with our training methods. This session is commitment-free there is no pressure at all to use any of our services. The training method used at Alpha Dog Training (weekly classes) is the same as that used for all of our training services, so if you re interested in any of our training solutions or professional courses you will be able to get a genuine feel for our ability to train dogs first hand. IMPORTANT NOTE: All of Alpha s training services are very popular and successful, however, we understand that not everyone can make it to weekly classes. Those of you who may be considering our Boarding School For Dogs, 4 Day Fast-Track or Oneon-One services (never really intending to come along to weekly classes) are not required to attend weekly classes or even the free first session, it is an optional opportunity that gives you the chance to meet the trainers and see their dogs (and many others) in action. Again, we just want everyone to know that you are more than welcome to check us out as part of your research into a positive and effective dog training method! There is no hard sell, so don t feel that you are walking into something you don t want to commit to that s not how we work! There are substantial discounts for those who decide to join at the end of the first free session, but there is absolutely no pressure to do so! We require all first timers to bring their own dog along to this session so you can try the method first hand and learn the fundamentals behind our unique training approach. Don t worry (or feel embarrassed) if your dog is a handful and untrained, we are able to cater to this situation and do so all the time you ll be amazed at what can be achieved, even in one single class. That goes for any boisterous, aggressive, fearful or anxious dogs. There are very few dogs that we can t accommodate and help at out FREE first session and tour, we have been doing this for a very long time and the methods used have an immediate impact and it is very rare for that not to be the case. 10

13 If you think your dog may be a handful, please come early so we can give you some one-on-one help before the session starts. Arriving early would be before 6.30pm for a 7pm start on a Wednesday evening (trainers are available from 6pm), or before 9.30am for a 10am start on a Sunday morning (trainers are available from 9am). The free session and guided tour runs for approximately 90 minutes and is informative, fun and commitment free. At the free session and guided tour we can show you: REAL OWNERS with their REAL DOGS achieving very exciting and REAL RESULTS We will show you Alpha s trainers clearly demonstrating the obedience techniques being taught in classes with their own well trained dogs, and you will also see our customers with their dogs working to exceptionally high standards, even at the beginner levels! Everything will be explained to you in great detail and regardless of which training service you are researching at the time, you will experience first hand our professional and refreshingly realistic approach to teaching owners how to train their dogs. The atmosphere at Alpha is friendly and relaxed, and yet the classes are bustling environments where owners can learn to handle and train their dogs under distraction. We take great pride in producing reliable and well behaved dogs that can be confidently managed in REAL-LIFE situations when away from training. This can be consistently achieved because the training method is positive, practical and incredibly effective and because of the REALISTIC skills and understanding that comes from our dynamic approach to teaching. If you do actually decide to join Alpha Dog Training, substantial discounts are available for joining at the end of your first FREE session! Pricing for each service is listed at the end of each description. 11

14 The Alpha Canine Group Has Two Purpose-Built Locations The Alpha Canine Group s successful training services have been growing since day one, back in mid This has allowed us to continue to dream and strive for even higher standards and overall quality of service. It has been this dedication to great service and the continued development of Positive Outcome Methods that has taken Alpha to the next logical phase of growth purpose-built training facilities. In August 2003 we opened Alpha Boarding Kennels and really took our training methods to another level in a facility that allowed so much more research and development around the principles and methods we had been working so hard to refine. In January 2015 we opened The Alpha Canine Centre, the largest privately owned, indoor dog training and day care facility in the Southern hemisphere. The new space is huge and the benefits of having two specialised facilities to train and care for dogs is just sensational the options we can offer dog owners for their dogs training and care are many. Whether you re interested in boarding school, weekly classes, private tuition, or Alpha s 4 Day Fast-Track Course, our training facilities have been designed to provide the best learning environments that produce the highest results. These two purpose-built facilities demonstrate Alpha s genuine dedication and drive to further develop the unique methods and principles that have already come from a large body of hands-on experience working with over 10,000 owners and their dogs. By taking research in completely new directions based on the needs and realities of dog ownership in our modern world, we have benefited from the many insights and experiences relating to canine learning and behaviour coming from working with owners and dogs in these full-time facilities. This has further strengthened a resolve to develop methods that offer owners a genuine alternative to popular food reward methods that have little relevance to controlling puppies and dogs, when required, when the are distracted or misbehaving. The two facilities provide different environments that help us to validate the many theories and methods we develop in a manner that is both unique and realistic. Rest assured, any theory or method developed within The Alpha Canine Group has been thoroughly applied in many different training and behaviour shaping scenarios to make them relevant and practical for dog owners. We can demonstrate this at any time, with virtually any dog displaying any behavioural problem. 12

15 1. The Alpha Canine Centre 54 Rushdale Street Knoxfield, Victoria The largest privately owned indoor dog training and dog day care centre in the Southern hemisphere. The Home Of.. Alpha Dog Training: weekly canine communication & leadership classes, 4 Day Fast-Track Course, One-on-one Training Services Alpha Doggy PlayCare: Supervised dog & puppy day care sessions Dog Training Facilities Include: Indoor dog training complex Outdoor dog training spaces Climate controlled Many different sized training areas Dedicated puppy training facility Multiple lecture spaces Canine Good Behaviour Shaping (manners) Room DIY coin-operated hydro-bath The Alpha Dog Shop (toys, food, leads, bowls, etc) Doggy PlayCare Facilities Include: Multiple, large indoor play areas Climate controlled facility Safe, outdoor yard Large rest pens Dedicated puppy areas DIY coin-operated hydro-bath The Alpha Dog Shop (toys, food, leads, bowls etc) 13

16 2. Alpha Boarding Kennels 8 Kiernan Road Macclesfield, Victoria Situated on 10 picturesque acres that have been developed for specific dog training and boarding applications. The Home Of.. Alpha Boarding Kennels: Dog boarding the quiet kennel Alpha Boarding School For Dogs: have your dog boarded & trained at the same time hand-back in your home Alpha Canine Companions: trained companion dogs for sale, as family pets or therapy dogs Alpha Canine Professional: dog trainer & Animal-Assisted Therapy courses Facilities Include: Boarding kennels Modern classroom Indoor training center Undercover training arena Many different outdoor training environments Open & treed paddocks and dams Farm animals for training distractions 14

