About Us
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Who is behind OnDog Training Academy?
A husband-and-wife team, Jake and Jenny Schneider (along with their "Co-Woofers"), who have been training dogs together from their home in Minnesota for nearly two decades.
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What kind of training business is this?
Dog Training comes in many forms... OnDog was created to enable us to serve more pet parents digitally than we ever could meet in person - through various content creation channels and paid virtual services such as coaching and courses.
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Can you guarantee behavior results?
No, that would be unethical, and no responsible professional pet trainer would... there is no sure way to control all of the factors that go into your dog's behavior, including (but not limited to) genetics, early learning, environment, prior training, and the way you interact with your dog on a daily basis.
Training Philosophy
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Do you use positive reinforcement dog training?
Absolutely! But that is just one of four quadrants of operant conditioning (behavior modification) that we might utilize. We also use classical conditioning, desensitization & counterconditioning, and have taken advantage of observational learning while working with groups of dogs (in person).
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What kind of trainers are you considered?
We largely follow "LIMA" (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) guidelines, allowing the dog to learn primarily without undue stress. But because we don't limit ourselves to positive reinforcement only, (sometimes implementing light corrections/mild punishments) we may be referred to as being "Balanced Trainers", rather than "Force-Free".
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Do you use or recommend harsh training methods?
No... but 'harsh' can be a subjective term that can cover a huge spectrum of training methods and equipment. We avoid 'dominance theory' protocols such as alpha rolling or resource taking, over-the-top corrections, and purposely causing physical pain. However if, after every effort has been made to help a pet parent with their dog using less aversive means, and they are considering rehoming or euthanasia, we may suggest trying a hands-off/less combative approach such as a tone/buzz collar.
"Remote PAWS"
Course Information
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What is "Remote PAWS" for/about?
This course was designed to teach remote (or work-from-home) pet parents effective strategies to prevent a variety of common behavior problems through our Proactive Dog Training Lifestyle. This course is a great prep before you get your puppy and/or for troubleshooting mild behavior issues.
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What 'common' behaviors can this help me with?
The "PAWS Method" can help with potty/house training, counter-cruising/surfing, stealing items (and playing keep away), destructive chewing, barking, jumping, bolting out the door, eating things they shouldn't, and even picking on the housecat.
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What would be beyond the scope of the material?
Although this course can HELP with serious behavior issues such as aggression, anxiety, fears/phobias, (and doesn't teach things that could make the problem worse), it was not designed to fully address these problems. We also Don't cover ALL of the basic obedience commands - that is inside our more comprehensive course, "Welcome Home!".
"Welcome Home!"
Course Information
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What is "Welcome Home!" for/about?
Our first course was designed to be an all-in-one course & community program that teaches pet parents how to train their dog to be well-behaved through consistency so they can be proud to bring them places. It includes everything from setting up your environment and choosing your care team, puppy socialization and crate training, to all of the basic obedience exercises and manners, and troubleshooting training problems.
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What obedience exercises are covered?
(Marker Training), Name Game, SIT, DOWN, COME (recalls), HEEL (loose-leash walking), WAIT, STAY, RELEASE, OFF, LEAVE IT, GIVE/DROP IT
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Is there overlapping information in both courses?
Some - because some things are just too important to leave out... but we believe you'll get all of the value as described on each course page (and more!). Each course has its own style and unique features that make it worth investing in both if you want to cover everything it takes to raise a great dog!
Getting Started
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Can we work together if I don't have my puppy yet?
YES - Please!!! It's a dog trainer's dream to get in on the ground floor (so to speak) to help you not only mold your 'new ball of clay', but to help ensure that the one you pick is right for you and your family's lifestyle/personality, preferences, and needs.
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How can I figure out where to start??
Navigate through our website to learn more about each of our service offerings... if you still are not sure which one is right for you, please email us. If you'd like to meet to get a feel for how we train, consider starting with a one-hour Zoom coaching session.
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Do you provide any free resources?
Yes, we have a variety of things for you to check out to learn more about us, our experience/credentials, training styles and beliefs, recommendations, and what you can do to get started with your dog today. Please Note: we do not currently have our own blog nor do we have ads on our website (and have not yet monetized our YouTube channel or Podcast) - we primarily rely on paying students (& tips) for revenue.
Pricing
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How much does Private Coaching cost?
Our main hourly rate for 2024 is $85/hour
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How much is the "Remote PAWS" Course?
The "Remote PAWS" regular price is currently $149
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How much is the "Welcome Home!" Course?
The "Welcome Home!" regular price is currently $249
Dogs
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How old should my dog be for training?
ANY Age! :-) With our methods, it's never too soon to start training (though they should stay with the litter/mom until at least 8 weeks of age). On the flip side, Older dogs are NOT a lost cause... learning can happen at any time and behavior is fluid (good/bad).
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What breeds do you work with?
We work with ALL breeds of dogs. We've been boarding & training them in our home since 2009, so we have personal experience living with a wide variety... we also have intimate knowledge of Basset Hounds, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retrievers, and Yorkshire Terriers. (we've also owned 2 cats)
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Do you need to see my dog's behavior to help me?
No, not usually... our motto when doing Behavior Consultations was "I don't have to see it to treat it". Oftentimes, we can identify what's going on based on your description and some clarifying questions. We believe that "practice makes perfect" so we first want to stop the practice of the unwanted behavior.
Services
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Do you offer any in-person services?
Currently, OnDog Training Academy is online only... however, we may travel for Mondioring trials (because Jake is a judge) in the near future, in which case we might make an exception if we happen to be in a town near you! (different rates may apply)
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Can you give me an overview of your services?
Yes, we currently have two self-paced Courses, we do Pet Proof Home Audits (our specialty), one-on-one coaching sessions for obedience, manners, behavior issues, AKC Rally-O, Mondioring (and other protection sports), and periodically hold Webinars. We also have a Podcast ("Learn, Laugh, Bark"), a YouTube channel, social media pages, digital products for sale, and affiliate links (programs coming soon). In addition, we often collaborate with other content creators/companies to build awareness and provide value for other audiences.
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How soon can we schedule private coaching?
Most of the time, you should be able to find a time slot open within 1-2 weeks via our Calendly link.
Live Sessions
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What are your live (Zoom) sessions for?
Our live sessions are similar to what other creators may call 'office hours'... We have included 2 open-format live sessions per month through 2024 inside our newest Course, "Remote PAWS", to help students by talking things out (in addition to email support).
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How long are the live sessions?
Most run for about 1 hour, but we do want to make sure to answer as many questions as we can. Things go much smoother when students complete their pre-session surveys ahead of time to vote on the exercises and topics for the day (and pre-submit Q's).
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When are the live sessions held?
Besides July 3rd, we meet every other week on Wednesdays at 2pm Central Time. All dates are listed inside of the "Remote PAWS" course. If you are unable to attend live, don't worry - all sessions are recorded and uploaded into the course as well.