FAQ and Downloadable Resources

Training

How much does your training cost?

Our Basic Obedience Program starts at $3500. Puppies about 6 months and younger are usually around that base, barring any special issues.

Special issues such as aggression, potty problems, fear and anxiety, etc., are priced separately in addition to a training program.

What is your service area?

We train all over Snohomish County for the most part, but have taken clients on a case by case basis as far south as Queen Anne and as far north as Mount Vernon. Much of this depends on what our schedule and commute looks like at the time of the consultation.

How do I get started?

Contact us for your FREE in-home consultation so we can get you your personalized quote! Typically, almost every dog we see starts with an individual version of our Basic Obedience.

Training typically starts with 3 at home lessons per week, down to 2, then 1 once fully ready for group classes.

What is your training style like?

We are balanced trainers. That means we utilize all four quadrants of operant conditioning, and we use whatever training tools are BEST to achieve the goals of our client, for the individual dog in front of us.

Much of the time is spent teaching the HUMANS to handle and train their dog. Participation and practice outside of sessions is just as important as during.

What is the consultation like?

Our consultations are FREE and conducted in-home. This is where our trainer will come to your home and evaluate the level of training the dog may have already done, their natural temperament, and discuss things in more detail so that we can quote appropriately.

Do you offer lesson packages?

We believe our clients, both canine and human, benefit most from training complete programs. Once your first program is completed, we are then happy to discuss a smaller lesson OR program package for further training.

Do you offer group classes?

They are FREE for the lifetime of any dog that has completed one of our full programs. We do not offer group classes on their own, only as a part of a complete program.

Group classes are considered an active part of many of our programs as one of your lessons per week once you are cleared to join, even though they are free for the life of the dog. If you do not utilize this resource, it will affect progress and retention. If you do not continue to come to group to maintain the training, it will also affect the longevity.

Do you offer boarding or daycare services?

We will sometimes recommend supplemental training opportunities to our regular programs, but this is usually decided either at the initial consultation or as a collaborative plan with owners as training progresses. We are not always able to offer these services.

Do or should I have to train every dog in my household?

For the sake of retention, consistency, and the longevity of the training, we will always recommend that every dog in the same household do at least a little bit of our Basic Obedience training. We do offer lighter packages to senior or previously trained dogs, but this is determined at the consultation on a case by case basis.

Business & Payment

Are you Better Busines Bureau accredited?

Yes, we are very proud to be!

What form of payments do you accept? When is the deposit due? Do you accept payment plans?

We accept cash, check, Paypal, or Venmo. We typically ask a 50% deposit after the first official lesson, and the remainder at the program’s halfway mark. If we are on a wait list, we may ask for a small deposit to save your spot. Paypal may offer their own financing.

Do you offer any kind of discounts?

We are only able to offer small discounts on multi-pet or multi-program packages at this time.

Do you offer refunds or future credit?

Any payments are non-refundable, unless stated otherwise. You have 6 months from the first lesson of a program or package to complete any training paid in advance, unless stated otherwise. This is to preserve the integrity of our training and with your dogs’ best interest in mind.

If it has been more than 2-4 weeks since we have seen you for an ongoing program, we may need to conduct a new consultation and re-quote for the remainder of the work left, or additional training may be necessary once your program is complete to reach the original goals.

ESA vs Service vs Therapy Animals

Do you train ESAs as well as Service and/or Therapy Dogs?

Yes we do! We have many proven, working assistance dogs!

What is the difference between the three?

– ESA: Any domesticated animal that provides EMOTIONAL SUPPORT to their owner or handler.
– Service Animal: A dog or miniature horse that is trained in at least one specific task that helps mitigate their individual handler(s) DISABILITY, whatever condition that may be, and is under handler control at all times.
– Therapy Dog: A dog that tends to the EMOTIONAL needs of multiple people and is under handler control at all times.

Is there such a thing as a legitimate Service Dog registry or certification?

In the United States, there is NOT! If you see one claiming to be, it is a SCAM! There are such certifications as the Canine Good Citizen test, which is not specific to Service Dogs, and the Public Access Test. We use these as guides for our training programs, but we often train beyond the requirements of these certifications.

All that is required of a Service Dog is 1) are they under handler control at all times, and 2) do they know at least ONE task related to their handler’s disability?

Is there such a thing as a legitimate Therapy Dog registry or certification?

Actually, THERE IS, and many institutions require your dog be registered or certified and insured through an organization prior to allowing a team to work or volunteer together, however some only require proof of OUR training. While we train Therapy Dogs, and again, often beyond certification standards, we are NOT a Therapy Dog organization and cannot offer insurance or other resources that are available to these organizations.

Do ESA’s require any special training?

Legally, they do not. They are not allowed in non-pet-friendly spaces and are not required to be task trained, so their level of training is up to the individual handler. While not every dog is made for Public Access work, many people benefit from having an ESA who is still task trained and can help them in pet-friendly spaces or their home!

Rescue, Retrain, Rehome

Are you a rescue?

We are NOT a non-profit rescue, but we do assist in finding dogs new homes on a case by case basis. This is what we call our “R3” or “Rescue, Retrain, Rehome” program. We typically have one or two dogs in this program at a time due to space and staffing, and we usually reserve those spots for higher risk dogs. Please check out our “Dogs ‘n Blogs” page if you are interested in fostering, adopting, or fostering-to-adopt!

How much does it cost to participate in this program to surrender or adopt a dog?

As we are NOT a non-profit, everything is approached on a CASE BY CASE basis. For surrenders, we do an evaluation and take into account, the best we can at the time, the individual dog’s issues and potential for timely rehoming, and may either ask a single surrender fee or a monthly maintenance fee. Depending on the dog’s time with us, any unforeseen issues, additional training, extra vetting, special diet, etc, we may ask a reasonable rehoming fee upon adoption.

How do I surrender my dog?

Please send us any relevant information about the situation, and we will be in contact. As we are not a non-profit, and also a very small business, we do not have a large capacity and do not have openings long or often. We can offer some additional rehoming resources if we are not able to accommodate you, but we also always encourage giving training a try first. If there are issues we think could be easily fixed with some training, we probably will not be able to accommodate your dog as we try to save these spots for higher risk or maintenance cases.

What does the adoption process look like?

Please find our adoption application and contract below under “Downloadable Resources” and return it to us at moorek9services@gmail.com, either as photos of a physical copy or as an attachment. We will then be in contact with you to let you know if we have a dog that would be a good fit. We will then set up a meet and greet with us where they are comfortable, followed by a home visit/lesson with potential for drop off!