As My Client, I expect you:

Attend sessions fully prepared

Have everything in the car that you need for your dog's lesson, or if you're at home, have it out and ready to grab. I don't want to have to spend 10 minutes of your 1:1 trying to find your flexi lead. It's a waste of mine and your time, plus you lose out on valuable learning time.

I also like to make sure my dog has toileted before a session starts. Eg, if your 1:1 session is at 10am, arrive at 9:45am to give yourself time to get sorted.

Make sure you have the following:

• treats (and extra!)

• treat pouch

• lead (and spare!)

• flexi lead or long line

• flat collar

• any tools that you use

• toy

• poo bags

Management between sessions:

Dog training isn't just about learning, it's about preventing bad habits from being rehearsed. With behaviour modification, a lot of the time, a dog's environment needs to be changed (eg. the use of crates, gates/thresholds, boundaries and house tethers).

As much as possible, you must try avoid putting your dog in situations that they can not yet handle. If you have a significantly dog reactive dog, after one good walk, you don't want to take them to the busiest park ever that is full of dogs and expect them to cope. That is not fair dog training. Your dog should be set up for success, not failure.

Be completely honest with me:

Honesty is the best policy, and if I don't know the full story then I will struggle to help you. You will not be judged by your previous bad decisions, and I won't be put off by your dog's bad behaviour. I am working with you for a reason, give me the full details, and then I can do my job properly.

If you've had a busy week and struggled to do your homework, tell me.

If you need to change a session, let me know ASAP.

If your dog has a bite history with dogs or people, or they've been in a fight, tell me. Even if it was accidental.

If you're confused on how to do something, tell me, and I'll make it clearer.

Clients that work with me, and give me their all, are the ones who get the most back.

Be prepared to change:

One of the most common things I see when I first meet clients is inconsistency within the household. Dogs thrive on clear, consistent rules, and when everyone does something different, it can be really confusing for them. In many cases, improving your dog's. behaviour requires you to change the way you interact with them.

These changes may seem small, such as no longer feeding them from the table, or making them calmly wait at the door before heading out for a walk, but they often have a significant impact on their behaviour over time.

When you begin your training journey with me, it's important that you are open to the changes that I recommend. I will never ask you to do something without a reason, and every piece of advice I give is intended to help you achieve your training goals. Trusting the process and remaining consistent with the guidance you receive will give both you and your dog every chance of long-term success.

Basic welfare responsibilities:

Training is unlikely to be successful if your dog's welfare needs are not being met. If I recommend changes to your dog's diet, exercise routine, rest, or daily enrichment, it will always be because I believe these factors are affecting their ability to learn or improve their behaviour.

In some cases, I may request that you do a veterinary assessment or pain check before training commences. Dogs experiencing pain or discomfort (even if it isn't obvious!) can display behaviours that are directly influenced by their physical condition. Addressing any underlying medical issues is an important step before focusing on behavioural problems.

I understand that that these recommendations may sometimes seem unrelated to training or an extra step. However, my goal is to give your dog every possible chance of success. By ensuring they are healthy, comfortable, and their welfare needs are being met, we create the right conditions for effective learning and lasting behavioural change.

Follow through on homework:

The training doesn't end when I leave you, a miraculous change is not going to happen in one session. I expect consistency to remain when I'm gone, hence why I dish out homework! Without the homework being completed, you are not going to see the changes you want to see.

So I expect you to do the homework that I assign you, ask any questions if you're unsure, report back honestly on what you've done (and what has / hasn't worked!). That way, I can then adjust accordingly for the next lot of homework.

I will give you the plan, but you have to run with it. And do the work!

Communication:

When I start working with a client and their dog, I am 100% dedicated to you both and making sure you achieve your end goal. And in order for this to be successful for all of us, communication with me is key!

Be honest with your dog's behavioural challenges (even if it is super embarrassing - likelihood is that it won't be the first time I've heard a dog do something it shouldn't do...)!

Throughout the entire journey, it's important to keep you keep me to date with everything to do with your dog (diet, health, welfare, routine, etc.) this just helps us all be on the same page!

I'm here for the entire jounrey, the good, the bad, and the purely ugly. I want to know it all. And my phone is always open for my clients that need some extra support or a chat. Plus, I love nothing more than hearing about client wins!

Have realistic expectations:

As your dog trainer, I will always ensure that progress is made, but the progress must always be realistic. And you cannot expect instant results particularly with behaviour modification. Behavioural changes take time and consistency to get the desired results.

As a client, you have to accept that training takes time and repetition, and it must be repeated in a huge number of environments so that the behaviour can be proofed.

Setbacks are completely normal. Your dog is not a robot, you can not expect them to be perfect and understand what you want from them instantly. Try to avoid comparing your dog to others as all dogs learn and progress at different levels.

I can't wait to start working with you and your dog! Pop me an email or drop me a message if you have any questions!

📞 07960 189794

📧 imogen@bemoremonty.com