Training
The cornerstone of effective training involves a strong bond between you and your dog. Most of us want a house-trained dog with good manners…a dog with good greeting skills who’ll come when called - anywhere, anytime - when off-leash. We want a dog we can take anywhere without behavioral concerns, yet we also want a happy and free-spirited dog. When you have this kind of communication with your dog, it makes for a beautiful relationship. Obedience training fosters this mutually-beneficial connection.
Our trainer Lisa Rhodes has trained dogs and worked with their families for over 30 years. Through compassion and respect, Lisa helps people discover the joy of living with a trained dog.
Lisa’s plethora of experience, along with her intuitive ability and deep reasoning skills, has inspired a compassionate training philosophy that strengthens the dog-human bond by teaching effective communication with the use of multi-faceted, balanced techniques. Lisa doesn’t believe in a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to dog training. Her intuitive ability to understand what your dog needs is her greatest strength. She is the Dog Listener!
By working with a dog’s personality - not against it - Lisa has helped facilitate deeper, more joyful relationships for thousands of families and their dogs over the years. Let Lisa help you discover the richness of a joyful relationship with your dog built on the foundation of trust, love and connection.
Links
Lisa in Pacifica Magazine (Jan 2017)
Want to email Lisa directly? Please send an email to lisarhodes@pacbell.net and give her 2-3 days to respond, as she gets a lot of emails each day and spends most of her day outside of the office training dogs (and their families).
In-Kennel Training
Lisa’s in-kennel training program turns dogs into well-behaved superstars! In this program, dogs stay at the ranch for two weeks or more to allow Lisa to build a strong relationship with them. Through this relationship, Lisa teaches basic obedience, including leash manners, sit, down stay with distractions, coming when called off-leash (from play with other dogs) and socialization with people and other dogs. She also addresses specific behavioral issues.
At the end of the in-kennel training, Lisa works with you and your family to integrate the training into your lifestyle. To set you and your dog up for success, Lisa continues to support you and your dog after completion of the program with follow-up lessons and/or emails as needed. In-kennel training provides you with the quickest, easiest path to a better relationship with your dog.
Once your dog has completed the first in-kennel training stay, you can choose to do training for as little as one day during subsequent stays. Since Lisa keeps dogs on a rotating schedule throughout the day, training dogs get plenty of exercise while also continuing to build on their existing training. Many people refer to in-kennel training as boot camp, but you can rest assured that dogs who attend in-kennel training have a lot of fun. After all, the training needs to work all the time, especially during periods of distraction.
A group of Lisa’s training dogs doing a down-stay.
Pricing
In-kennel training requires that your dog stay for a minimum of two weeks during the first stay, with the average course lasting a month. The cost includes boarding, feeding, and training for your dog, as well as lessons with you.
The lessons consist of:
An hour and a half lesson the day your dog goes home, in which you’ll learn:
How dogs learn
Lisa’s philosophies in training
How to set your dog up for success
How to handle your dog properly
A couple of follow-ups a week or two after taking your dog home to make sure your questions are answered and that you’re satisfied with the training.
In-kennel training costs $750 per week (per dog in multi-dog families), $1,500 for two weeks and so on. Other possible charges include the following:
a bath on the day your dog goes home (highly recommended)
bones/treats to chew on while resting in the kennel
any necessary training equipment
Returning training dogs can train with Lisa for an all-inclusive daily rate of $98 during subsequent stays.
Requirements
Your dog should be at least 16 weeks old (though 12 weeks is acceptable in some cases), but Lisa prefers that dogs be at least 5 months old
You must be able to provide us with proof that your dog is current on the following vaccines:
Bordetella
DHPP
Rabies
The first stay must be at least two weeks in length
Scheduling In-Kennel Training
Lisa’s training is in very high demand and is typically booked out 4-6 months in advance. You should keep a few things in mind when scheduling in-kennel training for the first time:
Lisa works Monday through Saturday, making her unavailable on Sunday. She’s also currently unavailable for lessons on Mondays. As such, please avoid scheduling drop-off or pick-up for new training dogs on Sundays or Mondays.
You should schedule training ahead of time when possible to allow you and Lisa to coordinate via email to schedule a specific drop-off time and to finish reserving your pick-up date and time. Lisa spends most of her day outside training dogs and gets a lot of emails each day, so it may take her 2-3 days to respond.
Lisa will need to meet with you and anyone else in your household who handles your dog on a regular basis for roughly an hour to an hour and a half on the last day of the stay. Please ensure that anyone who needs to attend is available on the last day of the stay.
To schedule in-kennel training, please either call our office at 650-359-1627 or use our online form. Please DO NOT use the online form if you intend to drop your dog off within the next 2-3 days, as online requests may take the office staff longer to process.
In either case, please remember to email Lisa directly at lisarhodes@pacbell.net to let her know which times work best for you on your intended drop-off date.
“I feel comfortable knowing that Lisa and the team are going to take good care of Mila!”
— Paola B. from San Bruno, CA
“Lisa does an awesome job of explaining why dogs do what they do and how we can use those traits to get them to behave appropriately.”