17 Dog Training Services IMPORTANT NOTE: NOT ALL DOG TRAINING METHODS ARE THE SAME! There is a lot of information in this booklet, and even more on our websites and Facebook page, to help you understand our training services and what we have to offer in an industry that has an increasing number of options and opinions for owners to sort through in order to find genuine help with their dogs training and behavioural issues. To train your dog requires time and effort, regardless of which approach you take, so the choices of where, with whom and how you do it are all so important. Value for money is not just about the dollar amount, it s about what you actually get for your dollars in return. We are confident that the training services offered by The Alpha Canine Group are not only exceptionally priced for what they have to offer, but are also genuine when it comes to educating owners on what they can realistically expect from their dogs. On that last point, those realistic expectations are often much higher than the owners ever believed possible for their naughty dogs it s truly amazing what can be achieved when you are shown how to communicate with your dog in a manner that is practical and makes good sense! Whether you re new to dog training or you ve had past experience with other methods (good or bad), we know that we have something very different indeed to show you. All breeds are welcome and we have earned our great reputation amongst vets and other professionals because of our ability to successfully help owners to solve their dogs varying behavioural problems (including aggression, fear, anxiety and over-excitability). In many, many cases we have achieved successful outcomes for dogs that have failed with other training approaches. This is because the methods actually work and we have so many teaching initiatives that are simply not offered anywhere else in our industry. In all training options it is our unique blend of method, teaching style and service that creates a truly synergistic system that will work for those who genuinely want to learn how to train their dogs to be obedient and well behaved, when excited and under distraction! We have four different training services available to dog owners, catering to different budgets and lifestyle requirements: Alpha Dog Training Weekly Canine Communication & Leadership Classes for puppies and dogs where you start at the beginner levels and work up to the advanced levels. This is group training at its best, unlike any other group training anywhere. Alpha Boarding School For Dogs Various courses where we train your dog for you at our specialist training kennel and then conduct a detailed hand-back in your home. 4 Day Fast-Track Course Where you can attend a four day, full-time course to train your dog to an incredibly high standard over a much quicker period. Alpha One-on-One Tuition Individual training sessions with an Alpha professional trainer. 15

18 This choice of service also gives us a greater flexibility to offer other options if a dog requires specialised attention for specific behavioural issues. All of our training options are completely developed and have proven to be relevant and effective, not just sidelines that are half-baked and copied from others in the hope of earning extra money. The Alpha Canine Group are industry leaders in innovation, not imitators, and we not only have the established history behind our services, but also the amazing results of our progressive methods that can be demonstrated on virtually any dog at any time. There is a detailed overview of The Alpha Canine Group s hands-on research and development history that can be found at: Educating owners on how best to communicate positive leadership to their puppies or dogs is what sets Alpha apart from the rest of the pack. Regardless of which service you choose, our professional trainers will do their utmost to help you achieve the positive outcomes required to safely manage your dog in real-life situations. The four training options that follow are in no particular order, feel free to call us if you require any further information, we re more than happy to explain as much as we can to you and answer any of your questions. 16

19 Dog Training Weekly Canine Communication & Leadership Classes Group Dog Training Classes Like No Other: Taking the training of dogs to a more complete level of relevance and reality. Classes: Sunday 10am 12pm Wednesday 7pm 9pm Location: The Alpha Canine Centre 54 Rushdale Street, Knoxfield Indoor Training Centre: We Train Rain, Hail or Shine! Classes are held every Wednesday evening and every Sunday morning. The puppy social and behavioural development classes and different obedience levels run over two, one-hour sessions. Levels 1, 2 and Puppy Class run in the first hour and Levels 3, 4 and Advanced Class run in the second hour. Alpha Dog Training does not train on long weekends or public holidays, but does train through school holidays and only has a short break over the Christmas period. When you call us you will always talk directly to a professional dog trainer who is more than happy to discuss our services with you! Phone (option 2), Mon to Sat 8am pm 17

20 Group Classes In A Huge Indoor Dog Training Facility The Alpha Canine Group is the industry pioneer of the positive training outcome, applying proven communication and leadership methods that teach our puppies and dogs to listen, when required, in the common, real-life situations that affect the development of their overall good behaviour on a daily basis. Alpha Dog Training has taken the group, dog training class concept to exciting and new levels of professionalism by developing an indoor, full-time training facility. The largest, privately owned indoor dog training facility in the Southern hemisphere. The Alpha Canine Centre (For Play, Learning & Social Development) provides a unique training and socialisation environment for dogs of all breeds, size and age. The building itself has undergone a renovation and inspired fit-out to transform it from a tired factory and office space into a modern, multi-purpose dog training and dog day care facility unlike any other in our industry. On size and scale alone the facility is genuinely impressive, but it's what we can achieve for our clients and their dogs in the many multi-purpose spaces that is the most exciting aspect of the entire project. This new facility is the culmination of over 18 years dedicated, hands-on research and development into a progressive dog training and behaviour shaping system that provides dog owners with the muchneeded practical skills and common sense knowledge required to manage their dogs in real-life situations in their homes, around the family and out amongst the communities in which they live. This dog training (and doggy PlayCare) facility has been designed to deliver to dog owners the best possible instruction in an environment that allows their dogs to learn how to listen under distraction. The Alpha Canine Group has, since 1996, pioneered and proven many positive and effective dog training methods and behavioural theories that have been focused on genuine results and positive outcomes for owners and their dogs. We have many, many dogs training at the puppy, beginner and advanced levels to prove these claims nothing beats actually seeing the results achieved by real owners and their dogs! The square meter facility has a host of features that help improve the learning processes for both owners and their dogs. 18

21 Features include: Shelter form the elements with added cooling and heating when required. Multiple, indoor training arenas of varying size and shape to allow for novel and stimulating learning scenarios in group or private training sessions, including safe offlead practice of obedience exercises and general off-lead practice of manners (Canine Good Behaviour Shaping). Separate, large, multi-purpose lecture and training rooms for specialised group or individual sessions, or for client and public lectures. The Alpha Puppy Education Centre a large, puppy training space with multimedia facilities and specialized equipment designed for the ongoing development of Alpha's specialised Puppy Social And Behavioural Development Workshop Series taking puppy training, manners, socialization and problem solving to amazing new levels of relevance and practicality! Novel training surfaces, equipment and socialisation environments (sights and sounds) to help develop the confidence of puppy, adolescent and adult dogs. Large HD multimedia screens positioned throughout the complex that can be used by instructors to show video footage before, during or after classes of real-life applications and practice strategies (in home environments and other locations away from the training centre) for the obedience exercises being taught in specific classes. This takes class instruction and practice strategies to entirely new levels of relevance and practicality see exactly how to practice at home (on and off lead) under realistic distraction. Many of these features are a first for our industry and I'm sure that it will take some time to refine how we use this awesome facility. As we progress into 2015 we will endeavor to provide the best service we can for our members and look forward to helping you all to achieve the positive outcomes you require to build a better relationship with your dogs. The class structures include the following concepts: Leadership Obedience Training: building a relationship where the owner is the leader and the dog is the follower. Leadership develops trust and respect and can be recognised through the dog s willingness and ability to listen and respond appropriately when distracted particularly in situations where it once ignored the owner. We will include more exercises that appropriately and effectively develop the dog s ability to listen when distracted. Canine Good Behaviour Shaping: Manners that really matter. Each level focuses on a particular set of manners in the first-timer class and then members can ask for more specific help at the end of class. Use of video footage and hands-on set-ups in realtime will help to clearly explain why each set of manners is so important to the overall leadership process. Focus on the process of what to do when a pup or dog resists certain exercises and how to practice at home in a manner that promotes genuine improvement in reliability of the core exercises. We will give more realistic examples of how to create challenges that promote honest mistakes during practice to help the dog learn and to stimulate the owner s understanding of their dog s behaviour. Owners need to fully understand the importance of overcoming resistance in obedience and manners and that the exercise that seem the most challenging is in fact the one that needs the most attention until it becomes reliable. 19

