Unleashed Abilities: Coaching People, Training Dogs

Unleashed Abilities offers distinct programs for puppies (under six months) and dogs (over six months), along with behavior modification services.

For puppies, the programs include Puppy 101, a customized one-hour session covering essential topics like crate and potty training, puppy biting, and socialization. Polite Puppy is a four-week program with weekly owner coaching sessions, focusing on core commands such as name, attention, wait, sit, down, come, stay, leave it, and drop it. Polite Puppy Field Trips, a prerequisite to Polite Puppy, are designed to build confidence in real-world settings, introducing puppies to new environments, sights, and sounds. Puppy Headstart, their most popular puppy program, combines trainer-led school days with owner coaching sessions, available in 4-pack or 8-pack options, focusing on early exposure, basic commands, and confidence-building.

For dogs over six months, training begins with an Initial Consultation, a one-hour session for assessment, immediate strategies, and a success plan. The Basic Fundamentals program addresses adolescent to young adult dogs, aiming to enhance expectations and techniques. This program offers two options: DIY Weekly Sessions, a five-week program where owners learn to train their dogs alongside a trainer, covering skills like attention, polite walking, wait, sit, down, stay, and come. Alternatively, Day School involves a trainer working one-on-one with the dog in various locations, followed by owner coaching sessions to transfer skills.

Behavior Modification services focus on addressing underlying emotions to help dogs feel confident and optimistic, tackling issues such as anxiety, dog-child safety, multi-dog household dynamics, stranger danger, and separation anxiety.

Pricing Summary

Initial Consultation for dogs over six months is $150 for a one-hour session. Puppy 101 is also $150 for a 60-minute owner coaching session.

For Basic Fundamentals, the DIY Weekly Sessions program is $925 for six 1-hour owner coaching sessions. The Day School option is $2450, including twelve 1-hour private tutoring sessions and four 1-hour owner coaching sessions.

For puppies, the Polite Puppy program is $675 for four 1-hour owner coaching sessions. Polite Puppy Field Trips are also $675 for four 1-hour field trip sessions. The Puppy Headstart program offers a 4-Pack for $1,950 (four 2-hour school days and four 1-hour owner coaching sessions) and an 8-Pack for $2,950 (eight 2-hour school days and four 1-hour owner coaching sessions). No refunds are offered on training packages, and all classes must be taken within six months of the date of the first session.

Policies

No refunds are offered on training packages. All classes must be taken within six months of the date of the first session.

Unleashed Abilities: Coaching People, Training Dogs is a dog training business serving Northern Virginia. They offer customized training programs for puppies and dogs over six months, focusing on developing good habits and positive behaviors. Their approach is deeply rooted in the principles of ‘Atomic Habits’, emphasizing small, consistent changes, immediate rewards, and creating a conducive environment for effective learning.

They aim to help owners understand their dogs better and communicate effectively, which strengthens the bond between them. Unleashed Abilities provides services for puppy training, basic obedience, and behavior modification, ensuring a tailored approach for each dog’s unique needs. Their professional trainers are CCPDT-certified.

Accomplishments

The trainers at Unleashed Abilities are professional and CCPDT-certified. Stephanie holds the CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed) designation.

Keri, the founder and lead trainer, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from American University. She taught in Fairfax County Public Schools for 13 years, specializing in working with Twice Exceptional students. Keri has integrated her love for children and animals by implementing a program using a bunny as a therapeutic tool for a child with autism and co-founding an animal intervention program at a transitional home for abused and neglected children. Keri and her German Shepherd, Raina, have completed their Therapy Dog Certification with Therapy Dogs, Inc.

How to Get Started!

For dogs over six months of age, the process begins with an Initial Consultation. This one-hour session includes an assessment, helpful strategies for immediate concerns, and a plan for success. Following this, clients receive a written summary and a suggested Plan of Action.

For puppies, the starting point is the Puppy 101 session, which is a customized 60-minute owner coaching session designed to get owners and their puppies on the right track.