Private in-home dog training

All private dog training and/or behaviour modification sessions are held at your home at a time convenient to you.  Private training is available between 11am and 8pm weekdays and from 1pm on weekends.

All private dog training starts with an initial assessment and training session which lasts up to 2 hours and costs $340.  Dogs or people with special needs or dogs with serious behavioural problems may require one or more additional 1 or 2 hour training sessions.  One hour follow up sessions cost $180 each.  

If you would like to arrange private in-home training or behaviour modification for your dog or pup, hit the ‘book now’ button below and in the comments section please remember to provide your dog’s name, age and breed, and the behaviours you would like your dog to learn or the behaviours you would like them to stop doing!

You can also email Dorothy with any questions not covered by this page at:  dorothy@cheekypup.com.au or New contact number:  0451 533 339 during general business hours

General obedience and general disobedience

An initial consultation takes up to 2 hours, during which time we discuss what behavioural issues you have with your dog, what you would like to achieve from training, appropriate feeding and exercising your dog.  Dogs that do not exhibit any signs of aggression toward people or other dogs can usually be trained in basic pet dog obedience during the initial consultation, and any problem behaviours can be modified.

Training and your dog learning happens very quickly, but you will need to practice regularly for several weeks in lots of different locations and circumstances to ensure your dog can do as you ask no matter what the situation.

So you don’t feel quite so alone, following is a list of the most common behavioural problems I am called in to help with: 

• jumping up on people
• inappropriate chewing
• guarding food, toys, etc
• digging
• stealing food
• pulling on-leash during walks
• resisting grooming and other handling
• distress barking and whining
• biting
• aggression towards strangers
• aggression towards other dogs

Don’t panic, and don’t despair:  all of these problems and more can be dealt with effectively and fairly rapidly with a combination of training and management.

Behaviour modification

Behaviour modification is usually a relatively slow process as we need to change not only the dog’s behaviour but their emotional response to certain stimuli (the things that make them aggressive or anxious).  This usually involves changing their brain patterns and physical habits and, just like in people, it can take quite some time change a dog’s automatic response from a negative one to a positive or neutral one (ie they just aren’t bothered by the ‘thing’ anymore).  However, for the majority of dogs enough of a change happens within a few weeks to make life easier for you and your dog.

Aggression/reactivity

If your dog is aggressive toward people or other dogs, further hourly training sessions may be required – usually a further 2 or 3 depending on the extent of their aggression, whether they have actually attacked and/or killed any animal, their age and breed, etc.  Depending on the level of aggression, what the dog focuses on when aggressive, and their acceptance of training will effect how close together training sessions will be (some dogs can have 2 sessions in a single week, others may need to have sessions 2 weeks apart).

Dorothy at Cheeky Pup has become very experienced in dog aggression in dogs of all sizes, and now takes a special interest in this area of training as it has, unfortunately, become a very common problem in dogs (even in multi-dog households).

Anxiety

If your dog is particularly anxious, timid, fearful or show signs of separation anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders or any other extreme behavioural issues, after the initial consultation your dog may require a few further training sessions – usually spaced two to four weeks apart.

You’ll be surprised and pleased at how quickly some dogs move past their fears.  The training style used by Cheeky Pup helps all dogs increase their level of confidence in themselves and the level of trust they gain in their humans.   Dorothy recently worked with a cattle dog cross called Shorty who would flatten himself against the ground a few metres in front of a car if he thought he had to travel in one; and if he was picked up and placed in the car he would salivate heavily and vomit.  Within an hour of training Shorty was happily jumping into the back of the car and remaining calm and happy with both doors closed!  Well done Shorty!

Dogs belonging to expectant parents

If you are expecting – congratulations!

Now is the time to start preparing your dog (of any age) for the new addition to your family.  We can make sure your dog learns to stop jumping on you and other people, not to push past you to get through a door and potentially trip you up, walk beside you nicely while you are pushing a pram, not get into nappy bins and soakers, leave your baby alone generally no matter where they may be placed, and not feel displaced by this new rival for your time and affection.

If you’d like more information on private in-home training for your dog, please email Dorothy at dorothy@cheekypup.com.au and provide your dog’s name, age, breed and the top 3 things you’d like them to learn or change. 

Dogs with disabilities

Dorothy has trained many dogs with a range of disabilities including deaf dogs and deaf puppies are fine to attend puppy preschool too, dogs with limited vision, and dogs with physical and movement restrictions.  Dorothy is also a preferred trainer of Deaf Dogs Rescue Australia.  So long as your dog still wants food or affection, and your training goals for your dog are within their physical capacity – there is no reason a dog can’t be trained at any age!  Dorothy’s own little dog Cino was born with a brain problem that meant he has problems controlling body movements, and can take the long way to come when called – but he still comes running with a big smile on his face.  He still shakes in his sleep, but now he rarely falls down and can sit and lie down with ease.  Cino has become a ‘pocket rocket’ and often runs up his ramp faster than the larger, younger and fully abled dogs can take the stairs!