THE Pack : Big D’s Best Buds

Service area: The business serves the Dallas area, including downtown up to the North Dallas area.

The training programs offered include Puppy/Beginner, Advanced, and Behavior/Single Issues. The Puppy/Beginner program consists of five one-hour sessions over five consecutive weeks, covering fundamental commands like sit, down, stay, come, off, no/leave-it, leash manners, and common puppy behaviors. The Advanced program, also five one-hour sessions over five consecutive weeks, builds on beginner skills by incrementally adding distance, duration, and distraction, focusing on heel, positioning obedience, and the place command.

Behavior/Single Issues sessions are one-hour consultations designed to address specific concerns such as anxiety, aggression, or integrating multiple dogs. Day Camp provides 20 minutes of obedience training in addition to daycare exercise, recommended three days a week for new training. Board & Train programs offer intensive training over 14, 21, or 35 days, covering basic to intermediate obedience and behavior modification. These programs emphasize the owner’s responsibility to maintain and build upon the learned behaviors after the dog returns home, acknowledging that environmental adjustment will still occur.

Pricing Summary

Puppy/Beginner and Advanced obedience programs are $350 for five one-hour sessions ($70/each). Behavior/Single Issues sessions are $80 per hour. Day Care is $25, with an additional $5 fee for pickup after 6 pm. Day Camp, which includes obedience training, costs $50.

Board & Train programs vary in length and price: a 14-day Puppy/Beginner program is $1000, a 21-day Puppy/Beginner Plus program is $1470, and a 35-day Combined Pack program is $2450. All Board & Train programs are priced at $70/day plus the cost of food. A 25% deposit is required at booking to hold the date, with the balance due at drop-off. Clients provide their dog’s kibble, and any additional training treats are included after the first week. Boarding services are available at $40 per night.

Policies

For Board & Train programs, a 25% deposit is required at the time of booking to secure the date, with the remaining balance due upon drop-off of the dog. No other specific cancellation or rescheduling policies are mentioned.

THE Pack, also known as Big D’s Best Buds, is a dog training business led by Larry D Pletcher, an ABCDT-Certified Dog Trainer. They aim to build strong relationships between owners and their dogs based on trust and respect. The business offers a variety of services including dog obedience, behavior modification, day care, day camp, board and train programs, and general boarding.

Larry emphasizes a balanced training approach, focusing on positive reinforcement while acknowledging that fair and judicious corrections may be necessary for safety and to stop unwanted behaviors. He believes in structured play and human leadership, and he is open to using various tools like collars, leashes, martingale collars, prong collars, and remote collars, stressing that proper use is key.

The business serves clients in the Dallas area, including downtown up to North Dallas, offering flexible training locations at the client’s home or their facility. Larry’s philosophy centers on patience, consistency, and persistence, adapting training to each dog’s individual needs. He also provides insights through blog posts on topics such as the importance of owner-dog play, acclimation for rescue dogs, and the proper use of training equipment.

Accomplishments

Larry D Pletcher is an ABCDT-Certified Dog Trainer. He has expanded his knowledge through reading numerous books, watching videos, attending webinars, and consulting with experienced trainers.

How to Get Started!

Clients typically initiate contact by reaching out with their dog’s specific training needs or inquiries about programs. The trainer, Larry D Pletcher, then responds to discuss the situation and arrange a consult to develop a training plan. For Board & Train services, a 25% deposit is required to hold the booking date.