NOTE: If your dog has Behavioral Problems or is fearful, reactive or aggressive, please
read the Behavioral Problems in Dogs page first, then return here.
Thank you for visiting our Training Programs page! Here at Rocky Junior's Dog Training Service we offer the very best in private, in-home training (we come to you!) and behavioral solutions. We educate our human clients well, setting you up for success throughout the training process. Our training and behavioral solutions are based in proven, modern, animal behavioral science. Unlike many other trainers, we do not practice dominance ("alpha") training or punish dogs, as doing so creates a strong risk of serious behavioral problems (including aggression) in dogs.
As you may have learned on our Home Page, our dogs are, in many ways, like 2 to 3 year old children - they just do not have the ability to process or understand discipline or harsh treatment. We know that toddlers respond to kindness, patience, love and positivity, and that's how we train dogs. The result? A happy, confident, talented dog who absolutely loves you!
Training is the best investment you will ever make in you and your dog! Dogs absolutely love training - and it's not only fun for them, but you, too! We would just love to help you and your dog achieve and exceed all of your goals. Please look over our available training programs, then Contact Us to get started. We'd love to hear from you!
We like to say that we Speak Dog, meaning that we communicate with dogs in ways they actually understand. Most people, including many trainers, anthropomorphize their dogs - meaning they treat dogs as if they are human and somehow magically understand us, which of course isn't at all true.
At your very first lesson you will start to learn how to Speak Dog, and that's when the magic of our training starts - your dog will learn to focus on you, your relationship with your dog will become strengthened and your dog's confidence and understanding will begin to soar. Done right, with positivity, patience, kindness, attention to detail and with lots of practice, dog training is an amazing process that will literally change you and your dog's life.
Hourly Training and Consultations are available, but we highly recommend you invest in a Training Program.
Here's Why: Hourly Training and Consultations are $250 per hour, and do not commit you to the amount of training and help you and your dog really need. Check Out Our Training Programs, listed below. The cost of these programs is but a fraction of what trainers typically charge per hour, and is based upon prepayment before you start your program.
As for Consultations, specifically, we understand that you need help and may even be desperate. But rest assured that we've successfully dealt with pretty much every type of behavioral problem you can imagine. And we do it without using any force or punishment on you or your dog. Instead of punishing and trying to extinguish unwanted behaviors, which is what many trainers do, our training and behavioral work instead teaches dogs what we'd like them to do and helps them heal from their fears, as well as build confidence. A happy, healthy, well behaved dog is what you want, right? We can definitely help. But please, do your due diligence. Check out our Facebook Page and read our reviews there, as well as our Google reviews. We're confident you'll feel confident once you are familiar with our work and successes.
Our Training Programs start with 90 minutes of training and education for you, as well as some work for your dog, followed by one hour lessons that are focused on instruction and learning, as well as positive relationship building. If you only want a consultation, you're missing out on most of this. Instead of a band aid approach, we prefer total healing and success.
Hourly Training / Consultations: Single Sessions
Cost: $250 per hour (Travel Fees May Apply, Depending Upon Your Location) Ready To Get Started? Contact Us
Our 9 Lesson, Complete Dog Training Program is our most popular option by far, chosen by 98% of clients. We begin with a 90 minute lesson, the first hour's worth dedicated to educating you, the dog's humans. Arming you with knowledge will set you up for short and long term success. Then we begin our amazing Focus and Relationship Building Process, which does all sorts of great things and is the beginning of learning to Speak Dog. We follow with 8 one hour lessons, which normally includes work away from home - helping create and amazing dog and relationship. Note: Instruction is customized to meet the needs of the client and the dog. We may do a mixture of skills training and RAFT (Reactive And Fear Therapy), and will never leave you or your dog behind by proceeding too quickly.
Training Behaviors Taught: Sit, Down, Watch Me, Leave It (3 exercises), Touch, Come, Wait, Stay and Heel.
Time Allowed To Complete: 9 lessons in 11 weeks
Cost: $895.00 (Travel Fees May Apply, Depending Upon Your Location) Ready To Get Started? Contact Us
Additional Dog Cost: $250 per dog
The 20 Lesson, Ultimate Dog Training Program is your best investment if you'd like to have an absolutely incredible dog. We begin with a 90 minute lesson, the first hour's worth dedicated to educating you, the dog's humans. Arming you with knowledge will set you up for short and long term success. Then we begin our amazing Focus and Relationship Building Process, which does all sorts of amazing things and is the beginning of learning to Speak Dog. We follow with 19 one hour lessons. After 5 to 9 lessons we will begin working with your dog in public places, away from home, helping to ensure your dog will be comfortable, confident and thoroughly amazing in all environments. Do you have a fearful or reactive dog? This is a great choice!
Note: Instruction is customized to meet the needs of the client and the dog. We may do a mixture of skills training and RAFT (Reactive And Fear Therapy), and will never leave you or your dog behind by proceeding too quickly.
