What services do you offer?

We offer a variety of training services including Private Lessons to involve the entire family, Group Lessons for socialization and training with distractions, Rehabilitative Training for dogs that have been through a lot in life, and in-depth, all-encompassing Board and Train programs to cater to your every need while bringing the highest level of training possible!!

 

Where are you located?

Our office location is at 721 N. Harrisburg St., Steelton, Pennsylvania.

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What are your hours?

We can be reached 24/7, as we strive to have the best customer service and experience possible!

 

Do you offer any discounts?

Yes! We offer a military, first responder, and healthcare provider discount as well as other discounts. Please give us a call (717) 255-4567 or email us at incommanddogtraining@gmail.com for additional information!

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Can you help my aggressive dog?

We work with dogs on all spectrums of aggression. However, aggressive dogs generally require much more focused attention and time in order to be properly trained. Our Board and Train programs provide a focused environment where they can remove bad habits, calm fear and anxiety and develop a solid routine. This makes our Board and Train programs a great match for dogs exhibiting aggression.

 

What happens if I don't get the results I want from the training?  Is there a guarantee?

As there are many variables involved to create a well-behaved, happy, balanced dog, including owner commitment, consistency, and follow-through, it would be unethical for us to offer a 100% guarantee. However, we only choose the most dedicated and diligent owners so, in our experience, no matter how severe the issues, we consistently see breakthrough results and amazing transformations. We have never come across a dog we could not help; there is no breed, age, or history that we can’t help. We work hand in hand as a team in your dog’s training and rehabilitation. This process of teamwork and collaboration begins before we even meet your dog, to the assessment, moves through the training process, and continues long after your dog has gone home. Once you decide to partner with us, we consider you part of the In Command Dog Training family, and you and your dog’s success is our utmost priority.

 

Is the investment worth it?

The investment in training is well worth it to provide you and your dog with a start to a wonderful relationship or to repair your current relationship. A training program is the best, most important gift you can give your dog and will mean much more than all the toys and treats you buy over the dog’s lifetime. As a result of the training program you choose, your dog and you will have a great life. Just think, going on enjoyable walks or when friends/family are over, your dog can hang out and spend time with everyone with no issues, and not constantly worrying that your dog does or may do something wrong. You have to decide if it is worth it to you to have an enjoyable, happy, well trained dog rather than a dog that has behaviors that have become a nuisance to you, your family, and friends.

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Will my dog listen when it comes home?

Many people worry that their dog will not listen to them once it comes homes. As long as the owner continues to practice the training that they learned there will be no issue with the dog listening at home. Additionally, it is the owner’s responsibility to contact us with any questions or issues so that the issues can be addressed quickly and effectively. Typically, when an owner is having an issue it is because they, not the dog, have forgotten something, this is why we strongly encourage you to contact us! The owner must enforce rules at home and the dog will have no problem respecting the owner just as it did the trainer. The lessons you receive from our team will show you how to be the leader so that your dog will follow the commands we have taught it. In short, whether the dog continues to obey will depend on the owner. If the dog is allowed to go back to its old ways because the owner does not keep up the training, then the fault is on the owner. This is just like someone who hires a personal trainer to lose weight or improve athletic ability and then after losing the weight or running a marathon, goes right back to eating and not exercising, what’s going to happen…the person will revert to their previous physical status. Those owners that work with their dogs at home after the board and train program report great results after a few days at home! Additionally, think about the service dogs, therapy dogs, drug detection dogs, and personal protection dogs that are trained by experts first and then are transferred to a handler, dogs are adaptable in that they can be trained by one individual and then be transferred to another for ownership or service. Dogs trained for the mentioned disciplines are all trained in a similar in-kennel manner and the owners/handlers do not interact with the dogs until the dogs have completed training.

 

After training a dog, how long does the training “last”?

