About Carolina Dog Coach

Carolina Dog Coach works across Raleigh, Holly Springs and Cary, and describes a team with "over a decade of experience turning dogs like yours into well behaved family companions." Its pitch is built around fit rather than a single system: "We don't believe in a 'one size fits all' dog training approach, because it doesn't work."

Three guiding principles

The business publishes its principles as Freedom, Fun and Fairness. On the first: "We want all dogs to be able to experience more freedom, and the better behaved they are, the more freedom they can have. We use food rewards and freedom as motivators for most of the dogs we work with." On the third: "It's important that the expectations we set for your dog are fair, and that we spend our time helping them understand what we want." It also frames training as a household problem rather than a dog problem – the approach for "a busy household with neighborhood teens in and out" is deliberately different from one "for a family with a newborn baby in the home."

The programs

Board-and-train is described as "a one of a kind Board & Train experience, that keeps you involved every step of the way," aimed at travelers, busy schedules and owners wanting faster results. Puppy programs "can start the day you bring your new puppy home," covering crate training, potty training, socialization and obedience for puppies from eight weeks to six months. Private training is in-home and customized "to teach your dog how to behave well with the entire family in your home and neighborhood." The published problem list is leash pulling, jumping on guests or children, biting and nipping, ignoring the owner around distractions, and reactive behavior. A free consultation is the starting point.