Training Behaviors Taught: Sit, Down, Watch Me, Leave It (3 exercises), Touch, Come, Wait, Stay, Heeling, Advanced Heeling, Spin and more, including work away from home and in public places.
Time Allowed To Complete: 20 lessons in 24 weeks
Cost: $1600.00 (Travel Fees May Apply, Depending Upon Your Location) Ready To Get Started? Contact Us
Additional Dog Cost: $350 per dog
The Basic Adult Dog Training Program is a great buy for clients on a tight budget. We begin with a 90 minute lesson, the first hour's worth dedicated to educating you, the dog's humans. Arming you with knowledge will set you up for short and long term success. Then we begin our amazing Focus and Relationship Building Process, which does all sorts of great things and is the beginning of learning to Speak Dog. We follow with 3 one hour lessons, teaching very basic training behaviors. Note: Instruction is customized to meet the needs of the client and the dog. We may do a mixture of skills training and RAFT (Reactive And Fear Therapy), and will never leave you or your dog behind by proceeding too quickly.
Training Behaviors Taught: Sit, Down, Watch Me, Leave It, Come and Stay.
Time Allowed To Complete: 4 lessons in 5 weeks
Cost: $500.00 (Travel Fees May Apply, Depending Upon Your Location) Ready To Get Started? Contact Us
Additional Dog Cost: $150 per dog
Basic Puppy Training Program: The most important time in a dog's life is the Primary Socialization Period, which only runs from the age of 6 weeks to the age of 16 weeks. Puppies who don't receive sufficient socialization and positive, force free training during this crucial time are very likely to develop problem behaviors, often fear based reactivity and aggression, after turning 16 weeks of age. You don't want that!
We begin with a 90 minute lesson, the first hour's worth dedicated to educating you, the dog's humans. Arming you with knowledge will set you up for short and long term success. Then we begin our amazing Focus and Relationship Building Process, which does all sorts of great things and is the beginning of learning to Speak Dog. We follow with 3 one hour lessons, teaching very basic training behaviors. Note: Instruction is customized to meet the needs of the client and the dog. We may do a mixture of skills training and RAFT (Reactive And Fear Therapy), and will never leave you or your dog behind by proceeding too quickly.
Training Behaviors Taught: Sit, Down, Watch Me, Leave It, Come and Stay.
Time Allowed To Complete: 4 lessons in 5 weeks
Cost: $500.00 (Travel Fees May Apply, Depending Upon Your Location) Ready To Get Started? Contact Us
Additional Dog Cost: $150 per dog
Reactive And Fear Therapy (RAFT) is based upon a program I developed in early 2007 to help my first Rocky recover from his fears, caused by years of neglect and abuse. At the time I never never worked with reactive dogs (which some call aggression, though aggression is a human emotion with a level of intent, and dogs aren't capable of forming intent), and after consulting over 30 trainers, all of whom had no idea how to help a severely reactive Rottweiler, I realized I needed to do scientific research and develop a positive, force free program to help Rocky recover from his fears and become the great dog he was always meant to be.
The result was Reactive And Fear Therapy, which I have perfected over the years through more study and, of course, lots of experience working with fearful, reactive dogs and their owners. In Rocky's case it took four months of work, with several sessions per day, but eventually the day came when Rocky's fear and reactivity vanished and he became an outgoing, loving dog who wanted to be absolutely everyone's friend.
You can't punish a dog for being afraid - and when a dog acts out, the dog is communicating that he or she is afraid. My first thought is "I just made a mistake," and I immediately positively redirect the dog, so that the dog can again be in his or her safe zone, where the dog isn't afraid. We never use immersion therapy or "flooding," instead choosing effective therapeutic approach, aiming to never cause reactions while we work to help the dog heal from this or her fears. It's a scientific, holistic and understanding approach that works wonders.
First, DO NO HARM is our motto. We want to help your dog become happy, confident and a lover of life. No one should have to live a life of fear, and when you use the right approach any dog can heal and recover.
Rocky Junior, my training assistant since 2011, has helped save over 300 dogs from living lives of fear. Rocky Junior is absolutely amazing. He often helps with RAFT-1 lessons, where we do direct counter conditioning and desensitization exercises, from a safe distance, to help the reactive dog learn that dogs and / or people are actually good things. Rocky doesn't work in RAFT-2 sessions, which we do prior to considering any work with Rocky Junior. Since he's 11 years old, Rocky can't work with every reactive dog. He only works when really needed. Rocky lives to help dogs and their owners. I'm sure another dog like him doesn't exist!
Minimum Investment $895.00, 9 lessons or $1600, 20 lessons. (Travel Fees May Apply, Depending Upon Your Location)
Additional Dog Cost: $250 per dog (9 lessons) or $350 per dog (20 lessons).
