FAQ

You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers!

More questions? Email hannah.roddy@gmail.com

Purple Dog Training questions

• Why are you called Purple Dog Training?
  • Because it’s an easy name to remember!
• How do I begin training with you?
  • Three steps:
  • 1) Email me at hannah.roddy@gmail.com to receive and respond to my preliminary questions.
  • 2) Schedule and meet for a Free Evaluation. All potential clients must first meet with me in person with their dog to go over their questionnaire answers and talk in more detail about your particular needs and goals. (*Only exception: puppies 12 weeks and under who display no age-unusual behaviors.) We will meet for our evaluation at a park in Livermore. I do not go to private residences for evaluations. Evaluations are booked on a first come, first serve basis. Please understand that I will offer you my soonest available evaluation appointment, but it may be a few weeks away.
  • Sign Training Contract and make full Payment. If at our evaluation we decide to work together, these documents and information will all be sent to you. Once both have been settled, we can schedule our first appointment.

• Are you the right trainer for me?
  • This is a great question! One that shows you are taking your training seriously. I use balanced training methods, which stands in a middle ground between pure positive training and “old school” aversive training. Using both positive reinforcement when dogs make good choices, and appropriate, well-timed consequences for bad choices, gives us the ability to communicate both “yes” and “no.” This makes it easy for dogs to understand exactly what behaviors we are encouraging and which we want them to stop. All dogs are unique individuals with unique temperaments and personalities. Self-rewarding naughty behaviors are not solved through ignoring them — they need to be addressed and corrected calmly and fairly, in a way dogs understand and respect without fear. I would also recommend reading our Who We Are page to see our philosophy and biographies. Another way to get to know us better is to look through our social media and more of this website to see our training in action. Below you with find other FAQ’s which will help you understand our views on dog training, and why we train the way we train. After that, feel free to email me if you would like an evaluation. All dogs are unique and all families live unique lives. What worked for your neighbor’s dog or your previous dog may not be working now. Together, we can determine which tools and training methods will serve you and your pup best.

• My dog pulls on the leash, barks at dogs, isn’t house broken, lunges, growls, has been in dog fights, etc. Do you work with these dogs?
  • Yes, I work with dogs who display all of these behaviors. When filling out my evaluation questionnaire, please be detailed and honest about your dog’s behavioral problems and past behaviors when filling out our contact form so we can get a clear picture of what we’re dealing with. I can only help you if I know the full and honest truth.
  • I accept mild to moderate cases of human aggression. **I do not work with severe cases of human aggression. If your dog is severely human aggressive, I will refer you to a human aggression specialist in the Bay Area.

General dog training/behavior

• My dog is very fearful. How can I teach him to be more confident?
  • Before we can effect change in our dog’s behavior, we must first examine our own reaction to this undesirable behavior and ask ourselves how we might be allowing or even unintentionally encouraging the dog’s fear response. Most owners knee-jerk reaction is to provide comfort and reassurance in a way that humans understand – namely, giving soft energy. What is “soft” energy and how can it be negative for a dog, even with the best of intentions? Soft energy is cooing, baby talk, protective cuddles. This type of babying is inappropriate to do to a dog when they are afraid or anxious. This can be very counter intuitive to people! To us, it seems like the perfect time to comfort and coddle, because it is how we would comfort our young. But for dogs, it’s not natural. Soft energy in stressful situations is perceived by dogs as a sign of a weak and incompetent leader. Dogs without a strong leader feel it is their responsibility to step up and take control, which only heightens their fear. (And opens to door to the dog making bad decisions!) Soft energy at the wrong moment ensures that dogs will continue to feel anxious and afraid in the same situations, as well as reinforcing their insecurities. In the dog world, a pack leader does not coddle a dog in the pack who is afraid. A fearful dog in the wild looks to a pack leader for strength and direction, not to be babied. So when our dogs are anxious or afraid, it’s even more important to step clearly into the strong leader role. To them, you must be the super pack leader who deals fearlessly with scary things and makes the world a better place for dogs. 🙂

• What tools do you train with?
  • We have an entire page dedicated to total transparency about tools. You can also watch our methods in action on our video page.

• What happens if I don’t get the results I want? Do you offer a guarantee?
  •  Dogs are our best friends and beloved family members, but at the end of the day, they are animals with animal instincts. Due to the many variables involved in creating a well-behaved, balanced dog – including owner commitment and consistency – it would be unethical for me to offer a 100% guarantee. If an owner is unwilling or unable to follow through and continue training efforts, I cannot guarantee results. I will however be with you every step of the way as you integrate training into your daily life with your dog. As with any transition period, there will often be an adjustment for all family members. Once we’ve agreed to work together, you’re a part of the Purple Dog Pack  and your continuing success is my utmost priority. All training with me includes lifetime support via email.

• How can I be sure that my dog’s new behaviors will transfer to my home after a board and train?
  • Your concern about the success of the training and having it transfer to your own home is very understandable. As mentioned above, no one can guarantee total obedience over a lifetime from any dog. Here is what we can promise: we will be very clear about what we believe we can make happen and what we cannot. However, it is very true that it can be hard to bring behaviors back to your home. This is where you and your family’s commitment to making it happen becomes crucial. An important piece of my job is to teach a family how to both transfer and maintain the changed behaviors. Often this involves helping a family change the relationship they have with their dog. When the relationship between dog and humans is balanced and appropriate — and you are the leader — the behaviors the dog has learned slip into place. The teaching of the commands is one thing; the dog’s willingness to follow the commands is another. Obedience is about leadership and relationship. It is very possible that your family will have to change the way you interact with your dog. If that is not something you are willing to do, having us train your dog will be a waste of money. How much change is necessary, or put another way, how out of balance your relationship with your dog is, won’t be clear until an evaluation.

