Frequently asked questions

1. What is a day routine in the life at The Happy-go-Lucky Dog Board and Train look like?

The dogs sleep inside in our climate-controlled kennel. We only work with a small number of dogs to give every dog the attention they need, and maintain a relaxed environment. First thing in the morning, all dogs go out on a 45-min to 1-hour long structured walk. After this, dogs go through several hours of hands-on training, alternating between active commands, duration work, socialization with our balanced pack (client’s dogs will not be in danger of interacting with dangerous dogs), and specific behavior modification. They will also receive plenty of rest, down time, and personal one-on-one attention. You dog’s safety is our primary concern.

 

2. Does Happy-go-lucky treats to train dogs?

Our training approach is relationship-based. We believes firmly that our dogs should be working for us, not for a food morsel. Treat training has many limitations and tends to cause dogs to be overly-excited, hyper, and food-fixated rather than relaxed and calm, which is great if you are training flyball or agility, but not when you are training a family dog to calmly co-habitate with you!

 

3. Will I get to see my dog during the Board and Train?

We will determine if owner participation is appropriate or helpful to the program. In most cases, however, we find owner participation counterproductive to the rehabilitation and training process.

 

4. What happens if I don’t get the results I want from the training? Is there a guarantee?

Due to the many variables involved to create a well-behaved, balanced dog, including owner commitment, consistency, and follow-through, it would be unethical for us to offer a 100% guarantee. However, we only choose the most dedicated and diligent owners so, in our experience, no matter how severe the issues, we consistently see breakthrough results and amazing transformations. We have never come across a dog we could not help. We work hand in hand as a team in your dog’s rehabilitation. This process of teamwork and collaboration begins before we even meet your dog, moves through the training process, and continues long after your dog has gone home. Once you hire us, we consider you part of The happy-go-lucky dig’s family, and your success is our utmost priority.

 

5. I have tried other trainers before and didn’t get the results I desired – what makes your program and approach different and more effective?

We are often the last stop after clients have been through multiple trainers. Unlike other training approaches that only focus on developing rehearsed behaviors, bribing with treats, or merely managing/bandaid-ing the problem, we have developed a unique approach that fundamentally changes the dog’s state of mind. Once we address the dog’s state of mind, the sky’s the limit for what we can create. By cultivating new habits, teaching the dog to make better choices, training calmness instead of excitability, and employing our unique duration work, we are consistently successful with dogs that others are unable to help. This will be the last dog training you will ever need.

 

6. My dog is really aggressive. Do you work with aggressive dogs?

Yes. We specialize in aggression rehab, and we are providing successful rehabilitation solutions for problem dogs. We have built our reputation by successfully rehabbing some of the severe cases.

 

7. My dog is uncontrollable on the walk – pulling, lunging, barking, growling – can you fix this?

We consistently get fantastic results with all levels of issues, from mild pulling and disobedience, to severe dog reactivity. 

 

8. Why are training tools that you use ?

We use a wide range of training tools, depending on the dog's needs and behaviors, but more importantly, the one that will be most adapted to the owners and its ease of use. We use: slip leashes and collars (rope, martingale and prong).
They are the best tools for connection, communication and creating a harmonious relationship that eliminates physical stress for the dog and the owner. Most tools tend to mask or worsen behaviour (harness, flexible leash, nominal collar or choke chain), while the collars and leashes we use allow us to avoid these inconveniences.
It allows us break through and effortlessly communicate, creating a vastly different state of mind, also to communicate easily, unambiguously and without tension, with the dog as well as to modify the state of mind of a very reactive dog. These tools are unfortunately little known in Belgium and are often misused, but when used correctly, they have been proven to be the least painful or physically hurtful, the most humane, the most efficient. At the opposit, the other of the allegedly "safest" tools available on the market, are the one which only intensify the reactivity/aggressiveness and fear of the dog.

 

9. How do you train with an E-Collar?

We use low-level, communication-style, modern E-Collar training, which looks nothing like the E-Collar training of the past. We also use the Premium Best E-collar technology made exclusively in US. Those E-collar allow fine tuning levels (range 1-100). A Humain can feel the steam at 25-35. The usual working level of dogs are between 2 to10. The poor E-collar quality you will find in Europe do not allow this fine tuning because they have limited digit (1 to 3 or 1 to 5). That makes the different which allow dogs to have fun working with a low level Approch.

 

However, our philosophy will remain that "leadership and dog respect and trust" is acquired through connection/relationship and not through the tool! We will always prefer to depend as little as possible on a tool that takes away your power. Moreover the correct use of an E-colar, with respect and integrity of the dog requires much more time, patience and therefore a longer training program. Therefore, if we do not have this guarantee, we will not offer or sell this type of training.

 

10. I can’t afford your programs, but I’m in a bad situation with my dog – what can I do?

In some cases, we can sometimes establish a payment plan. In other cases, rare and exceptional (where the life of the dog is put in jeopardy), we can reduce oure programs. Please contact us for more details.

 

If you have any further questions, don't hesite to ask us !