22 Owners need to understand that all exercises (obedience & manners) are important and complimentary to each other. Combining obedience and manners is the key to relaxed, off-lead control under distraction. Focus on teaching owners to recognise their dog s body language The 4 Rs (Read, Recognise, Relate & Respond). Many training and behavioural issues can be avoided if the owner can recognise and then interrupt their dog s behavioural choices before they reach an uncontrollable level. Learn to recognise warning signals posture and eyeballing. It can happen to any dog at any time particularly dogs that are still maturing (under 3 years of age). Suggestions as to how the commands can be used for practical purpose in day-to-day life once a reliable standard has been achieved. In first-timer classes at all levels, we will show videos of the obedience exercises being taught in class also being applied in real-life scenarios away from the training centre in real homes and situations. Coming soon: At the end of classes there is an allocated trainer also showing video examples of practice at home for those seeing it for the first time, or those wanting a refresh. All dogs starting at Alpha Dog Training begin their journey at puppies or Level 1. See The Alpha Dog Training website for an overview of the obedience levels: Alpha Interactive Tuition All training sessions are staffed by our professional dog trainers and trainees (accompanied by their dogs) who use Alpha s totally interactive class structures to educate dog owners on how to effectively train their dogs under distraction. Within each class you can work as an individual, taking your own dog s needs and abilities into account, moving through the levels at a pace that suits you. Your trainers move freely throughout the group and look forward to assisting you and your dog at any time if the need arises. The relaxed and friendly atmosphere within all classes promotes a calm environment in which all owners can feel comfortable with their dogs and progress through the obedience levels at a steady rate. LEFT: Advanced Class version of Random Heeling - Long gone are the dated straight-line grids or circle work that look more like military marching band formations than dog training classes. Learning to handle and train under distraction in a random environment is a far better way to teach dogs how to follow their owners. For example, marching as a group all in straight line formation and in one direction is not only unrealistic, it is a false-economy when teaching dogs to Heel. At Alpha Heeling is performed with members moving in all different directions, teaching dogs to follow their owner, not the group regardless of the distractions! This translates to better skills, when required, away from class. 20

23 Alpha s trainers work very hard to help you learn more about your own dog, and dogs in general. The atmosphere at the training centre is both positive and relaxed, and the service is personal. We don t rely on gimmicks or assessments of trainability that will often amount to very little if you can t get the service or results needed to train your dog in the first place. Instead, we have opted for professional, friendly help and effective training methods that are common sense and practical for you and your dog. Alpha s reputation and results will speak for themselves, all you have to do is relax, have a great time and learn how to communicate with your dog! See our online newsletter for testimonials from Alpha Dog Training clients available from our websites. This positive approach to teaching customers how to train their dogs is very much reflected in our genuine drive to help you understand your dog and achieve the level of training needed to satisfy your individual requirements. At Alpha, we have the interactive class structures, effective training methods and professional staff to make this a reality. We have many, many customers who can testify to this fact! The ALPHA Interactive Instructor Ratios are usually around one instructor or trainee instructor to about three to five customers per class. Even if the class is a little bigger, Alpha still has enough instructors to go around and our clever class structures allow immediate help whenever it is required! All you have to do is ask! All photos in this booklet are of actual classes taken randomly throughout training sessions at different levels, showing our service in action. Instructors wear a black and gold coloured uniform to ensure that they are easy to find when you need that extra help during class. ABOVE: Alpha trainers helping customers during class. Not having restrictive straight-line formations allows our trainers to move freely through the group to help with your handling technique. 21

24 ABOVE: The Alpha Canine Centre is the largest, privately owned dog training and dog day care facility in the Southern hemisphere it s huge! There are many segregated training areas and multi-purpose rooms to accommodate different classes at different levels. ABOVE: Alpha Trainers are available for help and advice before, during and after class. Alpha s first free session and guided tour will show you everything our training has to offer you and your dog. When you see just how well trained and behaved our customers dogs are (under distraction), even at the beginner levels, we know you ll be impressed! 22

25 Alpha Puppy Social & Behavioural Development Classes Teaching owners how to prepare their puppies for the real world! ABOVE: An Alpha trainer watches on during a Puppy Social & Behavioural Development class. Puppy training and socialisation is an important part of our dog training service for those starting with young puppies. Puppy training can start from 8 weeks of age onwards and is one of the most important learning and social development periods in your dogs life. This truly is the time to catch any of your pup s problem behaviours before they develop further. Its really quite amazing to watch how your pups develop in both confidence and co-ordination as they learn from your guidance and positive leadership. Each Alpha Puppy Social & Behavioural Development class is a combination of: Puppy Leadership Obedience Training (Pattern Learning) Canine Good Behaviour Shaping Techniques Puppy socialisation exercises. These three areas of training and education have proven to be very effective in teaching owners how to train, understand and socialise their new pup by preparing them for real-life situations that can occur at home, the vet or anywhere else you may choose to take your dog. Everything taught in this class is aimed at producing educated owners of stable, responsive and confident puppies as they rapidly mature and start to take part in our society as adult dogs. These classes are both informative and entertaining, giving puppy owners a great chance to learn in a relaxed, but very productive environment. The early social development work done with your puppies is the key to having well adjusted and much loved family pets who are a real joy to own. 23

26 Alpha Canine Good Behaviour Shaping (CGBS) A proven behavioural modification system developed through Boarding School For Dogs and adapted into Alpha Dog Training s problem solving strategies. At the end of every obedience class there is a twenty minute period where Alpha trainers are available for more individual help with your dogs in relation to problems occurring at home etc. We have found this time to be very productive for those requiring help beyond their obedience training needs. Help and advice is also available before class. Canine Good Behaviour Shaping teaches dogs manners that really matter. Teaching your dog good manners is essential to establishing the precedent of control when required, particularly when off-lead and not doing obedience. We teach these concepts in the first-timer sub-group of each level and then again in the four classes and over sub-group where manners practice is usually included at the end of the session. However, obedience training should be considered as the first step in any behavioural modification program and as such, the skills and understanding learned from training your dog form a vital role in any of our effective behavioural problem solving techniques and strategies. As your obedience training progresses, so too does the trust, respect, control and bond that is developing between you and your dog. This creates an overall responsiveness that will be crucial to the understanding required to deal with any behavioural problems that may need to be addressed. Without this base communication, the risk of relationship breakdown due to unnecessary stress and frustration between you and your dog is much higher. You will see that this does not have to be the case! ABOVE: Well trained and behaved dogs understand not to run out open gates. The importance of this type of training should not be under-estimated. The piece of mind that comes from reliable obedience and manners makes dog ownership so much more enjoyable. 24

27 By combining obedience with manners, owners have a more complete leadership that translates into all interactions with their dog. You can t achieve this level of understanding and reliability with obedience training alone, you need methods that are consistent and relevant to every-day situations, particularly when your dog is off-lead and not doing obedience. We can explain and demonstrate these concepts at the Free session and tour. ABOVE: Teaching dogs manners at The Alpha Canine Centre. Behavioural Problem Solving is a common request at Alpha and our trainers are more than capable of advising you on the best course of action suited to your dog s particular problem. No problem is too big or too small and we believe that virtually all behaviours can be modified or suppressed if the owner is willing to be a major part of the solution - your dog can t do it on its own! It is our job to teach you how to achieve this ideal. At Alpha Dog Training we have many examples of reformed dogs who have displayed behaviours ranging from barking and rubbish raiding to aggressive behaviour and separation anxiety. In all cases, understanding and teamwork between owner and dog have been the keys to success and if you re in need of such advice, your trainers will be more than ready to help you out. 25