• I’m concerned that ecollar will make my anxious dog more fearful.
  • I have found that e-collar training is particularly beneficial for anxious dogs. Clear, precise, instant communication is a wonderful thing; no reason to be anxious when we can communicate with nuance. The e-collars we recommend have 100 adjustable levels of muscle stimulation, which is based on the same technology used by chiropractors with TENS units. Most people and dogs cannot perceive the stimulation until it’s between a 5 and a 10. (And yes, I have felt the stimulation and I encourage all of my clients to feel it themselves prior to putting the tool onto their dogs.) It is possible to be very gentle in directing a dog with low-level muscle stimulation. As we mentioned above, the anxious dogs we have trained on e-collar have responded very well because they are finally receiving crystal clear commands without confusion or anxiety about what is expected. Anxious dogs thrive when humans provide rules and boundaries with consequences, because they then understand that they will be protected from other dogs and people by these same rules.

• Can I visit my dog during their Board and Train?
  • One of the benefits of board and training is that the brand new environment helps the dogs to develop brand new behaviors. If you visit your dog during training, you are reintroducing the old environment and patterns. Most, if not all dogs, become too excited and revert to old behaviors. This can actually set back training. That being said, in some specific cases, for example recurring behaviors that the dog exhibits only around their owner, it might be beneficial to have the owner visit for an hour or so. Overall, please assume that you will not visit your dog in training.

• Are there any quick fixes for my dog’s naughty behaviors? // I need help right away and I don’t know what to do.
  • There are no quick fixes or band-aids in dog training. However, this is what I recommend to owners who are struggling and have no idea where to begin: Monitor your dog’s attitude daily and adjust their privileges appropriately. Your life and relationship with your dog will be better. When your dog’s behavior is out of control – misbehaving, dominating, trying to control humans and other animals, being pushy and demanding, ignoring known commands – cut out all extra privileges and bring their life back to the basics: food, water, crate, structured walks/exercise. Continuing to spoil, pamper, or coddle a misbehaving animal only digs your hole deeper. Privileges and freedom in your home and furniture access must be earned. Unacceptable and/or dangerous behaviors must have consequences. During this non-privilege time your dog should be on leash and with a human when out of their crate and not allowed free roaming in the home. If your dog knows that his life and privileges will be the same no matter how he behaves, we relinquish control and remove motivation to please. This is not all there is to managing and changing bad behavior, but it’ll get you part of the way there and make life manageable until you can work with a professional.

• I have been using treats/affection to get my dog to stop barking/whining/jumping/etc but it isn’t working. Why?
  • Dogs thrive on patterns. It’s how they can best understand and predict our complicated human environment. They might not fully understand why a pattern works the way it does, but they will certainly figure out how they can best profit from our habits. As dog owners, this can work both for us and against us. The obvious positive patterning — dog obeys a command and receives a reward — is easy to see and use to our mutual advantage. The more negative patterning — dog gets released from a crate when he whines, dog gets over-excited to go on a walk and then pulls the entire time, dog does an undesirable behavior and we “scold” with baby-talk (soft talking is a reward, not a reprimand!) — are often overlooked. Dogs thrive on patterns. Don’t let old habits control you or your dog. Actively choose your own!

• Why is loose leash walking important?
  • Because then YOU are the leader on the walk, not your dog. When a dog is walking in front, pulling on a leash, leading you on a flexi, deciding when and where to stop and for how long, pulling towards dogs, barking at dogs, maybe growling or lunging at dogs … it is not optimal for many reasons. It is sending all the wrong messages to your dog: they are in control. Dogs who are overstimulated are not present with you and are not enjoying their outside time. As the leader of the pack, you should be in control. That doesn’t mean your dog shouldn’t enjoy your daily stroll together. They will enjoy it even more, by your side, tuned-in to you, appreciating your guidance and clear leadership, managing their stress, and listening for what you will allow.

    Sound too good to be true? It really isn’t. A prong collar — when used correctly and humanely, with the proper training — can transform your walk. After a few short sessions to show your dog your new expectations and guide them into position, you can be walking your dog with a loose leash by your side. Before we can correct them for leaving heel position, we must be sure that the dog understands what is being asked of him — otherwise, a correction would be unfair. Prong collars should be used to communicate position, direction, and speed, not to enable dragging or yanking. The benefits of having your daily walk be structured are enormous for your human-canine relationship. It sets you up for success in many other areas with your dog and gives them an opportunity to practice and strengthen their impulse control and focus.

• What is your policy for cancellations/rescheduling/refunds for board and trains?
  • Board and train spaces are very limited, as we only accept a few dogs at a time. So, it is necessary for people to be clear and to stick with what dates will work for them. This is why we ask for payment to reserve your dog’s spot. On the other hand, we are happy to be as accommodating as we can be. If you find you need to change your dates, let us know as soon as possible. If we have four weeks advance notice, we can generally fill the space, and so we are willing to move you to another time without any extra fees. To move dates or to cancel, our policy is as follows: 4-weeks advance notice = 100% refunded; 3-weeks advance notice = 70% refunded; 2-weeks advance notice = 40% refunded; less than two weeks, no refund.

Still have questions? Please send an email to hannah.roddy@gmail.com