Maybe your dog is loose on two acres all day and has no idea what his name means once he is past the tree line. Maybe he loses his mind at the door, or pulls you down the road at the end of the driveway, or has growled at someone over a bowl. Cumberland dogs have room, and room is not the same as rules.
A dog raised on space alone grows up fast, friendly, and completely deaf to his name, not because he is bad but because nothing in his day ever required him to defer to anyone. That is the piece that is missing, and it cannot be bought with food or installed with a wire. Shawn Hines has spent more than thirty years training dogs and more than fifteen running Best Buddy Dog Training, and he teaches Cumberland owners how to give their dog the second half of what he needs.
Dog Training Problems We See in Cumberland
The dog who guards
Growling over the food bowl, the couch or the porch is the clearest sign a dog has taken charge of things he was never given. It is also the one owners are most afraid to mention. Mention it. Guarding is a large part of what Shawn works with, and the first visit is planned around it.
The deer and the rail trail
A dog who comes back when the chase is over has a habit, not a recall. The real thing is built on a long line with the distractions present, and it holds when the deer moves because the person calling matters more than the deer.
The door
Guests, the UPS driver, the kids' friends. The dog who gets there first and puts his paws on them is deciding who comes into his house. A trained dog goes to his spot and stays while the door opens, because it is not his house to run.
The yard
An acre and a buried wire make an independent dog, not an obedient one. The wire tells him where the shock is and nothing about what you want. A dog who holds a down on the lawn while the oil truck backs in is answering to you, not to a fence.
The Dogs in the Pictures
Every photograph and video on this site shows a dog Shawn trained. They are dogs Shawn trained or is training, shown doing what trained dogs do, and nobody is holding food off camera or a remote in a pocket. The videos show it and the success stories say it, if you want proof before you pick up the phone.
In-Home Dog Training in Cumberland, RI
In-home training in Cumberland runs four private in-home sessions at your home and in the places you take your dog, and the sessions are Shawn teaching you to train your own dog, so the results last. It comes with a plan made for your dog and your household. Follow-up never expires: phone and video support for the life of the dog, at no further charge, as many as five dogs under one roof are included in the one price, and nothing is tacked on later. More sessions are included if you have followed the plan and need them. $2,000 is the Rhode Island price.
We tried many group training classes that focused on positive reinforcement, but nothing seemed to work for us until we found Shawn.
Board-and-Train
For the dog with a history, Shawn offers a longer program. For board-and-train the dog moves in with Shawn and his pack for four to six weeks and trains daily in parks, stores and traffic. It is meant for aggression, resource guarding, severe leash reactivity, chronic anxiety and the dog two trainers have given up on. Shawn fetches the dog and returns him personally, then three reintegration sessions at your place put the result in your hands, with follow-up for life. It costs $2,500 to $5,000, according to the dog, and the figure is settled before any date is held.
Cumberland Owners Ask
He has never been on a leash in his life. Is that a problem?
It is the starting point. Off-leash reliability is built on a leash first.
He guards his food bowl from our toddler.
Say so on the phone. The first visit is planned around it.
Can an older dog still learn this?
Yes. Age is rarely the obstacle people expect it to be.
Call Shawn
(401) 536-7982 is the number. There is no charge for the call and no sales script on the other end; it is Shawn. Explain the dog's behavior, and he will answer plainly: what he would do and what it costs. Monday to Friday, 8 until 6; Saturday, 9 until 5; messages left outside those hours are returned.
Who you are to your dog is EVERYTHING
Shawn Hines
Dog Trainer, Best Buddy Dog Training
No charge, no obligation.
Best Buddy Dog Training serves these cities and surrounding communities in Rhode Island
Barrington • Bristol • Coventry • Cranston • Cumberland • East Greenwich • Middletown • Narragansett • Newport • Pawtucket • Providence • Smithfield • South Kingstown • Warwick • Westerly • Woonsocket