Cat’s Canine Academy

Cat’s Canine Academy offers a two-part obedience program designed to prepare both the dog and the owner for new expectations in their relationship.

Part 1 consists of 3 to 8 sessions within a two-week period, with each session lasting 20-75 minutes depending on the dog’s attention span and attitude. During this part, the trainer teaches the dog all on-leash commands, such as heel, sit, stay, down, and come, and addresses specific behavioral issues. The trainer performs all the work, and owners are encouraged but not required to watch. A demonstration of the dog’s understanding is provided at the conclusion of Part 1.

Part 2 involves a minimum of two sessions, each lasting 45-60 minutes, where the trainer instructs the owner on how to properly work with their dog. Owners learn to get proper responses amidst no distraction and mild distractions, including pedestrians, other animals, and cars. Sessions can take place in various environments like veterinarians’ offices, pet stores, and parks. Part 2 can extend to include off-leash training if desired, and owner involvement is required.

Pricing Summary

An evaluation fee ranges from $115 to $175, depending on location, but this fee is waived if a program is purchased at the time of the evaluation. If a program is purchased later, the evaluation fee is deducted from the program cost.

Part 1, or combination training, includes the dog’s train-up and at least 3 follow-up lessons. The average cost for Part 1 is $1395 – $1795, with aggression cases or specialized training (like off-leash or operant conditioning) potentially being higher. The price for Part 1 is set after an evaluation and will not change, even if additional sessions are needed due to slower progress.

Part 2 follow-up lessons cost $115+ per lesson, depending on your location. Multiple dog discounts are also available and are determined on a case-by-case basis.

Cat’s Canine Academy is a personal dog training company based in Houston, Texas, providing professional dog obedience training in the Greater Houston area. They offer tailored dog training programs for new puppies, problematic dogs, and everything in between.

A key advantage of Cat’s Canine Academy is their personal training approach, which customizes the program to your dog’s unique personality and character. This allows them to evaluate your dog, tap into their strengths, and address specific issues like housebreaking, chewing, play biting, jumping, aggression, or destruction.

Training takes place in your home, which is considered the proper environment for dogs to learn with minimal distractions. This also allows the trainers to specifically address home-specific distractions that might not be present in group classes or board-and-train programs.

Accomplishments

Cat’s Canine Academy employs highly educated, certified, and experienced staff who have worked with a wide variety of dogs, from Certified Contraband Detection Canines to lap dogs. Their qualifications include a Degree in Animal Science (Animal Behavior and Psychology) from Texas A&M.

Staff members are Certified in Private Investigation for Protection Dogs (1999) and Certified Contraband Detection Dog handlers (1997 – 1998). They have been members of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers since 2001. Their experience spans formal agility training, tracking, performance dogs, service dogs, protection training, rehabilitation, severe aggression cases, severe abuse cases, and separation anxiety, as well as training very young puppies.

How to Get Started!

To begin, an evaluation of your dog is conducted, typically lasting 45-60 minutes. During this time, the trainer will discuss specific issues you wish to address and help you prioritize desired behaviors. The trainer will then briefly work with your dog to assess their responsiveness to training. Based on this information, a customized program will be designed to suit your needs and your dog’s approach to learning. The evaluation fee is deducted from the program cost if you decide to purchase a program later.