About OBEDIENCE DOG TRAINING

Obedience Dog Training is an in-home practice run from Walden by a trainer the site simply calls Paul, and it does not dress itself up. The page title is "Obedience Dog Training | Custom Dog Training | Walden, NY", the header reads "Expert Training at Your Home", and the service area is listed as Orange, Dutchess, Rockland, Ulster, Putnam, Sullivan and Westchester counties.

What is on offer

The published list is deliberately plain: low rates, "I come to your home", over 30 years experience, humane methods, all ages and breeds, specializing in difficult dogs, problem solving, housebreaking, and a free consultation. Zoom training is offered as well – the site says "Now Offering Zoom Training, Call For Details!" Everything happens where the behavior actually happens.

How the training is framed

The approach is written as a fit test rather than a curriculum: "We'll thoroughly discuss your dog with you first and establish what you want to achieve with our program before we start. I create a custom training program to match the dog's temperament with the owner's abilities." The program is described as covering "housetraining and solving problematic behaviors, among others", and the practice singles out the harder end of the caseload – "We handle dogs of all ages and breeds while specializing in those with difficult behavior problems."

The unusual promise

One line on the home page is worth quoting in full because it is the opposite of what most training sites say: "We are upfront about our services, and we'll not proceed if you believe we can't address your dog's issue." Paired with the free initial consultation, that puts the decision to start with the owner rather than with a sales page. The site also says training can begin immediately – "the day after the consultation if necessary."

Getting in touch

The practice takes calls on (845) 778-7444 and email at obdt99@yahoo.com, and accepts major credit cards, checks and cash. Its street address is in Walden, on NY-52.