— Terri B. from Half Moon Bay, CA
Frequently Asked Questions for In-Kennel Training
What payment methods do you accept, and when do I need to pay?
For in-kennel training, we accept cash and credit card. We DO NOT accept checks for in-kennel training. We usually collect payment when you pick your dog up, but we may require payment upfront and/or monthly for longer stays.
Can I visit my dog during the stay?
We’d never say you can’t visit your dog, but we generally suggest that you not visit your dog during the in-kennel training program for several reasons:
First off, the most stressful part of your dog’s stay will occur when you initially leave your dog at the kennel, though your dog will probably get over this stress relatively quickly. We usually prefer for you to wait until the end of the stay to see your dog again, since your dog will enjoy the experience AND get to go home with you after your lesson. If you visit your dog during the stay, even with the best intentions, then you’ll recreate the stress your dog felt at the beginning of the stay when you leave again.
Secondly, please understand that dogs won’t spend their time wondering why their families left them here, nor will they worry about never seeing their families again. Dogs live in the moment. Honestly, the stay tends to cause more stress for the customers than for the dogs. You needn’t worry about your dog, as the training dogs usually have a blast with Lisa.
Lastly, Lisa’s training relies on consistency and promptness, and the relatively short turnaround time for the training (as little as two weeks) only works because training dogs get handled exclusively by Lisa or her assistants. Coming to visit your dog before you receive your part of the training could significantly disrupt the training, making it less likely that your dog will reach the appropriate level of response by the end of the stay as initially scheduled.
Does the training always work?
Lisa’s philosophy revolves around helping dogs understand the difference between acceptable behaviors and unacceptable behaviors. Dogs respond positively to the training due to Lisa’s fair and balanced approach that involves a combination of positive reinforcement (praise and some treats) and negative reinforcement (typically a tug on a training collar). The specifics vary from dog to dog, but Lisa ensures that families have a thorough understanding of how dogs learn so they can continue to apply and maintain the training at home.
Lisa’s in-kennel training program has a very high success rate. As long as you apply and maintain the training after the stay as directed, you should see a huge improvement in your dog’s behavior, confidence, response and more. Lisa will continue to work with you to ensure your success with the training.
Lisa has trained thousands of dogs, and she doesn’t meet many dogs who can’t somehow benefit from the training in a significant way. Lisa will definitely let you know if she doesn’t feel that your dog will benefit from the training, but that honestly doesn’t happen very often, since most dogs do get a lot out of the training.
How much training will my dog get each day?
The daily training regimen varies a lot from dog to dog. Furthermore, it can change from day to day depending on which aspect(s) of the training your dog needs to focus on. Activities include leash walks and interaction with people (and dogs, if applicable), as well as off-leash playgroups for dogs who get along with other dogs. Each training dog goes out with Lisa several times a day for extended periods, six days a week, on a rotation schedule. Lisa takes Sundays off, and she prefers that training dogs take Sundays off, as well, as they usually need the rest.
In addition to the mental and physical demands of the training, all of the distractions and general stimuli of the ranch will make your dog appreciate some down time in the kennel. Your dog will probably go home very tired and very happy!
When will Lisa train me?
Lisa will meet with you at the end of your dog’s stay for roughly 45-90 minutes. During this time, she’ll teach you and anyone else in your household who can attend how dogs learn. She’ll also show you how to apply and maintain the training at home. Lisa will also schedule follow-up lessons at no additional cost based on how well the training works for you.
Will Lisa keep me updated on my dog’s progress?
Feel free to prompt Lisa for updates via email, though it may take her 2-3 days to respond, as she gets a lot of emails each day and doesn’t spend much time in the office. She spends most of her day around the ranch training dogs and their families. As such, she can’t spend much time proactively providing updates for people who don’t request them. No news is good news, though, so you can safely assume that things are going well if Lisa isn’t trying to reach you to provide unsolicited updates.
Please review the Boarding FAQs, as well.
Group Classes
We’re still not offering group classes or accepting sign-ups for notifications for future group classes due to the high demand for in-kennel training.
If you need training services in the meantime, then please consider in-kennel training.
Basic Classes
Lisa’s basic classes cover the following:
Potty Training
Jumping on People
Heel (walking on the left side on a loose leash)
Sitting automatically when stopping
Sit/Stay
Down/Downstay
Come
Note: Customers should NOT bring their dogs to the first session of basic classes, since the first day is solely for orientation.
Intermediate Classes
Lisa’s intermediate classes cover the following:
Basic Commands
Long Line Work
Long Downstays
Working Toward Off-Leash
Hand Signals
More Intense Distractions
Pricing
$180
Group Class
Includes an hour-long session once a week for six weeks, with a total cost of $180 for the entire series. This applies to all class levels.
Requirements
Your dog should be at least 16 weeks of age (though 12 weeks is acceptable in some cases)
You must be able to provide us with proof that your dog is current on the following vaccines:
Bordetella
DHPP
Rabies
Scheduling Group Classes
We aren’t currently offering callbacks or notifications for training classes. Please check back at a later date.