DOG PSYCHOLOGY & TRAINING
PACK LEADER DOGS
PUPPY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
PRIVATE TRAINING
BEHAVIOR OPTIMIZATION RETREAT
DOG PSYCHOLOGY & TRAINING
The Dog Training, Dog Behavior & Veterinary Behavior world is currently stuck in a cookie cutter, one size fits all training style that doesn’t take into account a dog’s instincts or how dogs truly see the world. So many of our clients come to us having already worked with Dog Trainers and Behaviorists (in many cases more than one) with little to no results. Why you may ask?
Dog Trainers tend to be focused on obedience commands where they attempt to bribe the dog (usually with food/treats) to achieve certain physical positions such sit, down, stay, come, heel, look at me, etc. or focus on using tools to force the dog to obey or be punished. Whereas the Behaviorists tend to start with medication then proceed to use excessive amounts of food/treats to “desensitize” or learn obedience commands.
We believe that these are outdated and subpar approaches to helping a dog find balance. While we believe that obedience is an important piece of training, understanding Dog Psychology MUST be understood by the human before attempting obedience. One of our blogs titled Dog Psychology Before Dog Training goes into further detail on how important it is for the human to understand the psychology of a dog FIRST and then learn how to apply obedience commands. Think about it, how can we train something that we do not fully understand?
Leadership, which is a huge principle of Dog Psychology, is rarely discussed in the dog training or behavior world yet is a critically important instinctual need of a dog. There’s a reason so many people have a dog that will only listen if there is food, treats or toys. It’s because the dog is in the leadership position with the human in the follower position who is trying to negotiate with a dog
who believes it’s leader.
Dogs do not want to lead, however, when the human is not providing leadership in the way a dog sees the world, the dog will fill the void of leadership out of instincts. To dogs, the leader must behave in a way that dogs see leadership. To do this, we must understand Dog Psychology. We will teach YOU how to create yourself as leader with a puppy or how to reclaim the role of leader with your adolescent or adult dog. This allows the dog to be in their natural position as a follower where they can feel safe, protected, happy, balanced and fulfilled life following the direction of their calm and confident leader…YOU!
A mother begins with leading a puppy from the day the puppy is born. She is calm and confident, sets crystal clear rules, boundaries and limitations that she wants her puppies to follow and only provides affection at the right times, when the puppy is calm and respectful. She is not emotionally reactive, anxious, tense, angry, frustrated, avoidant or nervous when providing
leadership as she knows her puppies will not listen to that energy. She makes sure to follow through on the rules, boundaries and limitations she puts in place through her energy, body language, sound and touch to provide consistent leadership which results in her puppies being well behaved.
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It all started in 2006, when Steve discovered the TV show, “The Dog Whisperer.” He found Cesar’s way of explaining the psychology of a dog and how our energy effects how a dog feels to be fascinating. It was so different than all the books he was reading about dog training that all seemed to be about teaching about putting dogs in physical positions like sit, down, come, stay or heel. He knew there had to be more and when he found Cesar and Dog Psychology, his outlook on dogs and life completely changed.
Steve spent years studying Cesar’s content by watching and reading anything Cesar put out. It was fascinating to him because no one had talked about energy, nature, dog psychology or life in the way Cesar did. When he saw that Cesar was going to be inviting people to work with him at his Dog Psychology Center, Steve followed his instincts and knew he had to apply for this opportunity.
In 2013, Steve and his dog Maddie were selected to attend Training Cesar’s Way, a week-long workshop at the Dog Psychology Center in California. This was the 1st time
ever that Cesar was going to spend the entire week working with the students hands on. Steve quickly realized this workshop was not really about dog training but instead about understanding the psychology of a dog and primarily learning about yourself. It was a life changing experience for Steve.
Following the workshop, Cesar invited Steve back to help him teach future workshops which he has been doing since 2013. Steve and Cesar have become great friends over the years and Steve is on a mission with Cesar to make the world a better place for dogs and humans!
They plan to bring the Training Cesar’s Way Workshop to the Maddie Ranch here in New Jersey in the future so stay tuned for your chance to train with Steve and Cesar!
WE TRAIN YOU TO BRING OUT YOUR DOG'S TRUE SELF!
Every human, dog and situation are different which means each relationship requires a custom plan based on the human’s energy, their dog’s energy, the relationship between them and the unwanted behaviors being exhibited.
