We take aggression cases very seriously. 

We understand how difficult living with an aggressive dog can be. It’s frustrating and heartbreaking to know that your pet, despite your best interests, could potentially cause harm to humans and/or other animals. When we work with aggression cases, we take a holistic approach. We offer full and functional behavior assessments which include: 

We consider all factors when working with aggression cases. What does your home environment look like and is this affecting your dog's behavior? Are there children or elderly family members in the home? How much emotional, mental and financial capacities do you have to work with your pet on these concerns? What perspectives on dog training do the humans need to be aware of or change? Training and behavior modification is much more than just teaching obedience skills. Taking these appropriate steps in the evaluation process will help us provide relief for your family and your dog. 

Your dog isn't GIVING you a hard time, your dog is HAVING a hard time.

At Free Will Animal Training, we understand that we are working with sentient animals with emotional, physical, and biological needs. It is unethical to guarantee results because of this. Our job is to help you learn how to prevent bites, learn more about why your dog has aggressive responses, teach alternate and appropriate behavioral responses, and create more positive experiences for you and your dog when encountering other humans or animals. 

Behavior modification should not be a "quick fix."

You have a dog that will need lifelong guidance, empathy, and predictability. We can help you and your pet live more harmoniously and give you the skills and knowledge to prevent incidents and to help your pet live their best low-stress life. 

Behavior suppression is not behavior modification.

We do not use correction collars for training with any aggression/reactivity cases. Tools such as e-collars and prong collars are intended to punish reactions which suppresses that behavior from happening again in the future. Suppression does not help the way your dog perceives their world. It can mask the underlying issue and may result in escalated fear/frustration for your pet. It's a bandaid fix. 

Instead, ask the questions:

"Why is my dog aggressive and what are his/her triggers?"

"Is my dog experiencing pain or discomfort (medically/physically)?" 

"How can I help my dog through his/her reactions?"

Let's take a deeper look into what is actually happening in your dog's brain before ever reaching the point where we feel like we need to punish these behaviors. 

NOTE: If, at any point, you feel that your dog’s quality of life is at risk or deteriorating, please consult your veterinarian or a qualified veterinary behaviorist. 

Have more questions? Let's chat!