About Always Pawsitive Dog Training

Always Pawsitive Dog Training works in clients' homes around Durham and describes itself as offering "in-home dog training for manners and obedience, specializing in reactive dog training, puppy training, and teenage dog training to help through the frustrations of adolescence." The stated aim is calmness, confidence and reliability through positive training.

The programs

Adult dog training is sold in three tiers, each a fixed number of private lessons with a support window attached. The Well Mannered Dog Program is three private lessons, roughly four hours of one-to-one work, up to five obedience and behavior cues, and two months of support by email, phone and text. The Amazing Dog Program is five lessons, about eight hours, up to eight cues – the site lists focused attention, stay, no jumping, walking nicely on leash, come when called and leave it as examples – with six months of support and a bonus follow-up lesson. The Dream Dog Program is eight lessons with unlimited obedience and behavior cues, resolution of unwanted behaviors, lifetime support and bonus follow-up lessons.

Puppies

A parallel puppy ladder mirrors those tiers. Simple Start and Puppy 101 run three and five lessons respectively, both covering the introduction and prevention of common puppy problems; the Perfect Pup to Ultimate Dog Program runs five lessons while the dog is under six months and three more after, with unlimited cues and lifetime support.

The trainer

Kassondra is named as the trainer. The site states she worked as a veterinary technician for a decade before becoming a certified dog trainer in the Durham area, and says it was the range of behavior problems she saw in veterinary practice that moved her toward helping owners. It states she completed a certification course through Animal Behavior College and is certified in dog training, pet CPR and pet massage. Two of her own dogs appear on the site: Ludo, a Shepherd-Labrador mix who took part in research at the Canine Cognitive Center at Duke University and was a blood donor at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, and Rock, a Border Collie who competes in nose work and sometimes comes along on jobs in the cooler months.