Before your call
How to get the most from a virtual dog training session
A virtual session is coaching for you, so the value depends on what you bring to it. Owners who arrive with a clear goal, a few facts and a short video usually leave with a plan they can start that evening.
Pick the goal
Choose one or two problems, not ten.
The most useful sessions focus. If your dog pulls on the leash, barks at the window, jumps on guests and steals socks, pick the one that makes daily life hardest and the one that worries you most. Often they overlap: a dog who lunges at other dogs on walks may also be the one barking at the window, and the same plan helps both.
Write the goal as something you could see. Walk past the neighbor's fence without lunging is a goal. Be calmer is not. A specific goal lets our team build specific steps and lets you tell, two weeks later, whether things have improved.
- One main problem and one secondary problem
- Written as a behavior you can see
- The situation where it happens most
- What you have already tried and what happened
Prepare
Prepare these five things before the call.
A little preparation saves most of the session for problem solving instead of background questions. Do these in the days before your booking, in roughly this order.
- Write a short history: your dog's age, breed or mix, how long you have had him, health issues, and when the problem started.
- Keep a three-day note of every time the problem happens: time, place, trigger, what your dog did and what you did.
- Film two or three short clips of the behavior from a safe distance, and never set up a situation that could hurt someone just to film it.
- Gather your gear: the leash, collar or harness you use, the treats your dog likes and any tools you are unsure about.
- List your questions and put the most important one at the top so it gets answered first.
The setup
Set up your space so our team can see what matters.
If you join by Zoom, use a phone or laptop with a charged battery and prop it where it can see you and the dog, at a height that shows the floor. Do the call where the problem happens when you can: by the front door for door rushing, by the living room window for barking at passersby, in the kitchen for counter surfing. Have the dog on leash or behind a gate so you can move him safely.
Phone calls work well too, especially for decision questions like choosing a breed or planning an introduction. Sit somewhere quiet, keep your notes in front of you, and have your clips ready to send if our team asks for them.
- Device charged and propped at floor height
- The call held in the room where the problem happens
- Dog on leash or behind a gate
- Everyone who handles the dog present
On the call
During the session, practice while you are coached.
When our head trainer suggests a leash hold, a cue or a way to position your body, try it on camera while you are still talking. It is far easier to correct timing and hand position live than to fix a habit later. Ask for the reason behind each step, because knowing why helps you adjust when your dog does something unexpected.
Take notes in your own words: the cue, the setup, how many repetitions, and what to do if it goes wrong. If several family members handle the dog, have each one try the key skill so nobody walks away with only half the plan.
After the call
Start within a day and know when virtual is not enough.
Practice the first step within 24 hours, while the details are fresh, and keep sessions short: five minutes twice a day beats an hour on the weekend. Log each practice so you can see progress. When you want another plan, a follow-up session is booked like the first one, through our virtual dog training page.
Be realistic about the format. A $99 virtual session by phone or Zoom coaches you; it does not train your dog with hands-on work. A dog who has bitten or is a danger to people or other dogs needs an in-person professional, and sudden behavior changes go to a vet first. Greater Houston families can also book private lessons with our team in person.
The programs
Book your virtual session.
One-on-one by phone or Zoom, anywhere in the US, for $99.
$99per session
Phone or Zoom, anywhere in the US
Virtual consultation with our head trainer
One-on-one guidance for behavior, a new dog, introductions or a new puppy.
Should my dog be in the room during a virtual session?
Usually yes, especially for training problems, because our team can watch how your dog responds and coach your timing live. Keep the dog on leash or behind a gate. For decision calls, such as choosing a breed before you have a dog, there is no dog to bring.
Phone or Zoom: which is better?
Zoom helps when our team needs to see the dog, the room or your leash handling. A phone call works well for planning and decision questions, like preparing for a second dog or choosing between a breeder and a rescue. Both are $99 for a one-on-one session.
What should I film before the session?
Two or three short clips of the problem behavior, filmed from a safe distance in the place it usually happens. Include a few seconds before the behavior so the trigger is visible. Never stage a situation that could put a person or another dog at risk.
Can I bring more than one problem?
Yes, but rank them. Lead with the one that affects daily life most or worries you most, and list the rest. Many behaviors share a cause, so the plan for the main problem often helps others. A focused session gives you steps you can actually follow.
What if my dog has bitten someone?
Tell our team before booking. A virtual session can help with general management questions, but a dog with a bite history or one that is a danger to people or other dogs needs an in-person professional who can assess and work with him directly.
Virtual session, $99
Bring one goal and a short clip.
Book a $99 virtual session by phone or Zoom and our team will turn your notes and video into a plan you can start the same day.