Animals learn and change their habits throughout their life. This continual learning is important because an animal in the wild that stops learning won’t be able to adapt to its environment and survive. Because of this innate need in dogs, it’s important to “always keep training”. When it comes to training, if you don’t put your dog’s skills into practice regularly or to provide consistent follow up, they can start to slip out of their good habit and develop unwanted behaviors. This is why we believe in having a training-first community where we build long term relationships with our clients and their dogs. Dog training isn’t just a “one-and-done” activity – it is a lifestyle.

 

Do you use only positive reinforcement?

While we do use a great deal of positive reinforcement, we use Operant Conditioning. Reinforcing good behaviors is definitely important and deserves focus. However, it’s equally important to correct undesirable behavior as it is to give rewards for good behavior. If both are not done when needed, then the dog will continue to be confused as to which behavior you want and a good habit will not be formed.

 

Do you use food in your training?

Our training system is reward based through inclusion in daily activities, gentle praise, and building a working relationship together.  We will assess your dog completely to identify what drives your dog the most for efficient training.  Whether it be food, toys, or just good ‘ole fashion verbal praise, by identifying what your dog is driven by the most, we can unlock so much more of that untapped potential!  Just as with any dog training, the beginning of the training process may require giving rewards a bit more frequently but as they begin to understand what you are asking of them, the rewards will become more spaced out so that we don’t create a dependency on getting rewarded every single time!  Your dog should listen to you—whether you have treats or not! We want a dog to respond to its owner because they respect and understand what is being asked, not because they are being bribed by food/toys.  In Command Dog Training takes a balanced approach to dog training by using Operant Conditioning and using effective, fun, and easy methods customized to meet you and your dog’s needs to create well behaved dogs with a relaxed state-of-mind.  We do that through leadership, duration work, lots of repetition/practice, and consistent commands/expectations.  Our goal is for dogs to understand inside and out what the owner is asking of it, so that they can trust their dog to do what they are told–and the dog can trust their owner to be consistent in what they are saying.  Can their hard work pay-off with a food reward?  Absolutely!

 

What training tools do you use?

We believe that dog training is NOT a one-size-fits-all system. Every dog has different needs, triggers, and motivators. We have a variety of training tools available and are committed to working with dogs and their owners to find the best fit for reaching their goals and needs. These tools range from basic collars and leashes, to prong collars and electronic remote collars.

 

What should I bring when I come for my dog’s training program?

When your dog joins us for their Board and Train program, all you’ll need to bring is their collar and leash, enough of their own food to last their stay and any necessary medications. We will provide bedding, bowls, water and treats during their stay.

 

Can you tell me about prong collars?   

Yes, of course.  Prong collars are excellent tools of communication to dogs.  Here is a quick lesson about what prong collars are designed to do:

When puppies are born and learning how to be puppies with their litter-mates, the mother dog is solely responsible for keeping them in line.  When mother dogs need to correct their puppies for undesirable behavior, they will gently bite the puppy on the nose/snout or on the neck.  This provides a swift, yet firm correction that the puppies respond to immediately.  A prong collar is a simulation of the same bite that a dog would receive from its mother.  It gives us humans the ability to actually speak their language and communicate with them in ways that other training devices simply do not achieve.  While it is true that prong collars may look a bit menacing when being worn, they are still safer than a lot of other collars and rope leashes.  Here is a brief list of just a few of the advantages of prong collar use:

• Less pressure on the neck means less likelihood of doing any damage to their trachea (choke chains, rope leashes, martingale collars, and standard collars all place consistent pressure on their necks which is why you may hear them hacking and coughing while you walk them)

• Sitting loosely on the neck instead of pulled taught causes less irritation and won’t pull out/rub off fur on their neck

• Faster training results which leads to less overall time that a training collar is even necessary

This is not to say that prong collars can not be used incorrectly because they certainly can.  We never suggest any owner use a prong collar without consulting with a professional trainer and receiving appropriate training to best utilize their collar.  Prong collars are designed to work with swift, firm corrections and not consistent pressure and the appropriate techniques should be learned before any use whatsoever!