If your dog loses his mind at the buzzer, barks the second floor awake, pulls you down Hope Street past every other dog on the sidewalk, or has made the dog park a place you no longer go, you have a Providence dog. A city gives a dog a great deal to react to and very little room to do it in.
In a three-decker there is no yard to send him to and no way to avoid the stairwell, so the usual advice, more space, more distance, more exercise, does not apply. What does apply is that a dog who trusts and respects the person on the other end of the leash can hold still while the building goes on around him, because the building is not his job. Shawn Hines has spent more than thirty years training dogs and more than fifteen running Best Buddy Dog Training, and he teaches Providence owners how to give their dog that person.
Dog Training Problems We See in Providence
The buzzer and the stairs
The buzzer, the neighbor's footsteps, the shared hall: a dog who announces all of it is working a shift nobody gave him. Once the shift is yours, he lies down and lets the building go on.
The four-foot sidewalk
Federal Hill, Wickenden, the East Side: other dogs pass within a few feet and there is nowhere to step aside. The dog who lunges there is overloaded and has nobody leading him; he is not vicious. Walked by someone he respects, he lets the other dog pass and keeps going.
The dog park
A dog who comes back from the dog park when the game is over has a habit, and a dog without a recall has no business loose in a city. The recall is built on a leash under distraction, and that dog is the one who gets to run.
No yard at all
Most of the dogs in the videos do not have one either. Structure matters more than space, and some of the best-behaved dogs Shawn has worked with live in apartments.
The Dogs in the Pictures
No dog in the pictures or videos here was bought or staged. Every one of them was trained by Shawn or is with him now, doing what a trained dog does with no treat in anyone's hand and no e-collar on anyone's neck. Before you call, the videos and the success stories will show you what the training produces.
In-Home Dog Training in Providence, RI
The program in Providence is four private in-home sessions at your home and in the places you take your dog, and the point of them is that you learn to train your own dog, so the results do not depend on Shawn being there. A plan is written for your dog and your household. You can reach Shawn by phone and video for the rest of the dog's life without paying more - one price, whether you have one dog or five in the house, with no hidden fees. Should the dog need more sessions after you have followed the plan, they are included. In Rhode Island, the program is $2,000.
… would definitely recommend his services to people who are serious and committed to training their dogs.
Training Jenny with Shawn was definitely worth it - I highly recommend Shawn and his approach.
Board-and-Train
There is a longer program for the harder dog. In board-and-train, the dog lives with Shawn and his pack for four to six weeks and learns to behave in the places where there's been trouble. Shawn collects and delivers the dog himself, then comes to your home three times for optional reintegration sessions, and supports you for the life of the dog. The program is for the dog who has bitten, guards, cannot pass another dog, or lives in a state of anxiety nothing has touched. Expect $2,500 to $5,000 depending on the dog; the figure is agreed before anything is scheduled.
Providence Owners Ask
The landlord has complained about barking.
Say so on the phone. Barking at the door and the buzzer tends to change quickly once the dog knows it is not his job.
Can he learn to ride the bus or sit outside a café?
A dog who can lie down and stay beside you on a sidewalk can do it anywhere. It is the same thing with more noise.
Is he too old?
No. Older dogs often change faster, because they are not running on puppy energy.
Call Shawn
Start with a free call to (401) 536-7982. It is a free conversation with Shawn, not a pitch. Explain what the dog is doing and he will tell you directly whether in-home or board-and-train fits and what each costs. Monday through Friday from 8 to 6, Saturday from 9 to 5; messages 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