Online Training
Online training has been effective for dog trainers around the world for quite awhile now. It’s only been with the recent global crisis around corona-virus that the need for remote learning has become more necessary and proven so effective that we continue to make use of this amazing tool. While this may still be a foreign concept for a lot of canine guardians, the good news is that we already have the experience in this realm to set you and your dog up for success to get the results you want - without needing to be in the same location.
But don’t take our word for it - see what our clients have to say about Online Training!
“I found Sit Happens online and they are fantastic, I couldn’t really recommend them enough. I felt pretty unsure going into [online] training. Just being on my own and going over video, what it would be like. But it ended up being fantastic, especially for [Hettie], just able to have that focus time, one-on-one over the videos was amazing. ”
“We were really unlucky to unfortunately go into lock-down a week after starting our first classroom session. The lessons moved online and we found them fantastic. They really supported us in learning about our dog and we found the format of all the classes to be really, really helpful. We didn’t find any issues at all not having that one-on-one contact. We’re really grateful for all the help that we’ve received from the trainers and definitely recommend Sit Happens.”
“[Online training] was quite easy because Kate had a really good set up so we could see everything she was demonstrating and then we would show her how we could do it with Alfie and she would give us lots of tips & tricks so that we were setting Alfie up for success. We learnt so much during the classes and had heaps of fun along the way! ”
Is online training for me?
It may come as a surprise, but online training is incredibly effective and sometimes even more effective depending on the scenario. If any of the below sound familiar, then online training may be the solution for you.
My dog is anxious or afraid
My dog is reactive or aggressive
My schedule is crazy or changes week to week
I live too far away from where in-person sessions are held
I travel a lot but I still want to find time to train and work with my dog
I need advice on how my home is set up to fast-track my dog’s training journey (a great option for working on jumping / visitors / puppy-proofing)
I want to book a package and know there’ll be quite a bit of talking in the first session, so my dog is best off at home.
How it works
You might think you need to be fairly technical for this to work, but that’s not the case. Our online training is incredibly accessible and easy to do.
All you need is. . .
A phone, tablet or computer with a camera
Internet access
The time of your training and the Google Hangout or Zoom link to join your trainer
When it’s time for your training simply click the link and you’re good to go! Your trainer will demonstrate from their location and walk you through the exercises so that you are successful on your end.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
“I work irregular hours - could this be a training option for me?”
Absolutely. If you are unable to make it to an in-person training session or have an irregular schedule, online training can be catered to the times you are available. This is particularly helpful for people who have differing schedules week-by-week.
“Can I still get training even if I’m not in Christchurch?”
Yes! Our online training is for everybody, from the North to the South. If after working with you we feel that you need in-person support, we can refer you to your closest force-free trainer. In most cases however, we will be able to support you with your training remotely. This also means that if you are planning a trip somewhere with your dog and would still like to continue with your training at the same time, all you need is an internet connection and you are good to go!
“How will you know what’s going on if you don’t see their behaviour in person?”
A big part of our training is about setting your dog up for success and stop them from practicing/rehearsing the unwanted behaviour. That means that whether in-person or online, we don’t want you to set your dog up for failure and have them demonstrate the behaviour. We will take your word for it and ask all the necessary questions.
Even if it was a behaviour your dog would display without you setting them up for failure, more often than not the presence of the trainer will change the dog’s response and make it less authentic.
“How can I show you what my dog is doing?”
Regardless of whether the training is online or in-person, we may ask you to take a video of your dogs behaviour so we can see what is going on. This way, we can observe the exact behaviour you are asking us to address, without your dog being influenced by our presence or one of our training locations.
However, mostly we would just have you explain the behaviour to us, in order to set your dog up for success.
“Can more than one person join the online training sessions?”
No worries! If the people attending the sessions aren’t in the same location when the training starts, you can both join using the same link so nobody misses out. For example, you can join from home with your dog, while your other family member simultaneously joins from work during their break.