Most unwanted behaviors are a result of their human owner’s lack of understanding of Dog Psychology. Once they understand Dog Psychology and how to apply it with their individual dog, it becomes clear to a dog how they should behave with their human leader. Dog’s instinctually know how to follow a calm confident leader, we just guide you on how to become that leader in the way your dog sees the world. This allows your dog’s true spirit to shine through!
We often say, “it’s not the dog, it’s the human behind the dog.” Once you change the things that are contributing to your dog leading which is resulting in the unwanted behaviors, the dog will change and unwanted behaviors will disappear.
We will train you on how to deal with these unwanted behaviors in everyday, real-world situations so you feel confident to lead your dog in aspects of your life. Leadership in the dog world means protection, direction and love. We want your dog to feel safe and understand clearly what is expected of them in all situations. That is the definition of truly fulfilling your dog’s instinctual needs and gives you the opportunity to give affection to a calm, happy, well-behaved dog who feels safe and understood.
As always, this requires commitment and consistency from you to follow through on what you learn working with us. Please check out Testimonials page to see how many lives we have changed!
DOG PSYCHOLOGY BASED TRAINING
THE WAY NATURE INTENDED!
Do you dream of walking your dog calmly down the street on a loose leash with no reactions? How would it feel seeing your dog who has issues with other dogs being able to happily socialize with other dogs?
Do you have an excessively excited, hyper, reactive, nervous, anxious or fearful dog and feel unsure how to help them become happy and well behaved?
Is your dog difficult to deal with inside the home? Do you wish your dog would listen to you and follow your direction in all scenarios inside the home?
How would it feel to have your dog relax at home while you are away without freaking out? Do you have a puppy or plan to get a puppy but not quite sure where to start?
Have you been told “that is just how he/she is” or that your dog is unable to be trained by other trainers, veterinarians or professionals?
Would having a clear understanding and step by step plan to overcome any unwanted behaviors completely change your life?
If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, then you are definitely in the right place! We have the solutions to ALL these problems and will help you achieve the balanced dog and relationship that you always dreamed of! Find out why Dog Psychology based Training is achieving remarkable results, the way Nature intended!
PRIVATE DOG PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING SESSIONS
PRIVATE TRAINING SESSIONS
In this private, 2-hour session, you will work one-on-one with Dog Behavior Expert & Trainer, Steve Del Savio, on any behavioral problems you may be experiencing in the setting of your choice whether it’s your home, a park, on the street, the back yard or anywhere else you may desire.
Steve will assess your dog in their everyday environment, discuss the situation with you, work hands on with you and your dog and lastly come up with a game plan for continued success moving forward. Steve will provide you with a wealth of invaluable information in Dog Psychology that will last a lifetime that can be applied to not only your dog but all the dogs you interact with throughout your life.
Our custom plan will be based on your dog’s specific behavioral issues, age, energy level and, most importantly, your individual personality and capabilities.
LEARN YOUR DOGS PERSPECTIVE
Our unique approach to training is based on teaching from a Dog Psychology perspective where we will focus on your dog’s state of mind and not just obedience behaviors that are usually achieved through bribery and rarely sustain long-term or reliable results without understanding Dog Psychology.
By understanding a dog’s state of mind and psychology, it gives us the opportunity to tap into the dog’s instinctual side making learning much easier. Using Dog Psychology we will show your dog how to trust and respect you as a leader which will create a calm, happy, obedient and balanced dog.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE PRIVATE TRAINING SESSSIONS
Initial training sessions are 2-hours in length and include a consultation, assessment, hands-on training and game plan moving forward. You will begin to experience dramatic results within your first session with us. Follow up sessions are at the owner’s discretion but always recommended. During any follow ups we will continue to work hands-on with you and your dog on any behavior issues until we achieve the goal of a happy, healthy and balanced relationship between you and your dog. Remember, working with your dog is supposed to be fun so be prepared for a fun filled, educational experience that you will never forget!
*Greater distances may require an additional travel fee.
What our customers are saying…
“My suggestion would be to not even waste anymore time reading this review and call Steve right now! I honestly do not know where we would be today if we did not find Pack Leader Dogs. Steve has transformed our dog into the balanced, happy, and confident companion I always knew he could be. These guys are absolutely the best in the area for any of your dogs needs.”