Rocky Junior RAFT-1 Fee: Additional $25 per lesson. This additional fee is necessary due not only to Rocky Junior's expertise, but also his age and health conditions. It's very expensive to keep Rocky healthy and working, which he absolutely loves to do. He wants to keep saving dogs from living lives of fear, and to keep him healthy and at work is expensive. Your understanding is appreciated!
IMPORTANT - We always start with confidence and relationship building training, and typically move into RAFT after 5 to 8 lessons. We must avoid stress and confrontation in the training process, and it's absolutely vital that we start with skills and relationship training and not move into RAFT work until the dog is truly ready. We are dealing with living, breathing beings who are all different and unique, so we cannot place a timetable on a particular dog's recovery. It may take 10 to 15 total lessons, or even more. No matter how slow or quick the process goes, we will remain dedicated to you and your dog's recovery.
Ready To Get Started? Contact Us
Service Area / Rates: Our Primary Service Area, for which the rates below apply, includes most of Pierce County: Areas east of the Narrows Bridge, north of 176th St E and west of SR 167, including north to the Pierce County border with King County. Cities located in our Primary Service Area include Tacoma, Fife, Lakewood, University Place, Puyallup, Sumner and (in South King County) Federal Way and Auburn. If you live outside of our Primary Service Area additional fees apply, due to the time and distance involved in accommodating you. Here are some of our out of area rates:
Bonney Lake (to 214th Ave East): Add $25 per lesson. 214th Ave East to Buckley and Enumclaw: Add $50 per lesson.
Gig Harbor: Add $25 per lesson. Port Orchard, Silverdale and Bremerton: Add $50 per lesson.
East Pierce County (Parkland, Spanaway, South Hill), south of 176th St East: Add $25 per lesson; $50 south of of 224th St. East.
Federal Way: $25 for all addresses west of 1st Avenue South.
NE Tacoma: $25 per lesson.
Kent, Sea Tac and areas east of the cities of Kent and Auburn: Add $50 per lesson.
Tukwila, Seattle (south of downtown only), Renton and Bellevue: Add $75 per lesson.
Lacey, Olympia: Add $75 per lesson.
Are you in another area or unsure of your rates? Please Contact Us.
PAYMENT: The cost of your training program is due in full prior to your first lesson. Training Program prices are heavily discounted over the price of hourly training, which is $250 per hour. We only accept payments via PayPal, or made in cash or by money order or cashier's check, payable to Rocky Junior's Dog Training Service. Refund and cancellation policies are located at the bottom of this page.
LENGTH OF TRAINING PROGRAMS: Training is most effective when done on a weekly basis. The very nature of our business depends upon on time completion of training courses; when clients "take time off" or cancel sessions, the extension of time they are involved in training causes financial hardship for our business, as new customers have to wait. Please note the length of time allowed to complete training, listed with each training option. Your training will be considered completed at the end of the allowable time period for your training course; if you wish to extend, you will need to pay for that extension of training. If we have to cancel a session with you for any reason, the time allowed to complete your training course will be extended by one week. We thank you for your understanding!
Our goal, each and every time, is to create the very best dog and relationship possible - and with your help, it can be done
Terms and Conditions of Training: We use only modern, force-free positive reinforcement techniques, employing training methods which dogs understand best and cause dogs to thrive in a training environment. As a client of ours you must ascribe to our training philosophies and methods. By hiring Rocky Junior's Dog Training Service you agree to never: 1. Use force on your dog; 2. Scold or display anger towards your dog; 3. Use an electronic shock collar on your dog; 4. Use a choke chain on your dog; 5. Use a prong collar on your dog; or 6. Strike, hit or kick your dog.
As a client of Rocky Junior's Dog Training Service you agree to practice training behaviors with your dog(s) on a daily basis, in order for the dog(s) to become well-conditioned to perform desired behaviors. You also acknowledge that training cannot be guaranteed, since neither animal nor human behavior can be guaranteed. We do pledge to fully invest ourselves in the betterment and education of you and your dog(s), and do to our very best to ensure goals are met.
Please check out our 5 star customer reviews at Google and on Facebook.
Cancellation Policy: Time is money in business, and in order for our business to succeed we need to ensure our time is profitable and well spent. There's nothing worse than getting a cancellation call from a customer when we're in the midst of a busy day or even already on the way to the customer. It is very unfortunate, but we have had some unreliable customers who have forced us to charge for lessons not cancelled with adequate notice. Cancellations with less than 12 hours notice are subject to a $25 cancellation fee; cancellations occurring with less than 8 hours notice will be charged at the full rate.
Refund Policy: All Sales Are Final; We Do Not Issue Refunds.
Should a verifiable injury, illness or bona fide emergency befall you, your pet or a family member and necessitate a short or long delay in training, we're happy to resume when you are ready.
Should we issue a refund, any training used will be charged at our hourly rate of $250 per hour.
