Frequently Asked Questions

Personalised, in-home dog training is simply faster and more effective. 

Having a professional dog behaviour specialist come to you and personally coach you and your dog is a game changer. Many of our clients have already tried classes and it just hasn't given them the results they were hoping for. 

We stand by the belief that going to a dog training or obedience club and getting your dog to sit, drop or follow you around for treats or by force will somehow change their behaviour at home or in your everyday life is flawed. Yes it teaches them words and commands, is good to get them out and about and has some benefits. But just because your dog knows what you're saying doesn't mean they can or will listen to you when you want them to. Just because your dog knows stuff isn't always enough - it's like having a straight A student who ignores you or has emotional breakdowns in social situations. 

Sit Drop Stay’s in-home training system is different! How?

• psychology based (not centred around mechanical commands)
• one on one sessions  -not group generic classes
• the whole family can be involved, including other pets
• gives you common sense strategies you can use immediately in your day to day life
• addresses your dog's history, breed and quirks
• takes a holistic approach. We may factor in diet, your neighbours, stress/noise levels where you live, current ratios of exercise/play/enrichment/challenge/structure, your work hours, what you've tried previously, any special needs of certain family members etc etc.

This approach works on the basis that the dynamics in your household are completely different to the dynamics in a group class, and this is where your dog needs to learn new associations and where you need to learn how to respond and manage. Classes won’t help you know what to do when your dog nips your children, jumps on your guests or runs through the house and won’t settle down.

A home consult gives the trainer the ability to see what’s happening in your day-to-day lifestyle and give you the tools to correct things at the source. For eg, if you have three rowdy children, a busy lifestyle and a young puppy you’re going to need different tools and management skills than if you are a retired couple with a two year old rescue dog that has existing issues.

We also believe that you are essentially shaping your relationship and teaching them in every moment you are with your dog, not just when you're in a 'training session.'

It is important to us that you know how to work smarter not harder, and how to leverage and enrich the time you do share together. 

Professional coaching is an investment in your future!

This is up to you, and you can tailor your in home dog training session(s) to your lifestyle. However some common requests are:

• Going to a bed or mat calmly and waiting for a release
• Coming inside calmly and settling down quickly
• Not entering the house unless invited (even with the door left open)
• Not trying to escape and bolt when you open the front door or the side gate
• Stopping them from nipping or mouthing you or your kids
• Accepting having something taken away from them
• Calmly accepting being brushed or checked over
• Travelling in the car calmly
• Walking calmly on the lead beside or behind you, without pulling or being over-reactive when faced with a distraction (such as another dog/person/bike)
• Not losing their mind when they see the lead or the car keys
• Greeting guests calmly and waiting politely until you invite them over to say hello
• Not jumping up on people
• Not demanding things such as attention, food, playtime, pats or to come inside – waiting calmly and politely instead
• Boundaries and limitation around the home – such as not going into the kitchen, staying away when people are eating, not going into certain rooms etc
• Rules, such as staying off the furniture unless invited
• Don’t chase the cat
• Being calm when asked eg near young children, hot coffee or elderly people
• Coming when called – no matter what!
• Requests such as back, leave, wait and come.
• Not to steal things like socks, undies, the remote etc
• Surrendering items from their mouth

Our Dog Trainers are generally available on weekdays and weekends from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

We travel to any suburb within an hour of the city centre in these locations – Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns, Melbourne, Central Coast and Canberra. If you are just outside these city limits please check with us.

Yes! We encourage all members of the family to be present, and anyone else who is involved with your dog - for example, your dog walker or people who regularly care for your dog. That way everyone is on the same page. Very young children are welcome, however if they are likely to distract you from learning and being involved, it may be a good idea to organise a babysitter for this time.

This depends on where you are now and where you want to be! 

Most clients achieve noticeable changes in their dog’s behaviour and attitude after just one session and for very basic issues this is all they require.