28 Pricing ALL memberships include: ONE-TIME-MEMBERSHIP You only Join Alpha Dog Training Once, you don t have to re-join every time you bring a new dog to classes. Only one membership is required for multiple handlers training a single dog, or if one handler has multiple dogs. Successive, discounted memberships are only required if there are two or more handlers handling two or more dogs. Membership options are explained in detail at the free first session. TRAINING TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS using Alpha s unique interactive, split system and service initiatives. FREE ALPHA HELP LINE! - Call a full-time trainer during business hours for extra help and advice on your dogs training and behaviour problems. We will take the time and do our very best to help you whenever you call! Available to all Alpha Members. Forever! FREE MAINTENANCE TRAINING for your dogs when they stay at Alpha Boarding Kennels (The quiet and peaceful boarding kennel), or when visiting Alpha Doggy PlayCare. Alpha dogs settle really well at the kennels because of the extra attention we give them ensuring that their manners and obedience is maintained whilst they stay with us. DISCOUNTED DOGGY PLAYCARE SESSIONS for Alpha dogs. For PlayCare pricing, visit SPECIAL OFFER A 10% discount off membership fees, training equipment and pre-paid class cards is available for anyone who joins Alpha at the end of their first free session and guided tour! See following page for pricing details... Payment methods: cash, cheque, eftpos or credit card. 26

29 Standard membership package $550 First timer discounted price: $495 (10% off) Includes: Alpha One-Time membership This membership does not include class fees. Additional class fees are $20 per session or pre-pay 10 sessions and receive 1 extra free session (11 sessions). Any training leads, halters or pre-pay class cards purchased at the end of the free first session will also be discounted by 10%. Mega-deluxe membership package $1,200 First timer discounted price: $1,080 (10% off) Includes: Alpha One-Time membership + 1 x lead AND 1 x training halter + NO Sunday morning or Wednesday evening CLASS FEES PAYABLE for the dog specified on your membership, to any level... for the dog s life - includes advanced levels All prices include GST and are subject to change without notice IMPORTANT NOTE: The discounted memberships are strictly for those who join at the end of the first free session only. Come along with your dog and check out what makes Alpha so special. This is an information session and there is absolutely no pressure to join at the end. All membership packages are available at full value price if you choose to join Alpha at a later date Call and talk to a trainer for more details - Phone:

30 Boarding School For Dogs We can train your dog for you. The complete training solution for those too busy or unable to make it to weekly obedience classes! If you are considering a boarding and training course for your dog, please take the time to read about our unique, value packed service. When doing your comparisons throughout the industry, BEWARE of those who treat boarding and training as a money making sideline. ALWAYS compare what you actually get for your money. Professional and honest advice, friendly service and most importantly... RESULTS are all standard features of any of our courses and you will notice these major differences from the moment you call us to the time we bring your trained dog back home to you again. MORE full-time trainers + MORE training + Purpose built training kennels + HIGHER standards + PROVEN leadership obedience & behaviour shaping techniques = SHORTER, but more productive courses! ABOVE: Trainers working with a group of dogs in for boarding school to walk nicely when approaching dogs on a footpath coming from the other direction. 28

31 From the sensational feedback that we receive from both potential and actual clients who have done the industry ring-around and internet surfing (what we call: informed consumer comparison tests), Boarding School For Dogs is now, in their considered opinion, the stand-out boarding and training service in Victoria. Since 1996 we have been developing a unique service that just cannot be matched! Whether you read through our information booklet or visit our detailed and informative websites, you ll see that a lot of thought and work goes into everything we do. Boarding School For Dogs understand that dog owners want more than just standard, cliche`d snippets of information that try to hook them in! From the moment you ring and first speak to one of our friendly staff, you ll realise that you are talking one-on-one with a professional trainer who is willing to take the time to answer any questions you have about your dog s problems and also discuss all of our services in full detail. We are thorough, honest and realistic about what we can do for you and what you can expect from your dog when doing a boarding and training course. You will also detect a genuine passion behind all the advice and information we freely give you because regardless of which trainer you talk to. We all train our own personal dogs using the same training and behaviour shaping methods and believe in the services we have to offer those who need our help! ABOVE: A boarding school trainer teaching a dog to hold a Sit Step-away under distraction around other dogs cruising around or coming up for pats. 29

32 During that first phone call we will take the time to explain to you our unique Canine Leadership System (CLS) and how we approach effective, reward based obedience and Canine Good Behaviour Shaping. Combining these two important areas of dog training is the key to bringing owners and their dogs closer together and we have developed a unique system that really works! We will also explain the training and guidance you will need to continue once your trained dog returns home again. We do the initial work for you, but the new relationship can only be built by you! Boarding school is perfect for those owners who want that extra help to get things moving along more quickly. In the vast majority of cases, a much quicker training or rehabilitation process is the reality! With some dogs it s going to take some time to rehabilitate their behaviour, regardless of which approach you take, but we are confident that the skills and understanding, and ongoing advice and support we give you post course will genuinely help with the overall process and positive outcome. The CLS is the result of many years active research and development carried out by our training director, Greg Fontana, working with owners and their dogs in their own home environments. The valuable insights gained from helping owners with difficult dogs in their own homes has culminated in a practical, common sense and extremely effective system that is both easy to learn, and easy to maintain for those who need that extra bit of help and guidance with their pets. The boarding school courses on offer are second to none when comparing actual obedience and behaviour shaping content and the all important overall service that includes pick-up, delivery and comprehensive hand-back session in your own home. The duration of the courses is set to maximise the results whilst at the same time minimising the time you need to be away from your beloved pet. In short, we can achieve more for you and your dog in a much shorter time frame! Since 1996 we have developed a lot of training strategies that have enabled us to keep the course duration down to acceptable time frames for owners to be away from their dogs. With many full-time trainers plus visiting part-time trainers and trainees we have plenty of staff to ensure your dog receives the amount of workouts required to achieve sensational results. This approach also allows us to have multiple trainers working with your dog rather than just one individual person, an important tactic to make sure the handling process is easier for you back in your own home. The proof is in the hand-back! An important feature of all our boarding school courses is the fact that we do actually believe in the effectiveness of our training system and are prepared to bring your dogs back home to you and then demonstrate them under maximum distraction, regardless of what we have to contend with when we get there. You can imagine just how excited your dogs are to be back home with you again, especially after their short absence, but we are still happy for you to pat your dog and re-acquaint before we get started - we don t separate you from your dog in order to demonstrate them away from distractions a now common tactic used by others offering boarding and training! Common distractions we encounter in people s homes are: the owners themselves, children running around, visitors, other dogs, cats, rabbits, chooks, sheep and horses just to name a few. The whole idea behind the CLS is to prove to owners that their dogs can and will behave under the common (and not-so-common) distractions around the home. 30

