About Wild Bond Dog Training

Who runs it

Wild Bond is Luke Dubbins, who "holds a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management from Northern Michigan University" and has "near a decade of professional dog training experience." He is "an AKC Evaluator for Canine Good Citizen program, Trick Dog, and others," and "currently, he trains gun dogs full-time and guides upland bird hunts."

Programs

The business serves "the Fox Valley area of Illinois" and names two specialties: "Adventure Dogs and Gun Dogs." Adventure-dog training builds "reliable off-leash obedience in real-world outdoor settings" for hiking, camping, paddle sports and winter sports like skijoring. The hunting program "includes controlled bird exposure, proper gunfire introduction, and foundational obedience," with e-collar conditioning and "a strong emphasis on developing steadiness from flush to shot." Basic obedience covers Here, Sit, Stay, Heel, Place and crate training, and a puppy program covers socialization, potty training and nipping, jumping and chewing. There is also preparation for AKC evaluations including Canine Good Citizen and STAR Puppy, a monthly tele-training retainer, and custom programs.

Method

"I use a balanced, dog-specific approach to training. Tools like food, slip leads, and e-collars are neither good nor bad on their own." The philosophy page adds that "corrections are only fair when a dog fully understands a command and chooses not to comply."

How it works

Every client starts with a free evaluation, after which a quote is given. For board and train, "I recommend no less than two weeks to see solid results," and "all dogs boarded for training with Wild Bond are housed in my home with my family and dogs." Rabies, Bordetella and distemper vaccinations are required.