However, for most situations we highly recommend investing in additional consults until you are at the stage you are happy with.  Standard follow up consults are 60 minutes long and we can target anything you'd like help with. For examples please see "What Things Can You Help me Teach My Dog?"

All consults include full email and phone support from day one. This means that you are welcome to call or email your trainer for advice and feedback about how your training is going and how your dog is responding. Having a direct line to your own personal expert who personally knows you and your dog is invaluable - get immediate advice, reassurance, and support when you need it. 

Sometimes an adjustment or reassurance over the phone is all it takes to get back on track, however if you need more face to face support, we can quickly organise another session at a place and time that suits you.

Yes, we encourage your whole pack to be present so we can see the big picture. It is common for one dog to trigger behaviours in another and for a holistic assessment this is preferable.

Our priority is that you, the client, are always in control of every decision at your consult and you will never be forced or bullied into anything you don't feel comfortable with. 

We don't and will never support any method or equipment that causes fear or pain in a dog and believe such things are outdated and unnecessary. 

We do however encourage you to use whatever tools you are comfortable with as long as you are educated on how to use them properly, the dog fully understands (and is capable of what is being asked) and they are used humanely.

We carry a variety of training equipment with us on consults to experiment with, such as front connecting harnesses, flat collars, material martingale collars and head halters. Different dogs and different behaviours need different approaches, there is no one size fits all. We will advise and demonstrate what we think is the best option however you are always consulted and are in control at all times.

That depends on what you class as positive. If you mean do we praise our dog for everything they do in a high pitched voice, always give treats and never challenge them for unwanted behaviour? No, and we stand firmly behind our view that the "positive only" concept that is widely taught and encouraged nowadays is unbalanced and often does not result in a positive outcome. 

This does not mean that we use or condone using fear, punishment, force, anger, yelling at, intimidation or harsh methods EVER. It is simply not one or the other - there is a healthy and balanced middle ground. 

We believe that dogs, just like children, need a balance of positive reinforcement and healthy discipline to be stable and fulfilled, and develop into happy and balanced members of society. Boundaries, limitations and saying “no” is just as important as praise and reward – each has its place and correct application.

Many behavioural issues can actually be caused through excessive use of reward and lack of rules and boundaries. It is the way it is done that matters and we can show you how to give your dog the right balance to foster trust and respect and help you achieve loving leader status.

Clients will almost always notice big shifts in their dog’s behaviour from the day we are there, and some behaviours do disappear immediately. However, you as the owner are responsible for maintaining and continuing the relationship and new behaviours (both yours and your dog’s) indefinitely.

The effort and length of time required will be up to various factors, such as how long the behaviour has been going on, why it developed in the first place, your dog’s unique personality and your lifestyle etc. Most changes don’t require a huge effort or amount of time, it is more about “doing the same thing differently”. A good example of this is walking your dog differently or greeting guests differently. This takes no more effort or time but creates a different outcome. It does however need to be continued or the old behaviours will likely come back.

We may prescribe more exercise for example, so this is something that will require more ongoing effort from you, but you will find that as it reduces stress in other areas it's very worthwhile. A dog is a little like a “toddler for life” so please understand that although our trainers may seem to do wonders while we are there, it is important that you keep it going and develop new habits yourselves. Empowering you is our priority.

For more serious issues you may need multiple sessions to help the behaviour shift to a level where you can continue this process or achieve maintenance on your own, and our ongoing support guarantee means you will always have email or phone support and advice if you need us.

Payment is strictly on the day of your session and can be cash or online transfer. Some of our trainers do also offer credit card facilities, please check when you book in if you'd like to use this option.

Yes. With our advanced knowledge of dog psychology and behaviour, our services can benefit a wide range of dog related clubs and businesses, such as vets and vet nurses, pet shop staff, foster carers, puppy schools, groomers, shelters, council workers and breeders. We are highly flexible in what we can offer you so please call head office to discuss.