33 Another important factor of the hand-back in your own home is the fact that your dog will behave differently at home compared to at the kennels where they were trained. We want to show you how our training method translates to clear communication back in the home environment even though we are competing with familiar distractions that trigger particular behavioural patterns in your dog. To put it simply, you will be amazed at just how attentive and well behaved your dog can be. This has been an industry-leading standard since 1996! After the impressive and thoroughly explained demonstration of your dog s new abilities, our professional trainer will take you personally through all the handling and good behaviour shaping techniques to ensure that your dog will listen and respond to you around your home, again, under distraction. You will learn what to do when your dog makes mistakes and how to build reliable responses from that point onwards. This is the practical knowledge and skill base that sets our training system apart and allows us to teach you in your own home environments! Yes, there will be work to do once your dog returns home, but as your dog experiments with it s old ways you will be able to implement new rules based on understanding and leadership. This system has literally worked for thousands of dogs! By the time we have finished the handback (2-3 hours later - longer if necessary) you will be completely familiar with the techniques required to handle your dog in both reliable obedience and effective good behaviour shaping. From our perspective, it is quite exciting to see owners taking charge and leading their dogs, often experiencing for the first time a real sense of confidence and direction that will see an eventual end to the problems that led to the need for training in the first place. On that note, behavioural problem solving is covered by our Canine Good Behaviour Shaping techniques and we have developed a very clever and common sense approach to help you extinguish your dog s undesirable antics around the home (and elsewhere). Again, you will be amazed at just how quickly you can modify a behaviour by simply applying the language learned in your dog s obedience exercises. We will demonstrate this for you so you can see it happening in your home, in real time! As we say: Seeing is believing As you will be told over the phone, when we pick up your dog and at the handback, Boarding School is the beginning of training and behavioural modification process - an extremely good start! That s why we put so much work into the handback process so owners truly understand how to help their dogs learn the new rules of behaviour around the home. Boarding School For Dogs courses are designed to be a stand alone training option. You will not be required to attend weekly training sessions as part of your course! Weekly classes are an optional extra. Not a necessity! By following our clever practice strategies and keeping in touch with us you will achieve the results your are after - a well trained and extremely well behaved dog! 31

34 Alpha Boarding and Training Kennels If you choose to train your dog with Boarding School For Dogs, your pet will stay at our training kennels situated on 10 picturesque acres at Macclesfield in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. Many visitors to our kennel are quick to comment on just how quiet it is and how happy the dogs look as they tour the premises. We are proud of the ambiance that has been created and the dogs all benefit from the peaceful environment. The service doesn t stop there. At Boarding School For Dogs we have what we believe to be a sensational team of trainers who take pride in the work they do to help owners with their dogs. Once your dog is trained with us, we will be more than happy to give further advice any time it is required, all you have to do is call. Again, you will only ever get a trainer answering the phone when you call us. As an added bonus, if you require boarding for your dog any time in the future, we will include FREE maintenance training as part of your package to ensure that your dog receives extra attention and settles straight back in to the daily routines. There is also a range of upgrade or refresher courses for those who feel they require a little extra help beyond the free training offered during your dogs stay at our kennels. We also provide discounted lifetime membership packages to those who wish to go on and do regular weekly obedience classes at our affiliated business, Alpha Dog Training. Again we must stress here that weekly obedience classes are an optional extra not a requirement or necessity! 32

35 A Quick Review of Alpha Boarding School s Services What we offer for the discerning dog owner looking for Professional training and behavioural assistance: The Canine Leadership System, a training system developed specifically by our Training Director, Greg Fontana that combines both reward based obedience and behaviour shaping in a unique process to create a clear understanding (communication) between the owner and their dog. Alpha Boarding School For Dogs exclusive and extremely effective Canine Good Behaviour Shaping techniques developed on a foundation of consistent results the product of active and specific hands-on research and development since Effective behavioural modification strategies for: Anti-social and aggressive behaviour (towards other dogs, people or animals) Pushy and dominant behaviours Fearful behaviour Mouthing/biting & jumping up Nuisance barking Separation anxiety Over-excitability, stock chasing Cat (or other pet) chawsing Destructive behaviours Misbehaving inside Over-excitable around children, elderly and visitors Whining or barking at the back door Digging Pulling clothes off the line...and so much more! Alpha Boarding Kennels - Not only are our kennels quiet and peaceful, but we have also created a specialised training environment that includes controlled distractions such as chickens, sheep, horses, farm machinery etc for our specific training purposes. There are so many different training areas and scenarios for our professional trainers to choose from to help keep the learning interesting and productive! We pick your dog up from your home. Options available for those living outside Melbourne metro. We bring your dog back home to you (for teaching and demonstration) when the course is finished - a vital ingredient to the overall effectiveness of our specialised courses. 2-3 hour (longer if required), comprehensive hand-back session in your own home once the course is completed - proving that the training will work back at home... Seeing is believing! 33

36 A 100 page, detailed reference manual covering everything learned at your hand-back session and a colour photo of your dog in a stylish magnetic frame for your fridge for the10 day course, plus another photo in a wooden frame for the 20 day course. Shorter, but more productive courses. The courses are designed to have owners spend less time away from their dogs whilst achieving very high standards when the dogs are back home again. The proof is in the hand-back (in your own home)! Industry leading standard since 1996 More professional trainers and part-time trainers ensure that your dogs receive lots of work from different people, not just one person. This means that you can be assured that your dog won t just work for one trainer who did all the work and that they are getting plenty of socialisation and attention. More trainers = more training = higher standards = shorter courses! Courses are designed to be stand-alone - no further training is required at weekly classes. Our professional trainers will train you in your own home to a high level of proficiency, a task that is made so much easier because of the high standard of your newly trained dog, plus practical practice strategies. Boarding School Support Line - you can call one of our full-time training staff to discuss progress or to receive further help and clarification once your dog is home again. A trainer will answer the phone! Available during BH 8am 4.30pm Monday - Saturday (10am 3pm on Sundays) FREE maintenance training for your dogs whenever they stay at Alpha Boarding Kennels in the future. A range of upgrade and refresher courses for those who feel they have let the training slip a little and require another detailed hand-back session in their own home. OPTIONAL discounted Lifetime membership packages at our affiliated business, Alpha Dog Training for those who wish to do further training with their dogs in a class environment to even higher levels of control. When looking to choose a professional boarding and training service, always remember to compare: Professionalism & friendliness Great reputation - (vets and other industry professionals) Honest, up-front & detailed information (over the phone - ask all the questions you want, info. Booklet, websites) Course content - based on proven obedience and behaviour shaping systems Overall service - from start to finish... And beyond! 34

