Understanding Your Dog, LLC

Understanding Your Dog offers private one-on-one training sessions at their facility, allowing owners and their dogs to learn together at a comfortable pace with personalized programs and flexible scheduling. These sessions focus on helping canines be balanced and well-adjusted, with techniques that are easy to understand and customized to fit individual needs, from basic to advanced training or problem-solving specific behaviors.

They also provide “Special Fast-Track Training” which are one-hour, one-on-one sessions focused on a single specific issue chosen by the owner, such as recall, greeting guests, barking, counter surfing, leash pulling, play biting, riding in the car, or persistent jumping/biting. Group socialization classes are available for all ages, adults, and puppies, aimed at strengthening the bond and increasing social skills. Specific group classes include Canine Good Citizen, Puppy 101, and Trick Training for Dogs. Additionally, they host free online dog talks and seminars like the “Third Thursday Free Dog Training Seminars” for owners of rescue puppies or dogs.

Pricing Summary

Fast-Track Training sessions are priced at $80 per session for one dog. One-on-One private training offers a package of six sessions for $550, with a $100 application fee that is applied to the first session. Facility rental for child’s birthday parties is $250 for a 2-hour rental.

Policies

For One-on-One and Dog Walking services, cancellations must be made with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice via phone call, text message, or email, otherwise the full amount for the session or walk will be payable. For regular dog walking arrangements without a defined end, a two-week notice is required for termination of the agreement.

For Fast-Track Training, all dogs must wear a collar/harness and a clip leash at all times, with retractable leashes not permitted. Owners are required to disclose any aggressive history their dog may have towards other dogs or humans. The trainer reserves the discretion to determine each dog’s participation. The training approach emphasizes that effective dog training requires cooperation from the owner in practicing techniques, and the trainer is not responsible if undesirable behaviors persist, acknowledging factors like upbringing, breeding, and genetics are outside their control.

Understanding Your Dog, LLC is a dog training business based in Salisbury, North Carolina, led by experienced dog trainer Theresa Pitner. Their mission is to help people and their dogs achieve the best possible relationship by providing training that is easy for humans to understand and implement. Theresa’s unique perspective, gained from over 20 years as a social worker, emphasizes teaching the human as the first step to improving the bond with their family dog.

They offer a variety of services including private one-on-one sessions, specialized fast-track training for specific issues, and group socialization classes. Beyond training, Understanding Your Dog also provides professional dog walking services with individualized care, full-service dog grooming, and hosts special events like seminars and free online dog talks. They even offer their facility for children’s dog-themed birthday parties.

The business focuses on strengthening the bond between owners and their dogs, increasing dogs’ social skills, and addressing specific behavioral challenges. They believe that dogs of all ages can learn and thrive when owners understand how their dogs learn and how to communicate effectively with them.

Accomplishments

Theresa Pitner, the experienced dog trainer for Understanding Your Dog, has worked with people and their canines since 2000, accumulating over 20 years of experience. She holds certifications as an ABCDT and CPDT-KA, and is AKC Certified for S.T.A.R. Puppy and Canine Good Citizen programs. Her background includes more than 20 years as a social worker, which provides her with a unique perspective on teaching humans to understand and improve their relationship with their family dog. The business is associated with reputable organizations such as the AKC, APDT, Pet Professional Guild (PPG), CCPDT, and Family Paws.

How to Get Started!

To get started, clients can register for services through online forms available on the website for One-on-One sessions, Fast-Track Training, and Dog Walking. These forms typically require personal information, dog information (including name, breed, age, sex, spay/neuter status, and vaccination records for dog walking), emergency contact details, and a list of behaviors to work on. For the Free Online Dog Talk, interested individuals need to RSVP by filling out a form to receive the Zoom link. The business encourages potential clients to contact them directly via their contact page for inquiries.