Dogs are often known as man's best friend. But they are almost always a child's best friend as well. This is something that Dr. Linda Randall, owner of One Smart Dog, knows all too well.
Dr. Randall, a seasoned veterinarian and dog trainer, opened One Smart Dog, a premier dog training facility located in Seville, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. And although it may have been a difficult time to open the doors to her state-of-the-art training center, it is something that has been a long time coming for Dr. Randall.
"One Smart Dog and dog training as a whole is a passion of mine," she says. "We started with Agility Underground on the same property as my veterinary business, Cloverleaf Animal Hospital, many years ago, so One Smart Dog is an expansion and rebrand of this."
And an expansion it is. One Smart Dog calls home to a 12,000-square-foot training space and offices on 100 acres of lush park space, including a 9-acre pond, all of which are utilized for dog training programs and classes.
One Smart Dog is one of only a few training centers in the area committed to positive reinforcement training, behavior modification and community-driven activities. This means that they do not use or teach aversive training methods, such as prong collars, shock collars or punishment. Instead, they use marker or clicker training. This type of training is a tool that allows the trainer to quickly communicate with the dog when they perform the desired behavior and then reward that behavior. From their puppy foundation classes to their dog sport classes, every component of One Smart Dog's training uses positive reinforcement – something that Dr. Randall notes is especially important for children when learning to train a dog.
She explains: "We've seen that positive training works very well with kids. Our trainers use a revolutionary method called TAGteach, in which children utilize a 'tag point' and have a specific learning goal that the teacher uses to highlight their success. The marker pinpoints the exact moment the tag point is executed correctly and gives immediate and clear feedback to the child. In turn, parents have reported that their children are noticeably more driven and positive at home when encountering problem-solving situations."
One Smart Dog can provide dogs to children that are interested in doing training or agility classes but don't have one of their own. Just like joining a sports team or a club at school, learning the ins and the outs of dog training is a positive activity for kids of all ages. Children can even choose a class that they'd like to take based on what their goal is. From nose work, obedience, trick training and agility to family foundations, One Smart Dog offers a plethora of different training classes that can be beneficial for not just the dog, but the entire family
Another thing that Dr. Randall emphasizes is that you don't need to have a puppy or even a younger dog to enroll in dog training classes. One Smart Dog offers many different options for older dogs, as the training helps to keep their minds active. Dr. Randall explains the importance of training for older dogs by relating it to humans: "As we age, we continue to do different activities to keep our minds and bodies healthy; dogs are no different!"
Stephanie Kleinfelter, the manager and lead instructor at One Smart Dog, details that herself and all of the instructors at the facility, not only enjoy working with all ages and breeds of dogs but with children and their families as well. With several certified professional dog trainers available at their new location, they have the ability to help break down concepts for dogs and their caretakers, creating a fun and trusting learning environment for anyone interested in building the best relationship with their dog.
For more information about One Smart Dog, visit 1SmartDog.com or call 330.241.3046. They are located at 271 W. Greenwich Road, Seville, OH 44273.