37 Testimonials: Its the establishment of LEADERSHIP once your dog returns home that makes all the difference to the success of our sensational courses. Boarding School is just the starting point! We will teach you everything you need to know about our specialised Leadership Obedience and Canine Good Behaviour Shaping Systems so you can maintain and improve the common sense and practical skills that have been taught to you and your dog. From that point on we are only a phone call away if you ever require help or advice, even years down the track! To Greg & the team at Alpha Boarding Kennels, As you are aware, quite recently I left my 18 month old Labrador X Border Collie Gus with you so he could participate in your 10 Day Canine Communication Program. Prior to attending your course Gus was a very boisterous and disobedient young dog. I had tried another obedience school and had been very dissatisfied with their approach, as after a few weeks the trainers left me and Gus alone on the edge of the oval where training was occurring because he was too excited when he got close to other dogs - it seemed they did not know what to do with us. This training was of no assistance to either me or Gus and only led to both of us becoming more frustrated. After receiving a very high recommendation from a Veterinary Nurse about Alpha and your boarding school courses, I was eager to book Gus in. Gus' problems before attending the course included barking at me, trying to bite (albeit in a playful way), jumping roughly and excitedly on guests, not walking well on a Halti and basically not being allowed in the house because when let in he would run around like a crazy thing, thinking it was a game. His behaviour in the car was also a problem as he would bark at passing motorcycles, bike rides, pedestrians etc. I am writing this to thank you all at Alpha for the wonderful training Gus received and also the fantastic information provided at the hand back by Greg, which provided me with a wealth of information on how to talk to Gus so he understands commands. Gus is now behaving very well and if necessary I am clear on the techniques that can be used in everyday situations to get Gus back on track if he should stray into bad habits. I recently contacted you regarding allegations that Gus was barking when I was not at home. I was very pleased with the quick response time for someone to call me about the problem and the advice given. I have been monitoring Gus' barking and I believe he is now very well behaved in that respect. I am also pleased to say that now on most evenings Gus spends his time relaxing on the floor in the lounge room. Guests have also noticed the change in Gus and are no longer concerned about greeting him. Our walks have also greatly improved and I am now able to walk past houses with other dogs behind fences without having my arm pulled out of the socket and I am also able to stop and speak to people without Gus jumping all over them. Once again I extend my thanks to your entire team. The results have been great! Regards, Jodie Mackin 35

38 Att. Greg & Trainers... A % A BIG THANK-YOU for the wonderful training you did with our Red Heeler-'STORM'. We are totally satisfied with her now that we can finally truly appreciate her!!!! You have worked wonders! She rarely barks now & is more obedient to us than ever-which we wanted. We HIGHLY recommend you to any one. We wish you all the very best. Yours sincerely, Tom, Anita & Storm....Then came time for her to come home. I couldn t believe it when Greg started demonstrating what she had learnt. She was a different dog. Still the happy little dog I knew and loved, but obedient! 4 months down the track and she still hasn t tried to get out again. She is better with people coming to see us, she still barks to warn us but now when we say enough she listens and stops. She is altogether a changed dog. People who saw the before and after Tinker can t believe the change in her, she is a much nicer and more confident dog now. If anyone who is reading this has a problem dog and wants another option other than getting rid of it, send him/her to Greg and the team, I couldn t recommend them more highly. Thank you again, Jodie and Tinker. We sent Digby to Greg on the Thursday before Easter saying to ourselves that Greg wouldn t be able to do a thing with him, he was a one of a kind dog and we would just have to accept that and he would have to just play in the garden. WOW when Greg brought Digby back after 16 days of training it was a completely well behaved, well mannered and obedient Digby that was returned to us. We would like to thank you Greg and all your staff for all the time and dedication that you have put into training Digby and us upon his return. We are extremely grateful and in awe of the brilliance and simplicity of the training. With many, many thanks for teaching us all how much fun and enjoyment we can all gain from being owned by a lovely Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. Regards, Digby Smythe and family of David, Sarah & Megan 36

39 Pricing Recommended by vets and other industry professionals all over Melbourne! At the end of the course we bring your dogs back to your home and demonstrate them under the same distractions you will encounter on a daily basis. Because of this important part of our service, we have developed a unique and effective system of training that is specifically tailored to the individual home environment. The Canine Leadership System combines proven, reward based obedience with our common sense Good Behaviour Shaping Program that works right before your eyes - you ll be amazed at just how responsive your dogs can be under realistic distractions. The concepts of LEADERSHIP and COMMUNICATION are clearly developed between the owners and their dogs during the hand-back training session. All training is simple to learn and understand and the maintenance is common sense and time effective. There is of course still practice to be done, but you will know exactly how to do it, and why! Problem solving strategies are structured into your courses and the techniques used to modify common problems (barking, aggression, jumping, dominance, separation anxiety + much more) are completely consistent with the obedience and behaviour shaping taught in the course. We take consistency to entirely new levels! Outside metropolitan Melbourne Enquirers: Alpha Boarding School For Dogs regularly trains dogs from all over the state of Victoria. Due to extra time and travel requirements it is necessary to charge a little more to cover our costs. Charges will vary depending on location and can be quoted when you make an enquiry. Interstate Enquiries: Alpha Boarding School For Dogs regularly trains dogs from around Australia. Due to extra time and travel requirements (and when necessary, accommodation) for the trainer and transport costs for the dogs, it is necessary to charge more to cover our costs. Charges will vary depending on state and location and be quoted when you make an enquiry. In both these scenarios we usually ask owners to bring their dogs to us and then we bring the dogs back so we can do the specialised hand-back session in your own home. Dogs from interstate are usually flown to Melbourne and we pick them up from air freight or animal transport depots. For more details and a specific quote, please contact our office: (03) (option 2) 37

40 10 Day Canine Communication Course 10 Day Course Price: $1,300 Incl. GST 50% deposit due on pick up, pay the balance when satisfied at the end of your professional hand-back session. 10 Day Course Price: 2 Dogs - $2,400 Incl. GST 50% deposit due on pick up, pay the balance when satisfied at the end of your professional hand-back session. Value for money that can t be matched - Price includes: We pick up your dog from your home at the start of the course and delivery back to your home on the 10th day. All boarding, feeding, brushing (if required extra cost may be incurred for some breeds and coat conditions). Basic groom (brush, nail clip, ears cleaned) and hydro-bath before returning home. Professional training by skilled BSFD trainers using our proven and effective Canine Leadership System High quality, Australian made Black dog lead & training halter. 100 page BSFD hand-back reference manual. Stylish framed photo of your dog. 2-3 hours of professional instruction in your own home! BSFD phone support line (immediate access to a professional trainer) FREE extra training for your dog during future stays at Alpha Boarding Kennels. Considerable discounts off optional Alpha Dog Training membership (weekly classes). On Lead Obedience Training (UNDER DISTRACTION) Heeling - Your dog will walk nicely by your side and sit automatically by your side when you stop. Sit & Drop - Your dog will sit and drop on command and will remain there until given another command or released. Sit & Drop Step-Away (stay) - Your dog will stay in the sit or drop position whilst you walk away... Under Distraction! The Drop Step-away is taught to 20 minutes under distraction. Recall - We will imprint an effective, practical recall on lead and teach you how to work it to a reliable off lead standard in different environments. Exclusive Canine Good Behaviour Shaping techniques taught to you at the end of the course in your own home - Includes Real-time Canine Behavioural Solutions! 38

41 20 Day Advanced Canine Communication Course 20 Day Course Price: $1,900 Incl. GST 50% deposit due on pick up, pay the balance when satisfied at the end of your professional hand-back session. 20 Day Course Price: 2 Dogs - $3,400 Incl. GST 50% deposit due on pick up, pay the balance when satisfied at the end of your professional hand-back session. The items in green below mark the extra inclusions on the 20 day course: We pick up your dog from your home at the start of the course and deliver back to your home on the 20th day. Extra 10 days training taking obedience and manners to a higher level. Introduction to off-lead obedience exercises. Professional training by skilled BSFD trainers using our proven and effective Canine Leadership System Exclusive Canine Good Behaviour Shaping techniques pre-trained and then taught to you in your home! All boarding, feeding, brushing (if required extra cost may be incurred for some breeds and coat conditions). Basic groom (brush, nail clip, ears cleaned) and hydro-bath and blow-dry before returning home. High quality, Australian made Black dog lead & training halter plus training collar. 100 page BSFD hand-back reference manual. Stylish photos of your dog in both a timber frame and a magnetic frame. Several hours of professional instruction in your own home! BSFD phone support line (immediate access to a professional trainer) FREE extra training for your dog during future stays at Alpha Boarding Kennels. Considerable discounts off optional Alpha Dog Training membership (weekly classes). On Lead Obedience Training (UNDER DISTRACTION) Heeling - Your dog will walk nicely by your side and sit automatically by your side when you stop. Sit & Drop - Your dog will sit and drop on command and will remain there until given another command or released. Sit & Drop Step-Away (stay) - Your dog will stay in the sit or drop position whilst you walk away... Under Distraction! The Drop Step-away is taught to 1 hour under distraction. Recall - We will imprint an effective, practical recall on lead and teach you how to work it to a reliable off lead standard in different environments. And more... 39

