Q. Can we visit a class?

A. Absolutely. We highly encourage you to visit our classes to see if this is the right place for your pet. Our classes will start every 3 weeks so you never have to wait to join in.

Q. How long have you been in business?

A. We opened in Charlotte in September of 2006. The owner, Amy Dunphy CPDT has been training dogs for over 8 years professionally. She is a certified pet dog trainer, a field representative with Paws with a Cause and attends conferences and classes every year to continue her education. All of the trainers are constanty working to further their education and attaining their CPDT's.

Q. What is your opinion on the Dog Whisperer?

A. This is a question we get asked all the time. We do not typically comment on other trainers, and we have not met or worked directly with Cesar. There have been plenty of statements made by various organizations such as the American Humane Society. We stand by and follow a strict code of ethics, to use dog friendly training techniques and to teach dogs what it is we want them to do.

Q. Do you use shock collars?

A. No. There are many issues surrounding why we will not use those. Here are a few. First, shock collars are meant to cause pain in order to work. Even if they are small shocks, they are still uncomfortable and aversive otherwise it wouldn't work. We can't tell you how much pain your animal feels, and your animal can't tell you, so we prefer not to do that. Secondly, many dogs become what is called "collar-wise". They only respond when the collar is on. This is not the type of response I like to see when training dogs. We prefer dogs that listen regardless of being on leash, off leash, on collar or off. This is another reason why we do not like to use choke collars or pinch collars.

Q. How do I become a dog trainer?

A. There are many types of schools that offer courses in dog training. We always encourage people to attend schools or seminars to learn about dog training. It is important to get hands on training as well either with a mentor trainer or in a shelter environment. Taking your own dogs through classes is also a great way to learn more.