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Frequently Asked Questions

Have a burning question? We have an answer! Read our FAQ below.

  • WILL SENDING MY DOG TO BUCK'S DOG TRAINING OF PRINCETON CHANGE MY DOG?
    I get asked this question the most, our motto is "Balanced Training." It is always about balance. We are not looking to change your dog's personality, what we achieve is about conditioning the dog properly to each dog's individual temperament. If your dog is shy and fearful, we build confidence. If we have to restructure bad manners, your dog will learn acceptable behaviors that will bring out the best.
  • AT WHAT AGE CAN I START TRAINING MY NEW PUPPY?
    8 weeks old is the proper age for a puppy to leave mom and the litter mates. Training starts from the first moment they come home with you. Every interaction you have with the puppy is a form of training; that puppy is learning at every waking moment. When you call it's name it will become familiar with it, crate training and adjusting to your bedtime hours, potty training, and every person it meets will be a social experience. Check our our puppy potting training packages to see which suits your needs the best.
  • HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO TRAIN MY DOG?
    Every dog is unique: Just like humans-- no two are alike. Some dogs excel in training and some dogs we need to provide more encouragement. Our board and train programs offer several packages depending on what level of obedience you're aiming for. This allows us time to establish trust and respect. We observe their body languages, we learn to read them, we understand how to communicate with them, we motivate them to make the right decisions so they can thrive and excel in training. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to constantly repeat yourself? No need for frustrations on both ends of that leash. Call or text me, as I listen to my client's needs and I can recommend what packages would work best for you. Even if you're still thinking about it, that's okay (no pressure, I promise!). The more information you have allows for you to make the best decision for you and your dog. I can talk about dogs all day, I just love what I do!
  • IS MY DOG TOO OLD TO TRAIN?
    Absolutely not! Whoever said "you can't train an old dog new tricks," lied. That is such a misconception. The first step would be to take the time to 'untrain' bad habits. To our advantage, older dogs can sometimes be easier to train because they have a longer attention span than puppies and more self control (in most cases). Age has nothing to do with how well your dog learns; the key to successful training is our ability to match your dog's learning style for them to excel.
  • HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT DOG PARKS?
    If you want to bring your dog to the dog park and "socialize," your intentions are in the right place, but the dog park is NOT the place for it and let me explain why. Many owners who go to dog parks don't get it, the owners have a responsibility and they don't often pay attention to their dog and are clueless of proper social behavior of their dog to other dogs and even other owners inside the dog park. A dog park is not a free doggy day care. Some dogs at play can get into a state of high arousal and that high level of energy can often overwhelm other dogs, there will be a dog who is not going to tolerate that behavior of not respecting social space. Some dogs are resource guarders: it could be over their ball, a treat found on the grounds, or even another dog jumping on their owner. If the owner is not paying attention to their dog, even worse, they have no control over their dog's behavior then a dog fight is likely to happen. Unfortunately, some dog or owner is going to get hurt because that dog owner was irresponsible for not paying attention or bringing a dog with inappropriate behavior to the park. Proper socialization means teaching your dog to be well mannered around animals, introducing them to different people, new environments, unfamiliar sounds and to be confident in new situations. It doesn't mean they need to be every dog's best friend at the dog park. They already have a best friend: you. Coordinate with a couple friends who have well mannered dogs and go on pack walks. Enjoy the quality of friends not the quantity of them.
  • HOW DO I DEAL WITH MY AGGRESSIVE DOG?
    Seek professional training immediately. We offer a 3 week board and train for aggression and behavioral modification. First, we establish a relationship. We identify the unwanted behaviors and then identify the reason for that behavior. Is the dog truly aggressive or is it reactive? Is the dog dominant? Is it reacting out of fear? Was there a trauma? Under socialized? The important rules of desensitization training are to observe and understand the dog's nonverbal cues. It requires patience and gradual exposure to the "triggers" in desensitizing. We eliminate unwanted behaviors and we add wanted behaviors. We set clear communication to the rules and boundaries to get the dog to be neutral with a calm state of mind.
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