Pack Dynamic Training is our preferred All-Natural Behavior Training Methodology
All-Natural, Force-Free & Fun
Canine Behavioral Services Inc. has been in existence since 1996. We are currently comprised of a team of humans and dogs who are constantly evolving while improving their skills in utilizing our own exclusive, force-free, all-natural Pack Dynamic Training process.
The goal of Behavior Training, as opposed to Obedience Training, is to facilitate the dog’s ability to learn how to choose the correct, proper behavior, without having to be “told what to do” all the time!
With more than 40+ years of combined Behavior Training experience, our highly skilled behavioral trainers and training assistants utilize Classical & Operant Conditioning processes and exercises, that have been custom-tailored for the specific dog and case, while expertly harnessing the all-natural effects and benefits of Allelomimetic Behavior and Social Facilitation.
This enables us to help dogs and their owners in a way that isn’t found anywhere else.
In all our combined years of professional experience, our team has realized one very important revelation. Nobody, I mean NOBODY, can help a dog their own behavior like a group of well-balanced dogs!
I would not go so far as to say that this all-natural process makes us “better” than other trainers or training methods…that’s not our judgment to make.
Nor did we somehow “invent” this process. Nature “invented” it!
We have just learned how to harness it to help other dogs in need of some assistance, education and guidance.
Incorporating Play and Social Interactions into all aspects of Training
We offer a proven successful, all-natural approach to dog Behavior Training, that harnesses the teaching power of a pack of experienced confident dogs to “train” other imbalanced dogs how to feel better about themselves and how to exhibit more socially-acceptable positive behaviors.
It’s taken many years of hard work to get here but we are uniquely qualified to help dogs in ways that others can’t, treating behaviors and issues successfully, where others have failed.
We do this largely through play and social interaction without the need to use force or verbal commands.
No shock collars. No pinch collars. No anger. No intimidation.
Play and social interaction facilitates a greater desire and capacity for learning.
It’s amazing how much dogs can learn when they feel safe and happy!
Dogs come away from our Board & Train Programs believing it was their idea to change their own behavior and with some on-going commitment to change from the owner, this level of behavioral change can last forever!
The dogs who experience our Pack Dynamic Training process find it to be incredibly enriching and rewarding….just check out our Testimonials to see what other owners have said about their experiences with us here at CBS.
We are not aware of any other Trainer in Rhode Island that offers this level of comprehensive all-natural, Behavior Training using a Pack of well-balanced dogs.
It’s likely that there are no other trainers in New England (and maybe beyond) harnessing the incredibly all-natural, organic incredibly powerful Power of the Pack
It’s what we call – Dogs Training Dogs!
What EXACTLY is
Allelomimetic Behavior
Social Facilitation
Methodology. Our complex answer to a simple question.
Almost every day we are asked the same question. “What method of training do you use?”
It seems to have become fashionable for trainers, both new and established, to label themselves as one “type” of trainer or another – using a Singular Methodology, if you will.
Take the well-known local area trainer who dropped any natural dog training methods in preference of using eCollars only….or another training company that has adopted the Clicker Training Method only. In our experience, jumping on the current “band-wagon” and adopting the latest training “flavor of the day” method is totally short-sighted and does a deep injustice to those dogs, and owners, who don’t subscribe to that singular method.
There’s just no way possible that every dog will benefit from one single method of training.
So, rather than limiting ourselves, we prefer to look at the potential for any and all methods to have value but more importantly, we adhere to some basic fundamental rules and principles:
- Cynopraxis: “Cynopraxic Training proceeds on the assumption that dogs and people possess a shared capacity to establish relations based on fair exchange. Such training promotes cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes conducive to social competence, cooperation and play. Cynopraxic training objectives are governed by two essential social and life experience criteria: (1) enhance the human dog relationship and (2) improve the dog’s quality of life.”
- Steven R. Lindsay, Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training
- The L.I.M.A. Principle: LIMA is an acronym for Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive.
- This Principle states that, for any dog, any situation and any desired training outcome, a trainer should always use the Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive intervention possible.
- Invasiveness is usually defined as both;
- physically interfering with the dog’s body and personal space,
- altering his routine and diminishing his opportunities for enjoyment.
- Aversiveness is defined as anything the dog would seek to avoid if he could – usually punishment and negative reinforcement.
- Invasiveness is usually defined as both;
- This Principle states that, for any dog, any situation and any desired training outcome, a trainer should always use the Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive intervention possible.
- The Humane Hierarchy, as it applies to dog trainers, is a position statement promulgated by the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) that addresses minimum standards of care. The information provided in the Human Hierarchy recommends standard procedures and practices to be applied in descending order when making decisions regarding training protocols and behavior modification.
- For a detailed understanding of the Humane Hierarchy – Click Here
The following excerpt was takem directly from Steven R. Lindsay’s Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training
- “A dog’s ability and readiness to properly meet the demands of domestic life is only half provided by its biological predisposition (Nature) – the other half is realized by the effects of socialization and training (Nurture). Without the guidance of a calm, assertive and effective Leader, a dog’s social adjustment and ability to respond well to an owner may suffer irreparable damage.
