Training and behavioral consulting for dogs:
In response to COVID-19, Dan is prioritizing your safety while still helping you train your dog! Dan is offering in-person sessions on a case-by-case basis and employing all appropriate safety measures. Dan is also offering consults and training sessions by remote video methods (FaceTime, Google Meet, or Zoom) as well as by phone and email. Remote sessions are a great option in any case but especially if you or a family member have reason to believe you are sick or may be in the category of people most vulnerable to COVID.
So how does Dan help and is he the right helper for you and your dog? Dan's process is to train you to train your dog. This begins with a behavior consultation, timed conveniently around your scheduling needs. Consultations normally take place in your own home but other options include meeting outdoors or via FaceTime, Google Meet, Zoom, phone or email. During the consultation, which can take up to 2 hours, you and Dan will go deep into your dog's behavioral history and develop a training plan to address your specific needs. Within a few days of the initial session, you will receive a written summary of the plan and Dan will follow up with you as necessary.
Follow-up is the most important part of training and yet traditional pricing structures mean it can be a financial and emotional drain to pay for lesson after lesson without a clear plan. Behavior change takes time, though, and you will need expert guidance along the way. Dan wants to be there to support you each step of the way without breaking the bank. For that reason, Dan offers flexible, concierge-style training plans as follows:
30 Day Training Plan: $300 (plus tax) This plan covers 30 days of full service training including up to 4 live sessions (which can include the initial consult or can be in addition to the initial consult). That could be one session a week (a good pace for learning) or 4 sessions in a row or however you need to schedule to work around your needs. You decide! These sessions can be done in your home, in a public space, or by remote method like FaceTime or Zoom (or any combination of remote and in-person session). Each live session will be whatever length is necessary for your particular training plan. The initial session is usually the longest and may go for an hour and a half to two hours. Follow-up live sessions are usually shorter and last under an hour. In addition to your live sessions, you will receive unlimited access to Dan by text message and email so you can chat, get advice, and even receive feedback on videos you send to Dan. This is important because Dan is really training YOU and you're the one training your dog. Many training goals can be fully realized within 30 days although most dogs benefit from further "schooling" which is why Dan offers the...
90 Day Training Plan: $895 (plus tax) This plan covers 90 days of full service training including up to 15 live sessions (which can include the initial consult or can be in addition to the initial consult). That could be 5 live sessions a month or a blast of action in the first few weeks followed by unlimited email or text follow-up with the occasional live refresher. This plan has all the benefits of the 30 Day plan but throws in some extra live sessions as a reward for your commitment to training! This plan is ideal for new puppies and newly adopted dogs or to help you make progress with behavior challenges like leash reactivity, separation anxiety, and other issues that need lots of active coaching from your trainer. These flexible sessions can be done wherever necessary and in a combination of places such as in your home, in a public space, or by remote method like FaceTime or Zoom. In between your live sessions, you will receive unlimited access to Dan by text message and email. You can share videos and get valuable feedback on all your training adventures, whether it's a weekday or weekend, a holiday or a workday. Dan will be right there for you.
180 Day Training Plan: $1695 (plus tax) This plan offers 6 months of full service training with up to 30 live sessions (which can include the initial consult or may be in addition to the initial consult). This plan saves you money in the long run vs a monthly plan, but obviously is a more significant up-front cost. Consider this option as best for when you have advanced training goals or complex behavioral challenges and you want to stick with training through thick and thin. Serious aggression and anxiety cases in particular definitely benefit from this level of commitment.
Sessions are also available individually
-A long session, of up to two hours, can be purchased for $145 (plus tax). The long session would be necessary for an initial consultation in a behavior case if you haven't already decided to purchase a training plan. A long session would also be a good option for lessons focused on off-leash hiking manners, good behavior at dog parks, on park trails, etc and can be added to a training plan if you've reached the maximum number of live sessions.
-A standard session, up to one hour, can be purchased for $85 (plus tax). The standard length session is ideal for following up after a behavior consult or when you want to focus on one specific behavior or new command. If you have reached the maximum number of live sessions included in your training plan, you can add a standard, full-length session this way.
-Mini-sessions of up to half an hour are also available for $55 (plus tax) and are meant to allow for quick practice sessions when you're not learning something new. Mini sessions are often helpful when working with anxious dogs or with leash-reactive dogs when your behavior plan involves short practice lessons using volunteer helper dogs or volunteer "scary strangers". A mini-session can be purchased by itself after a consult or to add to your training plan when you've reached the maximum number of live sessions.
A few more details...
-Remote live sessions are done in real-time by FaceTime, Google Meet or Zoom if you have the technology, but Dan also consults by phone or email if live video sessions are not an option.
-Does your behavior situation involve more than one pet? Each pet is unique and deserves targeted attention. That said, Dan knows that it's expensive to own several pets (he has 4 dogs and 3 cats) so he offers a significant discount for multiple pet households. When you contact Dan, be sure to fill him in your specific multi-pet situation and ask for an estimate. This helps Dan provide his usual high level of personalized, individual attention to each pet but without breaking the bank!
-Does your behavior situation involve more than one pet? Each pet is unique and deserves targeted attention. That said, Dan knows that it's expensive to own several pets (he has 4 dogs and 3 cats) so he offers a significant discount for multiple pet households. When you contact Dan, be sure to fill him in your specific multi-pet situation and ask for an estimate. This helps Dan provide his usual high level of personalized, individual attention to each pet but without breaking the bank!
The Fine Print:
- Sales tax is charged at your local rate
- There is a hefty processing charge that Dan has to pay if you wish to pay him by credit or debit card. For that reason, please consider writing a check or using Venmo or making a payment through a secure emailed invoice which Dan can send you upon request. These options have no fees.
- When circumstances permit, Dan is happy to make in-person house calls within 100 miles of his home in Camillus to help folks with their dog and cat behavior problems. However, the extra time spent traveling limits his ability to make time for other clients and costs a bit in gas and maintenance on his old Rav4. For this reason, please expect a charge of $1 per mile for travel over 25 miles from his home in Camillus.
- Dan needs to have proof on file that your pet has been vaccinated against Rabies. A current rabies certificate is acceptable proof. A veterinary receipt or rabies tag is not acceptable. You can take a photo of your rabies certificate and text or email to Dan prior to your first in-person session. Puppies and kittens are exempt from this requirement until they reach 16 weeks of age. Exceptions will be made for older puppies and kittens at Dan's discretion if compelling reasons exist for why Rabies vaccination has not yet occurred.
- You agree to hold Dan and his company, Trainer Dan LLC, not liable for injury, illness or property damage and agree that Dan and Trainer Dan LLC will not, under any circumstances, reimburse or provide compensation for medical expenses, veterinary expenses, or property damage except as required by law.
- The outcome of training and behavior consultations cannot be guaranteed. Payment is non-refundable once services have begun or after 90 days in the event service has not started, whichever comes first.
- The concierge packages allow up to a stated number of sessions whether in person or via remote method within a certain time period. The time period runs the stated number of days beginning on the day of the first live session. There are no refunds if you utilize fewer than the maximum number of sessions.
- If you postpone or reschedule with less than 48 hours warning more than once without a valid reason (illness, emergency, serious weather event, etc) or if you aren't home or no-show to a training lesson more than once, Dan reserves the right to charge you for the scheduled service.
- By agreeing to work with Dan, you are agreeing to all these terms.
