Stray Dog Program (SDP)

Stray Dog Program (SDP), a comprehensive training regimen specifically tailored for the rehabilitation of stray dogs. The average duration of SDP is designed to accommodate the unique needs of stray dogs, typically ranging from 6 to 7 weeks.

It’s significant to understand that many stray dogs are often misjudged as aggressive when they are primarily defensive due to their past experiences or lack of socialization. This misinterpretation can occur not only among inexperienced dog handlers but also among certain dog trainers and behaviorists. It’s important to have a deep understanding of these canine behaviors, which necessitates an experienced and knowledgeable trainer.

Stray dogs can potentially pose challenges due to defensive behaviors cultivated from survival instincts. Many of these dogs have been neglected, left to their own devices, or have had negative encounters with people or other dogs. Regardless of the obstacles these dogs have faced, we assure you that rehabilitation and successful rehoming is achievable with the right approach.

Defensive behavior in stray dogs can originate from multiple factors such as poor socialization, negative past experiences, fear, absence of training, or a skewed perception of hierarchy. Addressing defensive behavior may involve establishing trust, introducing structured training, promoting positive experiences, enhancing socialization skills, and providing consistent guidance to establish a balanced pack hierarchy.

Choose our pioneering Stray Dog Program to effectively address the unique challenges faced by stray dogs, ensuring a successful rehabilitation process and paving the way towards a safer, more secure, and fulfilling life for these dogs. By choosing SDP, you contribute to creating harmonious relationships between stray dogs and their future homes, and actively participate in providing these dogs a second chance at life.

Our Stray Dog Program (SDP) will Teach/Enhance the Following Behaviors:

Manners

  • Establishing boundaries through pack hierarchy.
  • *Curbing excessive barking.
  • *Teaching dogs to wait patiently at the door.
  • Preventing pulling on the leash during walks.
  • *Discouraging jumping on furniture.
  • Stopping dogs from jumping on people.
  • **Offering optional housebreaking and potty training.
  • Familiarizing and socializing dogs with public places and other pets.

Obedience

  • Recall (on or *off-leash)
  • Heeling (on or *off-leash)
  • Sit (on or *off-leash)
  • Lay (on or *off-leash)
  • Bed (on or *off-leash)
  • Crate (on or *off-leash)
  • Leave it (on or *off-leash)
  • Fetch (on or *off-leash)

SDP Overview

Our specialized Stray Dog Program (SDP) begins by diagnosing the root causes of the dog’s behaviors, which enables us to devise a personalized plan to address negative associations, past traumas, fears, and stress. The SDP starts with a foundational phase where we establish trust and a stable routine, teaching the dog to recognize us as benevolent leaders and providers. This method effectively helps to reduce conflicts related to basic manners, handling, accepting new environments, adapting to the leash, and tolerating a collar. 

Once the dog has learned foundational skills, we focus on teaching obedience essentials, such as Come, basic Heel (walking on a loose leash), Sit, Lay, Crate, Bed, In, and Out. All commands intrinsically include basic Stay, ensuring the dog maintains the last command until released. We also work on housebreaking and reshaping unwanted behaviors, like *chewing, *digging, *excessive barking, *bolting, jumping on people and *furniture,*counter surfing, and pulling on the leash.

Throughout the dog’s enrollment in SDP, we will maintain a private Google Drive folder to share photos and videos, keeping stakeholders informed and involved in their progress.

Upon completing SDP, each dog will receive a training certificate. Once the program concludes, we will arrange a transition date and time, introducing your newly trained dog to their future home free of charge. We will provide a 90-minute orientation, demonstrating how to correctly command the dog and enforce training collar use for on-leash training or E-Collar use for *off-leash training, as needed.

For those welcoming a newly trained dog into their home, understanding and applying the dog’s new skills is crucial for success. Upon transition, you and your family members will demonstrate your ability to enforce desired behaviors, ensuring a smooth integration and reinforcing your role as the dog’s leader and provider.

Our board and train programs are supported by lifelong assistance, offering help through voice or video calls, texts, emails, or visual learning aids. We will evaluate if an on-site visit is required to address more serious concerns or issues that may occur, ensuring continued success for you and your newly adopted canine companion.

Who may Benefit from our SDP?

  • Owners who seek peace of mind, knowing their dog won’t bite them, others, or other animals.
  • Owners who want to confidently include their dog in everyday activities without fear of aggressive behavior.
  • Owners who desire a higher level of control over their dogs for improved safety and enjoyment.
  • Owners who enjoy an active lifestyle and wish to include their dogs in activities such as camping, hiking, biking, and running.
  • Owners who aim to minimize the risk of their dog being involved in accidents (e.g., running into a street or highway) or engaging in fights with other dogs in public settings

SDP Prerequisite

  • Before enrollment, please ensure your dog meets the following requirements:

    • Potty and Crate Trained: If your dog is not potty and/or crate trained, we will automatically add our Foundation Package to their training, which includes potty and crate training.
    • No Food Aggression: For dogs with food aggression, will be we will automatically add our our Food Aggression Package, which focuses on reshaping food aggression behaviors.
    • Friendly toward Humans and Other Pets: This ensures a safe and productive training environment for all involved.
    • Up-to-date Vaccination Record and Rabies Certificate: Please provide us with your dog’s most recent vaccination records and rabies certificate for the safety of all dogs and trainers.

    Additionally, kindly provide the following items when enrolling your dog in our training programs:

      • A small bag of your dog’s current dry food: This helps maintain dietary consistency and prevents gastrointestinal issues.
      • Any additional medications or supplements your dog is currently prescribed or taking: This ensures we can continue administering the necessary treatments during the training program.

Pricing, Enrollment, Pick-Up and Drop-Off

  • We invite you to contact us by phone, text, email, or through our online interest form to learn about the most up-to-date rates for our Stray Dog Program (SDP). While the initial cost of training may seem substantial, we encourage you to consider the time and effort required to properly train a dog, transforming them into a well-behaved and enjoyable companion. Think of training as a valuable investment in your dog, one that will bring lasting benefits throughout their lifetime.

    To guarantee the quality and effectiveness of our SDP program, we offer limited training slots, ensuring that each enrolled dog receives the necessary time and attention. New openings may be available as infrequently as every other week.

    To further enhance your experience, we provide a complimentary pick-up and drop-off service for all our board and train programs. This service allows us to better understand your dog’s behavior in their familiar environment, which is crucial for developing a tailored training plan for your dog and your family. Our clients appreciate the added convenience of our pick-up and drop-off service, making the training process even more seamless and enjoyable.

Register Now!

The presence of a single asterisk (*) indicates a requirement for off-leash training, which is provided exclusively through our Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Meanwhile, two asterisks (**) signify an add-on package.