A calm, consistent and assertive owner can assist in guiding a dog’s choices until it is properly socialized and trained to make the correct and “balanced” choices on its own. In order to accept our Leadership, a dog must adopt a submissive and cooperative attitude at a very early stage of development and remain that way for the rest of its life.
In order to obtain true Leadership status, one must establish social limits (not permitting dogs to jump up, bite hands/mouthing, not pull on leash, etc.), maintain personal space limits, and develop a cooperative relationship based on gentle and positive compliance training and be able to apply corrective measures when necessary. As a result of these efforts, the dog will naturally become increasingly affectionate and cooperative. Once basic social boundaries are established, other behavioral objectives are rapidly achieved by presenting or omitting rewards, such as affection, food, play and other activities or resources that the dog may desire to obtain.”
Here's a few common important Questions ...
Owners regularly find countless, and often confusing, options when researching dog training methods available to them. This over-abundance of “methodologies” can create a lot of unnecessary confusion, stress and anxiety for well-meaning dog owners who are just trying to do the right thing for their pups.
Some trainers will even advise owners to pursue training with one single method without any prior knowledge of the dog!
It’s difficult to understand how any trainer can truly believe that ALL dogs will subscribe to one singular method of training. It just makes absolutely no sense to us here, and I’m sure it makes even less “sense” to the dog who finds the “stimulation” on an e-Collar to be “shocking” at best. Some trainers will even spend a good amount of their “professional capital” trying to convince owners that “their way is the best way”.
To us, that is just crazy!
The BEST way is really no secret at all and is widely known by truly qualified trainers. The best way to train ANY dog is the way that the dog finds enjoyable and enriching, intelligible and interesting and is eager to work with. There’s no way possible that ALL dogs find one single training method able to fit these criteria!
This makes little sense and you don’t even need to be a dog professional to understand it.
Here’s how it works (simplified for reading):
- First, when ANY dog arrives here for training, the first order of business is to convince the dog that they are 100% SAFE – by allowing time for natural Acclimation. Generally, this takes between 1-4 days. During this time, we really don’t ask anything of the dog other than to help him or her get comfortable in their new environment. This includes helping them get to know the other dogs here as well as “understanding” the daily schedule.
Our main initial goal is to help the dog to feel safe and as “at home” as possible. We find this starts the dog off on the right paw, so to speak, when training begins. - While nder constant observation, the dog is set up to be housed in a specially designed crate directly adjacent to two other balanced Pack dogs – one on each side of the dog, while the remainder of the Pack are resting comfortably nearby. If the troubled new dog begins to feel anxious or exhibit Separation Related Behaviors….well, it looks to the left and then to the right and observes the balanced dogs it met earlier showing calm relaxation and NO anxiety or stress. This can often occur very quickly and will cause the new dog to “rethink” his or her current behaviors in favor of imitating the behavior of the greater number of dogs present.
If this doesn’t work the very first day….we are quite surprised but we know, as long as we stick with it, the results will always come.
Most owners, as well as many other trainers, simply don’t believe it when I tell them that dogs do not exhibit Separation Anxiety while here in our care. This is something I can almost always guarantee. If you have a dog that has very serious Separation Anxiety….I can almost always guarantee that at least while the dog is in our care…..his or her Separation Related Behaviors will be alleviated.
In severe cases, relief can often take a considerable amount of time but for many, this is a long-awaited break for them and their dog as well!
While it’s true that our all-natural Pack Dynamic Training process is, far and away, the BEST way to help a dog with “dog problems”, this incredible process effectively aids dogs in the total improvement of almost ANY behavior issue or impediment. Often times, simply being too eager can lead to poor behavior.
Spending time with well-behaved dogs allows your dog to begin to establish and practice new Positive Behavioral Patterns. Remember, there’s simply no human alive that can teach another dog about balanced behavior more effectively or efficiently than a group of well-balanced dogs.
Here’s just a short list of the undesirable behaviors we regularly address with our exclusive Pack Dynamic Training process:
- Separation Anxiety (from mild to severe)
- Conspecific Aggression (Dog/Dog)
- Human/Stranger Aggression
- Fears/Phobias
- Jumping Up
- Impulse Control
- Not Coming When Called
- Poor Canine Social Behaviors
- Obedience Command Reliability
- Hyper-Excitability/Over-Stimulation
- And many, many more
All Board & Train Programs include the following: Impulse Control Training, Loose-Leash Walking, very solid Obedience Reliability (Sit, Stay and Recall).
Currently, they number 15. But this could change at any time when we meet a dog that would benefit as much from joining our Pack as we would!
For more information about each Pack member, including their roles and responsibilities….please check out our Meet The Pack page.
That is a great question and one I asked myself for the first few years until I actually realized the daunting amount of work it took me to effectively develop a working Pack. Luckily, I had the foresight to set out on my own multi-year quest to get to where we are today.
The dogs in our Pack did not begin here with us as balanced dogs. Far from it.
