The arrival of a new puppy is a very exciting time for many families. After all, who can resist the charm of a cuddly little ball of fur?
However, along with bringing loads of love and affection, the addition of a new four-footed friend also brings along the stress of showing the new family member how to behave in its new environment.
From leash control to sitting still, training a dog often requires skills and patience that many folks do not possess. Fortunately, dog owners in the Hendersonville area do not have to face the training challenge alone. Instead, they can call upon the friendly expertise of Love Me Always Dog Training.
Love Me Always was founded by owner and trainer Brittany Bertoli in September 2015. Subsequently, Brittany has skillfully trained dogs in the finer points of pooch etiquette, much to the delight of her customers.
“As a kid, I dreamed about working with animals, and being able to take my dog to work with me every day,” says Brittany. “After serving as a dog walker and a vet assistant, I decided to become a dog trainer. In 2014, I completed a course from Animal Behavior College, and I became a certified dog trainer.”
Since then, Brittany has trained over 600 dogs for hundreds of happy pet owners.
“Typically, I can train most dogs in three to four weeks,” says Brittany. “I offer a basic course in which I train dogs to obey commands such as sit, stay, come, roll over, sit pretty, follow along a leash and do not jump. I also offer an advanced program that adds in additional commands, including leaving a room, dropping things and getting on/off furniture.”
Training costs vary with the time and complexity of each program. Typical fees range from $1,800 to $4,000, depending upon the pet owner’s overall training goals. Most dog owners consider the costs to be a fair investment for a lifetime of good dog behavior.
Brittany uses a positivity-based approach in her courses in which dogs are rewarded for good behavior rather than being punished for bad behavior.
“My love for all dogs helps me to stay positive during the training process,” says Brittany. “I find that I achieve the best results through praise and rewards, such as treats, toys and games.”
Although Brittany follows a similar training regimen for each four-footed student, she does make allowances for individual dog needs and temperaments. She is keenly aware that like human students, all dogs are different.
“Some dog breeds are easier to train than others,” says Brittany. “For example, the easiest ones to train are working breeds, such as golden retrievers, German shepherds and Labrador retrievers. The most challenging breeds are pugs, Shih Tzus and chihuahuas.”
Unlike other trainers, Brittany goes out of her way to keep pet owners aware of their dogs’ status as they go through the training process.
“I try to make the training experience fun for the entire family,” says Brittany. “I send each owner daily updates called ‘pup-dates’ to keep the owners informed of the training progress. I like to send out photos and videos of the pups having the time of their lives during training camp.”
From start to finish, Brittany endeavors to make the entire training process simple for each dog owner.
“I like to keep things simple for my clients”, says Brittany. “To start the process, all that they must do is to make sure that their dogs are fully vaccinated, have collars with ID tags and provide me with their dog food. After the training is complete, I go over all commands with the owners so that they can continue to work with their pets after graduation.”
Any dog owners who have decided that the time is right to have their four-footed family members trained need look no further than Love Me Always Dog Training.
Love Me Always Dog Training
615.982.5769