42 Off-Lead Training (UNDER DISTRACTION) The focus of the off-lead training is to teach your dog how to listen, when required, in common day-to-day manners scenarios around the home, when distracted or misbehaving. Off-lead obedience (excluding heeling) is also taught to your dog, to an introductory level, demonstrating an understanding of the learning processes learned during on-lead training. As explained during the information and booking process, the off-lead work will still be new to you and your dog, but the starting standard is very high and this will be demonstrated in your home, with distractions, at the hand-back session. Exclusive Canine Good Behaviour Shaping (manners) techniques taught to you at the end of the course in your own home - Includes Real-time Canine Behavioural Solutions! More Testimonials: To Greg and all the trainers at Boarding School For Dogs, Thank you so much for training our Golden Retrievers Rosie (17 months) and Molly (9 months). Life in our house is so much more enjoyable. We cannot believe how well behaved they are and how much they listen to us. It is very rare for Rosie to bark at night now. We don t have to hide our food when we eat anymore as they know they are not allowed to eat it!! The true miracle is being able to walk them without having our arms pulled out of their sockets. A lady commented today on my walk with Molly about how well behaved she was, she is a pleasure to walk now. We really were beginning to wonder if we had made a huge mistake getting a dog (especially two), as we just didn t know what to do with them they were very naughty and destructive. Thanks to you guys we can now really enjoy them being part of our family. Our friends cannot believe the change in them especially staying in the drop command while the kids are playing around them. Thanks again for your help!! Regards, Greg, Sue Taylah and Josh. 40

43 Dear Greg and the Boarding School Team, Just a quick note to say thank you for all the fantastic work you did with Zoe. I just wanted to thank you on behalf of myself and my family (and Zoe our 4 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel of course) for the wonderful work you did with her while doing the 20 day training at Boarding School. It was the longest 20 days for me because she had never spent a night away from home since I have had her and I am sure I drove you all crazy calling and checking up on her, but I know now it was well worth it. The change in her is just amazing. She now listens when we speak to her and I can actually walk her on a loose lead without her going crazy and pulling my shoulder out of my socket. We can now have visitors over because she doesn t jump on them and go crazy, and with the command of drop she can be in the room with all of us without any incidents. The biggest change in her is that she doesn t bark and tear through the house when people and other dogs walk past the front window. And if she does bark, we now know how to do our correction techniques thanks to our private lesson. She does like to challenge us every now and then and test her limits, but with the techniques we have been taught she has quickly realised that what she has learnt at boarding school now applies at home. I now find that Zoe has more respect for boundaries which allows for a happier environment, Zoe is happier because she is not being disciplined all the time for doing the wrong things, and us because we don t have to keep disciplining her. She still has her wonderful personality and we can still enjoy playing with her and now walking her is a joy. Once again thank you for your wonderful efforts, and showing patience with me whenever I called. I never felt that it was an effort for the trainers to talk to me about the progress Zoe was making. 41

44 4 Day Fast-Track Course Train your dog to amazing standards in 4 days! For the last 17 years we have been teaching professional dog trainers and canineassisted-therapy handlers how to train their dogs to incredibly high standards on the first few days of their short-intensive courses. Now we are offering the same high standards on a 4 day course that is based on the same principles we teach on our professional courses, but in a format developed specifically for dog owners. Quick, Convenient, Comprehensive & Effective! A complete training package for busy owners and their dogs, providing an incredibly high standard of reliable dog training, canine behavioural management and practical owner education, with tangible and relevant results! 42

45 This course is perfect for: Owners who are too busy to commit to regular weekly classes. Owners who would like a jump-start for weekly obedience classes. Owners who live interstate, or in areas not close to Alpha's training services. Owners of difficult dogs that need more immediate help to train their dogs. The practical skills and relevant theory taught on this course provide owners with a hands-on understanding of how to continue the training once home again, including knowledge and techniques for behavioural rehabilitation where required. When you return home you and your dog will be a highly trained team ready to consolidate a new relationship based on leadership and trust. The 4 Day Fast Track Course includes: Professional instruction, supervision and guidance from experienced instructors who will clearly explain and demonstrate all aspects of the course. Teaching and applying high-level and reliable obedience under distraction. Including off-lead practice of certain exercises to a very high standard. Teaching and applying high-level, reliable Canine Good Behaviour Shaping (manners) under distraction. Including off-lead practice to a very high standard. Informative lectures covering practical aspects of canine behavior and psychology that are relevant and practical when teaching our dogs to listen and behave in the real world. All training equipment supplied (lead & halter). 3 days in our huge indoor training facility at 54 Rushdale Street, Knoxfield providing specialized training and lecture environments for teaching obedience and manners relevant to common, real-life scenarios. 1 day at our 10 acre training facility, applying the new skills in different indoor/outdoor environments and dealing with any driven behaviour around sheep, ponies, chickens and other dogs. 43

46 Course Dates, Times & Locations Course dates can be found at: This unique course is run over four days (Monday Thursday) at two, purpose built locations: Location 1 The Alpha Canine Centre 54 Rushdale Street, Knoxfield Monday Wednesday: 8.30am 4.30pm The Alpha Canine Centre is our huge, indoor doggy PlayCare and dog training facility, comprising of many indoor and outdoor training environments and various lecture spaces. The focus of the training over the first three days at this location is to build the fundamentals of canine communication and leadership under realistic levels of distraction. Owners will be taught practical and effective skills and strategies, hands-on with their dogs and in real time. The obedience standards are incredibly high and every owner who has been through this intensive training is amazed at how quickly their dogs learn to listen and respond reliably, again, under distraction! Canine Good Behaviour Shaping (manners that really matter) is a major part of the training where dogs are taught to listen and behave, off-lead, in the common situations that affect clear and positive leadership on a daily basis. The consistency between obedience and manners is a crucial factor in the success of Alpha's methods, particularly when comes to preventing or rehabilitating unwanted canine behaviours. Understanding how your dog learns and how leadership helps to guide our dogs through the human world in which they live is vital to establishing a positive relationship. The lectures conducted throughout the first three days will educate owners on relevant topics that help them to understand what their dog needs from them in order to be safe and sociable in their homes and in the greater communities in which they live. 44