I can’t imagine many trainers having the ability to commit to the number or years it takes to obtain and curate a balanced Pack of dogs. The time and costs involved in building a Pack of multiple dogs, caring for (food, vaccinations, Vet care, toys, etc.) and training them…can be quite daunting. Add to this, the fact that you don’t get a “day off” when you own that many dogs. These are all serious “hurdles” that many trainers would not have the ability, or perseverance, to conquer.
That said, I am so very glad that I did!
Another challenge was to overcome the difficulty in actually training a Pack of dogs to be balanced enough to NOT engage with a dog that is exhibiting “high-arousal” behaviors. I guess it would have been far “easier” to press the button on an e-Collar than to work daily, for many years, training a group of dogs to be able to not only help other dogs, but often to fully rehabilitate some very severe behavioral issues.
From my perspective, relying on a “tool” or trick to train dogs to “do what you want” is nothing short of cheating. It doesn’t only cheat the dog….but it cheats the owners as well!
We would NEVER be able to achieve the results we are known for without this Pack of dogs that I have mindfully rescued and trained over the last 10 years. None of these dogs came “trained”….they were all either rescued from homes they were not suited for or from a Shelter or Foster home. They were ALL troubled beyond the owner’s ability to help them. Most had been through numerous “trainers” or unsuccessful programs and were either slated to be euthanized or banished to life in a shelter or bounced around from foster home to foster home. For one reason or another, they ended up here with me and I took it as my duty to help these dogs find peace and behavioral balance. Now….they are giving back to dogs in need on a daily basis.
I love them like they are my immediate family and each and every day that goes by I thank the stars for allowing me to finding these wonderful four-legged-friends.
For more about each Pack member – Click Here!
Why? Because doing things the right way takes time. In short….it takes the amount of time it takes to do it right! To put a short, artificially imposed time-line on the successful modification of behavior, using natural means, makes no sense. Sure, if we wanted to use e-Collars or Pinch Collars on every dog….we could probably change that dogs behavior in 2 weeks too! But, that’s not the “right” way to reach success and unlikely to produce long-term positive results. Here at CBS, we allow the dog the necesssary time to acclimate for the first few days, or longer, and want to ensure the dog is fully comfortable and feeling safe before we begin training.
As a matter of fact, in certain cases, we’ll discuss with the owner the benefit of the dog staying a little longer here in training. And, there is never an extra charge when we request an extension!
I would say this seems to be one of the largest “hurdles” for owners to get past. For many, the thought of sending their dog away for up to 6 weeks seems like an insurmountable sacrifice. We know it must be difficult…but we also know that from the dog’s viewpoint, who really has no clear understanding of the passing of time, it seems like just another day! Thank goodness dogs don’t come here and just wallow while “missing” their owners…..even though this is what many owners believe would happen. It’s simply not the case.
Dog’s find every day here soulfully enriching and wonderfully fulfilling.
I may be a bit biased, but here’s why I would hire us!
- We don’t have a preconceived notion that your dog must be trained in one specific method. Our holistic training philosophy, known as Cynopraxis*, is extremely natural and organic and very “flexible” because we always allow the dog to “tell” us what will “work” best for him or her.
- We strictly adhere to the LIMA Principle as well as the Humane Hierarchy. LIMA is an acronym for Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive. In essence, we consistently utilize the most gentle/friendly techniques and tactics while always minimizing the level or use of aversives. The Humane Hierarchy is a set of guidelines published by the CCPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers) and used by trainers in their decision making process when implementing training and behavior protocols.
- We are the ONLY training company in New England with a working Pack (15) of behaviorally balanced dogs (or working to get there) that have spent the last few years of their lives learning how to help ANY dog at ANY level of need. Our proprietary, all-natural Pack Dynamic Training Method is obviously going to be more enriching to your dog than a traditional Human Trainer Only type training program and we are the ONLY place you can find it!
- Because of the incredible abilities of our human and dog “Pack” – we also offer other highly successful Programs that are designed for dogs and situations that are not as severe in nature. Whether it’s our Basic Manners Puppy Workshop or our Private Session Training done AT YOUR HOME….we have a Training Program that fits the needs of every unique dog and owner team!
Here’s what we know…
By taking a scientifically sound approach to dog training while prioritizing your dog’s needs and motivating factors, we can naturally lead and guide your dog into proper acceptable behaviors without the need for the harsh corrections or intimidation (think shock collars & pinch collars) used by some trainers to achieve quick results. The problem is the potential degrading of the relationship between dog and owner when using “force” methods, as well…those “quick” results almost never last.
Whether you are interested in simply teaching your dog to walk well on a Loose-Leash, or have a dog with severe behavioral issues, we here at Canine Behavioral Services Inc. have the proven professional ability and experience to help your dog vastly improve his or her behavior and set the tone for a future of peace, harmony and behavioral balance!
We know that finding the right trainer for you can be a difficult decision and we truly appreciate and thank you for your time and consideration.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns. We’re here for you 100% of the way!