To say a dog is trained, does not necessarily mean it has to be a star competitor. It means that the owner is completely happy and satisfied with his or her dog, whether the dog has been trained for tracking, obedience, protection, or to be a loyal and trustworthy pet. And the dog should leave its training at least as happy and well adjusted as when it started. The owner should be comfortable with the training the dog has received and the dog is well-trusted.

We refer to our training as "real life training". We can train dogs to be national champions, which we have done. But our aim with champion competitors, or dogs which are to be trustworthy pets, is to produce a dog which in any situation, on or off leash, behaves itself and listens to its owner and master.

---

Following are a few points to consider about our training...

Socialization

We know through experience, that the first and most important aspect of training is socialization. We believe that most problems begin with a lack of socialization. Unfortunately, most people misunderstand this subject. Visit nearly any obedience school and what do you see? How often have you seen dogs off leash, playing together? By far, the most common picture seen is of dogs all on leash, or in crates. When a dog tries to play with another, it is usually pulled away from the other dog. By so doing, the dog becomes frustrated, increasing the likelihood that he or she will be further restrained the next time, potentially leading to aggressive behavior. Proper socialization will dramatically affect how the dog behaves with and around other dogs, people, and animals. On the same note, it is equally detrimental that the dog receives correct socialization. If the dog experiences socialization in the wrong kind of environment, with the wrong kinds of people, and with the wrong kinds of dogs, it can be more damaging to the character of the dog than if it were not socialized at all. Therefore, it is very important that we shape our puppies consciously. At Red Star Kennel, we will come up with a plan for your puppy depending on its specific character and your desired goals.

Pack Order/Respect

Pack order simply means the system of ranking in your human pack. A dog should understand this easily because of the fact that they are pack animals, and generally have no problems taking orders from a higher rank once rank is established. This is used heavily in shaping general behavior skills and manners. It is very important that the animal understands that the owner/handler is alpha, and that there is no question as to this. We can show you gentle techniques to use with your puppy to help in shaping pack order, and establishing your own hierarchy.

Obedience

Obedience is the foundation of your working relationship with your dog. By training obedience you establish a bond and level of trust that cannot be duplicated. At Red Star Kennel we use only motivational methods to teach all of our dogs, with very few exceptions. Each dog may require a different method of motivation, and for that we need to look at the specific team and find a system that works not only for the dog, but the handler also. For example, we would not teach a German Shepherd to play tug if we are training him for a 70 year old handler. At Red Star Kennel we design a system of interaction based on your needs, abilities, and goals. We believe that proper obedience training will lay the groundwork for all future training endeavors, as well as be the most practical set of tools we could use in day to day life.

Protection

We feel that a protection trained dog may be one of the biggest misconceptions of our day and age. When most think of a protection trained dog, they think of a dog lunging at the end of the leash or behind the fence, barking and snarling looking like it ready to go after anything within biting distance. This could not be any farther from the truth. In all reality, a protection trained dog is a model citizen. Neither friendly, or suspicious outside the home, they go about there own business. In many ways a dog trained in this discipline becomes safer after training. Giving it an outlet for these natural drives, the dogs often become more settled in its overall behavior. At Red Star Kennel, we can train dogs in many different forms of protection. Again, we will design a program to suit your overall needs and goals.

---

Our awards section is a track record of our commitment to quality and excellence in training: