Canine College By Dave Coop

read moreA natural dog training philosophy and method simply means learning how to encourage and discourage individual actions or behaviors that are natural to the dog -- like sitting, laying down, jumping up, biting, etc. Our natural approach uses positive encouragement to reinforce behaviors we find desirable. It associates commands with these behaviors to develop conditioned responses, so the dog truly understands what you are trying to communicate. At the same time, a natural approach means understanding that dogs naturally make a lot of mistakes, lose their attention, or are sometimes downright defiant.

read moreLots of people in Denver own more than one dog. Maybe you're one of them. That, and my tendency to own multiple dogs, is what spawned the idea for our Team Dog Obedience and Protection Training program, which is now a regular part of our dog training offerings. Watching two dogs train in tandem, with one handler, is a fascinating and rewarding experience. There is something about watching a pair of same-breed or "mixed" dogs working side-by-side that is gratifying -- perhaps because it illustrates the level of dog training commitment required.

read moreIt is never too soon! Puppies go through critical periods. If certain things are not taught in the first four months of life, it will be much more difficult for them to learn later. The behaviors your puppy learns at a young age will establish how well your dog is trained and behaves for the rest of its life. We will show you how to create behaviors you want and how to eliminate bad behaviors from ever developing with your puppy. And make it fun! This is one of the most commonly misused and misunderstood words in dog training.

read moreThere are different levels of protection training. A dog must be tested and evaluated to determine if the dog has the ability and temperament for our program. When most people think of protection training they think of a mean or dangerous dog that has to be put away when people come to your house. A good protection dog will be genetically well balanced, properly socialized, good with children, obedience and protection trained by a competent, experienced trainer. This dog will spend 99.9% of the time being a family pet, going for walks, riding in the car and being friendly.

read moreMy husband and I reached out to Dave Coop recently because our Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Finn, was a runner. It was his most concerning behavioral flaw that we did not know how to manage. This was a huge concern for us because each time he ran, we feared it would be his last. Luckily, we live in a gate community with low speed traffic but we weren't willing to gamble with his life anymore. We started looking for trainers/training companies to help Finn overcome his need for speed. After checking out many, many places, we found Dave Coop and instantly felt at ease.

read moreHere are a few of my favorite pictures of kids and dogs over the last 26 years of training dogs in Denver, Colorado. There is just something magical about watching kids and dogs interact. Whether it is a Poodle, Pit-bull, German shepherd or a Doberman they all make great family pets as long as you do proper dog training.

read morePrivate, in-home dog training lessons/classes are by far the most effective way to get people trained. Ooops, I meant dogs trained. It is challenging enough to train one dog and person at a time. Perhaps you've experienced the dog obedience class with one instructor, 20 untrained dogs, and their people? Mass chaos, right? There is another way. A better way. It works like this: I come to your home once a week, for a one-hour lesson -- for as many classes as it takes to get you and your dog trained together.

read moreEighty percent of my protection dog training clients are women. Women and protection dogs seem to work well together. Whether it is a woman that lives alone, single mother or a woman whose husband travels, a protection dog is the tool of empowerment in a very dangerous world. Not only can the dog protect you and your family it can also be a wonderful loving family pet. It is a very comforting feeling to know you and your children are safe from criminal predators.