Off The Leash Academy

Off The Leash Academy offers three main program types:

**Dog University (Resident Board and Train)**: This is a comprehensive, immersive in-home program where the dog lives with the trainer and their family 24/7. It addresses a wide range of behavioral issues like aggression, jumping, counter-surfing, resource guarding, fear, insecurity, and separation anxiety. The program teaches basic manners and obedience commands, including on and off-leash skills, in real-world situations and public places. Owners can monitor progress via Facebook and video clips, and the program includes on-site return training and continued support for the dog’s lifetime.

**Private Lessons**: These lessons are conducted at the trainer’s home, where the owner learns to be their dog’s trainer with the guidance of the professional. This option is suitable for owners who have time for daily training and want to understand the “how, what, and why” of their dog’s behavior. It addresses issues such as jumping, barking, leash pulling, housebreaking, and minor reactivity. Serious aggression or severe separation anxiety cases are not addressed in private lessons and require the Board and Train program.

**Puppy Grade K-9**: This program focuses on teaching puppies to live successfully in homes, prioritizing housebreaking, social behavior, confidence building, and eliminating biting/destructive behavior. It includes a free “First Step” private consultation before or after the puppy arrives, covering various foundational topics. The “Puppy Elementary” is a 2 to 6-week in-home program for puppies over 14 weeks, building on the consultation topics with obedience, games, socialization, and confidence-building exercises. A 6-week program aims for off-leash readiness.

**Special Services**: These services build upon the Dog University training, offering advanced skill training such as advanced retrieval, advanced heel work (e.g., for running or biking partners), swimming, service skills (e.g., picking up dropped items), training for special events (weddings, proposals), and preparing dogs for commercials or movies.

Pricing Summary

The “First Step” puppy consultation is included at no charge. The Resident Good Dog University program is their #1 program and is always in demand with a waitlist. Enrollment in a Board and Train program requires an evaluation or interview to determine suitability.

Policies

Graduation from a program is not the end of training; continued instruction and guidance from the owner are required, especially for serious issues. The trainer provides continued support for as long as the client owns their dog. For serious issues like aggression, owners must commit time to improving their dog’s behavior and follow all instructions, which may include withholding excessive affection or restricting freedom.

Off The Leash Academy is a professional dog training business based in Southwest Florida, serving Naples, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Marco Island, Cape Coral, and North Fort Myers. They aim to help dog owners build a strong relationship with their pets, resolve behavioral issues, and achieve a happy, well-mannered family dog.

They offer comprehensive training programs designed to open communication lines between owners and their dogs, reduce stress, and allow families to enjoy their pets without nuisance behaviors. The academy emphasizes a customized approach, recognizing that every dog, owner, and situation is unique.

Their services include Resident (In Home) Board and Train programs, Private Lessons, and specialized Puppy Training. They address a wide range of issues from basic manners and obedience to complex behavioral problems like aggression, separation anxiety, and resource guarding. They also offer unique “Special Skill Training” to build upon learned behaviors for advanced tasks and events.

Accomplishments

Adam Diederich, the main trainer, has been training for nearly ten years. He is a graduate of the National K9 Dog Training School in Columbus, Ohio, and Edison College in Fort Myers, Florida. He gained experience learning from several top trainers and worked with Shiloh K9, focusing on Police and Protection dogs, and later with Martin Deeley at The Florida Dog Trainer. Justin Batdorf, an assistant trainer, is a Florida native and a graduate of the master dog trainer school at Highland Canine in North Carolina.

How to Get Started!

To enroll in a Board and Train program, an evaluation of the dog or an interview with the owner is required to determine if it’s the right option. For all services, potential clients are encouraged to call to schedule an evaluation. The trainer offers an opportunity to meet and determine if they are the right fit before any commitments are made.