About Ideal Companion Dog Training LLC

<h2>De Soto-based training for southern Illinois</h2><p>Ideal Companion Dog Training, LLC is located in DeSoto, Illinois and serves Southern Illinois. Please note that the site carries a notice at the top of both its home page and its programs page: "We are not taking new clients at this time. Please keep an eye on our social media to see when we open back up." Anyone reading this should check that before getting in touch.</p><h3>What they take on</h3><p>The site says it handles "the challenges of puppy basics or more serious issues like fear or aggression," and states a goal of strengthening and restoring the bond between people and their dogs by giving owners the tools and knowledge to feel confident handling any situation. The stated end point is practical: walks around the neighborhood, travel, or a trip to the local farmers' market with the dog along.</p><h3>Programs</h3><p>An in-person consult at DeSoto City Park is required before training. The Good Dog private lesson program is fully customized &mdash; one-hour lessons, typically weekly, in blocks of 3, 6 or 9, held at De Soto City Park or the owner's home, with a training collar included; the site says 3 lessons may cover 2&ndash;3 behaviors, 6 lessons 4&ndash;6, and 9 lessons 6&ndash;8 and may cover off-leash, e-collar or behavior issues. Board and train programs run Monday to Friday with the dog home at weekends and a Friday lesson each week: The Polite Pooch is a 10-day on-leash program aimed at leash pulling, jumping on guests and bolting through doors; The Courteous Canine is a 20-day program aimed at behaving in public places; The Ideal Companion is a 25-day on- and off-leash program the site describes as "a true go anywhere and do anything dog." Diamond in the Ruff is described as the program for dogs that lunge, bark or growl, with pricing dependent on the issues and their severity.</p><h3>Method and background</h3><p>The training approach described is "setting clear boundaries by showing what is and isn't acceptable behavior" &mdash; behaviors taught through positive experiences first, then held to a higher standard once the dog knows them, with the method adapted per dog. The About page names the trainer as Ashten and says she attended and certified in Starmark Academy's Canine Training and Behavior Specialist Program, graduating at the top of her class and then taking an internship with Starmark, and that in 2023 she attended American K9 Interdiction, a police K9 and detection dog training school, where she trained and certified on narcotics with a Lab named Cheddar. Her stated specialties are behavior issues, obedience and e-collar training. The site also lists a satisfaction guarantee, and publishes prices on the programs page: a $50 consult that goes toward the program balance if you sign up within 7 days, a typical private-lesson range of $200&ndash;1,100, The Polite Pooch from $1,750, The Courteous Canine from $3,450 and The Ideal Companion from $4,250.</p>