47 Location 2 Alpha Boarding Kennels 8 Kiernan Road, Macclesfield Thursday: 9am 4pm Alpha Boarding Kennels is our boarding and training facility located on 10 picturesque acres, comprising of open paddocks, dams, indoor training facility, undercover arena and classroom. The focus of the training on day four is to take the skills and understanding established on the first three days into a completely different environment that will present new challenges and consolidate the principles of positive leadership. This gives owners an excellent opportunity to work their dogs around different distractions such as sheep, ponies, chickens and different dogs in different situations. This important change of location helps owners to understand how their consistent and positive leadership becomes a vital ingredient to their dog's ability to listen and learn under all types of distraction. It takes no time at all for owners to read their dog's body language, assess behavioural reactions or obedience responses, and then apply the appropriate levels of control to match the new situations and environments. Price $990 incl. GST A $330 deposit is required at the time of booking. The balance of $660 must be paid one week prior to the commencement of the course. There is no other short course for dog owners that can produce such exciting and positive outcomes for their dogs in both reliable obedience and great manners under distraction. There is no other course for dog owners that teaches practical and effective methods that have proven successful over the last 18 years on other intensive courses and with over 10,000 owners and their dogs in other Alpha training services. These methods totally redefine the concept of positive dog training by achieving positive outcomes (not just positive theories and rhetoric) in real-time the proof is in the improvement of the dogs and their behaviour! There is no other course for dog owners that can offer proven, practical and effective skills and knowledge that is relevant to real-life situations and both the prevention and rehabilitation of unwanted canine behaviour. Owners leave the course with a thorough understanding of what they need to do to assimilate the new skills, knowledge and canine understanding into their daily lives. There is no other course for dog owners that provides a combination of specialist training locations that have been specifically designed for the teaching of owners and the training of their dogs in a manner that both validates and consolidates the methods being taught. There is no other course for dog owners that provides experienced instructors who are completely comfortable working with all dogs (excitable, fearful, difficult or aggressive), and can explain and demonstrate everything being taught. 45

48 Alpha One-on-One Tuition All Alpha private tuition sessions are conducted by professional Alpha Canine Behavioural Trainers who have their own well trained and behaved dogs with them for demonstration and distraction purposes. The methods we teach owners are the very same we have used to teach our own dogs and many thousands more privately in homes, in group classes and through boarding and training courses. The ability to demonstrate a trained dog adds a validity to the methods and strategies you will be learning during training sessions and helps you to understand what you are aiming for with the training. ABOVE: An Alpha trainer uses his own dog as distraction during a Sit Step-away (Stay) exercise. Private tuition sessions can be arranged either at our training facilities, or in your home but which is the better choice for your dog? There are a few things you need to know to make an informed decision about where you should train your dog. 1. There are many, many dog training and behavioural experts in our industry who confidently state that the best training results come from sessions conducted in the dog s own home. That s where they live, right, so that makes some sort of sense. But in actual fact that statement is a little simplistic and comes from very narrow experience. It reminds us of the old adage: if all you have is a hammer, then every solution has to have a nail. It s very important to realise that these experts are often sole operators who only offer one kind of training service and have little or no experience, nor the facilities, or even the capability to offer group classes or perhaps boarding and training. So all they know and offer is private training in your own home. This does not necessarily mean that training in the home is the best choice for those experts it is the only choice which actually means there is no choice! That s all they offer because that s all they ve got. 46

49 2. The Dogless expert: There are many dog experts who offer private consults, but don t even have their own well trained and behaved dog with them when they teach. This should be an immediate warning sign telling you that the methods they promote aren t effective or relevant under distraction and that they can t even manage their own dogs in novel situations and environments. You wouldn t even know if they own a dog at all, or if it is even controllable beyond their backyard. Regardless of their reasons why they won t bring their dog with them, it usually equates to excuses as to why they can t bring their dog with them. What excuses would you accept from a dogless expert when there are those out there who go to great lengths to explain and demonstrate their service with a trained dog by their side? For every excuse a dog less expert has for not having a well trained and behaved dog with them when they teach, there are even greater reasons for doing so reasons that can be easily explained, but more importantly, demonstrated! 3. But there is another very important factor to consider before choosing private tuition in your home, or anywhere else for that matter, the method! Just because you train the dog in its own home, doesn t automatically mean that you will achieve positive outcomes. If the method is superficial and focuses on irrelevant theories and training techniques that don t even address your dog s training needs, then it makes no difference where you train your dog, including in the home the positive outcomes simply won t be there! One-on-One training is a great option for dog owners, but training your dog in the home is not necessarily the best choice! Not only is it more cost effective to attend one-on-one sessions at our professional, purpose-built training facilities (Macclesfield & Knoxfield), it should be noted that the benefits of doing so, are, in many cases, above and beyond what can be achieved through training your dog in the home environment alone. At Alpha we know this because we have worked well outside the proverbial box, hands-on with real owners and their dogs, to develop new methods and principles that can be demonstrated to have greater effect and produce more positive outcomes than methods based on dated assumptions, such as dog training in the home is best, that have never been challenged... until now! We have found that training your dog on neutral ground, under many and varied, controlled distractions that can t be created in the home environment, actually develops a much broader and more generalised learning outcome compared to just training at home. We re not talking about wandering off to the park where nothing is controlled and you can t govern your dog s levels of stimulation, we re talking about our purpose-built training facilities where we can create, and re-create different learning scenarios to stimulate behavioural reactions and desired change and overall improvement. Owners generally have no problems taking the new obedience and manners concepts back into the home environment and it automatically promotes a more overall consistent leadership scenario to your dog. By developing the leadership away from home first sets a powerful learning precedent that can then be applied again in the home environment, showing your dog that the new rules are the same in multiple places. 47

50 The precedent of learning and reinforcement generalisation principles underpinning alpha s training approaches have been proven thousands of times over with incredibly consistent and predictable results that genuinely challenge the dog training in the home is best concept. Many owners learn to teach their dogs reliable obedience and manners under distraction at our full-time training facilities and never activate the more expensive in-home option because they simply don t need to! ABOVE: When safe to do so, Alpha trainers will also handle your dog to show you correct technique. The Canine Leadership System is aimed at owners becoming a positive leader in their dog s eyes. The result of this approach is that the owner becomes the constant in their dog s life, in the situations and environments relevant to the dog. Where they learn is not that important if the methods are relevant to managing our dogs in real-life scenarios, whenever, wherever the need for control should arise. Home visits can be arranged if this is what the owner prefers, or a visit to the home can be arranged after the fundamentals have been learnt at the training centre and there seems to be a need for that extra service. Alpha One-on-One sessions can be done as a one-off situation, particularly for those dogs that have prior learning with Alpha s methods, or as a series of lessons for those with untrained or problem dogs that have no prior learning. The amount of lessons required will be based on detailed conversations over the phone or in person, and an assessment that will take place during the first session. 48

51 Pricing Private lessons at The Alpha Canine Centre NON Alpha member 1st session Extra sessions 2 hrs 1 hr $198 $99 Alpha member level 1 or 2 1st session 2 hrs Extra sessions 1 hr Alpha Member level 3 or over 1st session 1 hr Extra sessions 1 hr $132 $77 $77 $77 Private lessons at your home NON Alpha member 1st session Extra sessions 2 hrs 2 hrs $198 $150 Alpha member level 1 or 2 1st session 2 hrs Extra sessions 1 hr Alpha Member level 3 or over 1st session 1 hr Extra sessions 1 hr Some fees may apply for travel beyond a certain distance from ACC. $150 $120 $120 $120 POA. 49