Yes! We are so confident in this system, that if you are not completely amazed and 100% satisfied in the first lesson, the lesson is free! No questions asked!

Your dog will benefit tremendously! Most behavior problems (biting, chewing, jumping, etc) are based off of a lack of exercise, discipline, and out of boredom! With this training, your dog is receiving top-quality obedience training, which in turn, allows you to give your dog freedom to run around OFF-LEASH and play! So by doing this training your dog is not bored because it is learning and being stimulated, it is running freely off-leash so it is getting exercise, and it is getting obedience/discipline! Not only does all of this greatly benefit your dog, but it also benefits you and your family!

Remember, if you do not employ your dog and give it a job to do (training), it will become self-employed. A self-employed dog will cost YOU money!

An “e-collar” is basically a collar with a stimulation mechanism. It is similar to receiving E-Stim therapy at your local chiropractor. The collar is controlled by a remote that the handler holds. The remote allows you to maintain full control of your dog for up to 400 yards! Therefore, it gives your dog a lot of freedom and it saves you from worrying about your dog running off! It is not used as a punishment or a “shock” as many people assume, it is simply used as a training device for communicating with your dog. It produces a subtle electrical pulse between two contact points located on the collar. Similar to a “tickle.” In the old days this type of collar was used as “shock collar” and many inexperienced dog owners tried to use this device to scare their dog into submission. In the proven training method we teach, your dog is never “shocked into submission” or abused. Unlike a shocking device, the e-collar is used to get the dog’s attention and keep it focused on listening to the handler. It is the equivalents of someone tapping your shoulder to get your attention, or setting your phone on vibrate so it will get your attention when someone is calling you. We teach the dog to listen to those “taps” and that the “taps” mean, “I am trying to get your attention.”

There is a reason that the top law enforcement agencies, military, and top federal agencies: patrol, detection, and search and rescue dogs are trained using e-collars!

No. During our first meeting we will put the e-collar on your arm and you will feel how mild the stimulation is. We will also stimulate ourselves with the e-collar to show you that it will not hurt your dog. One common misconception is the e-collar will burn their skin. This is false. Other people think that it is like being shocked with a taser, this is also false. We are dog trainers because we LOVE dogs and we would never do anything to harm them in any way! Furthermore, we would never do anything to a dog, that we will not do ourselves.

No. Your dog will not always have to wear the e-collar. In fact, inside your home, your dog will quickly be listening to your every command without the e-collar on. However, We always recommend putting the e-collar on your dog before you take it outside off-leash. This is due to the fact that you never know what may get your dog’s attention, so, you still want to be able to maintain complete control of your dog. It’s like an invisible leash. We often compare your pet wearing the collar outside to a child wearing a seat belt. Parents drill into their children the importance of wearing a seat belt each and every time they get into a car. That one time the child doesn’t wear the seat belt could be that one time they are in a car accident and a seat belt would have prevented injury. It only takes one time for you dog to see something that really catches their attention and without the collar, you have no way to stop him/her.

No! Almost everyone is VERY surprised that they receive quite the OPPOSITE reaction from their dog. When you turn an e-collar on, it beeps. In a very short time, your dog will recognize this “beep” as their collar being turned on. Almost every dog upon hearing this beep, will coming running and sit down in front of you and wait for you to put it on them. Why? Because the dog knows the e-collar means that they are going outside (to run, play ball, be free, etc) AND they know they are going to do training! A bored dog is a destructive dog; a trained/exercised dog is a HAPPY dog. They look forward to their training sessions because it stimulates them and gives them something to do. Imagine being at work on a slow day, the day drags and you feel sluggish. When you are busy, it goes by fast and you are energized! Now imagine a dog with no friends, no Facebook, no television, and no internet. Their only REAL stimulation is the training you give them and their time outside to run, play, and bond with you!

Contact your local OLK9 Certified Trainer for the location of their training.

Generally, we do not like to train dogs inside the house! Why? It is easy for dogs to listen when they are in their own home. It is a familiar environment. If your pet trains in an unfamiliar environment, with countless distractions, they will listen to your commands anywhere.

The great thing about this training is that you don’t have to set a specific amount of time aside per day in order to train your dog! We will teach you how to incorporate this training into your daily routine.

Basic Obedience is generally done in FOUR lessons.

• Lesson 1: “Come” and “Sit.” Off-Leash
• Lesson 2: “Extended Sit” and “Down.” Extended sit meaning your dog will sit until you release it
• Lesson 3: “Place” and “Extended Down.” Place meaning your dog will sit on a specific object you point to (chair, bench, etc)
• Lesson 4: “Loose Leash Walking.” Meaning, your dog will walk right beside of you while on a leash.

If you are interested in advanced obedience after you and your dog has completed the basic obedience, it is also available!

Generally, we do not start e-collar training on a dog until it is at least 5 months old.

Not a problem! We can still train your pup using the clicker/treat method! This will give your new pup a good foundation for basic obedience! Additionally, We can teach you how to house train your puppy. He/ she will learn how to let you know they need to go. So they don’t continue having accidents in the house.

A clicker is a small device that makes a distinct “click” noise. This is used to instantly mark the desired behavior. Then, it is immediately followed with a treat! This enables the dog to learn the commands much faster because you are instantly “marking” the correct behavior. In return, the dog knows it has not done what you are asking it to do until it hears the distinct “click.”

That is fine! E-Collar training works on a dog of ANY SIZE, ANY SHAPE, and ANY AGE (above 5 months).

Yes, if you want your dog to listen outside the house and not only when everything is quiet. Most families come to Off Leash K9 Training of Hampton Roads because they want reliable obedience, calmer walks, and a clear plan for unwanted behaviors like jumping or pulling. The site offers multiple formats so you can pick what fits your life, including in home private lessons, Board and Train, and reward based Basic Marker Mastery.

It depends on the program you choose at Hampton Roads Dog Trainers. Some options are structured as four 60 minute sessions with time built in for owner practice and questions. If you choose the 2 Week Board and Train, the training happens daily while your dog is with the trainer, and the program ends with a 2 hour one on one transfer session so you learn how to maintain the results at home.

You can, and some owners do, but most people get stuck once real-life distractions show up or when the household is not consistent. Off Leash K9 Training of Hampton Roads focuses on structure and repeatable systems, and their FAQ even explains that you do not have to set aside a specific amount of time each day because they teach you how to build training into your routine. If you want more guidance, the site lays out options like in-home lessons and Board and Train so you can choose the level of support that fits your dog and your schedule.

 Usually it is reliability around distractions. A dog might know “sit” in the living room, but the real test is doing it when there are smells, people, other dogs, and excitement. Their Board and Train description specifically calls out handling multiple distractions in multiple environments and building full off leash recall. 

Consistency. Dogs learn fastest when the rules stay the same every day and every person in the house follows them. If the meaning of a command changes, like using “down” for both “lie down” and “get off the furniture,” or if one day a behavior is rewarded and the next day it is corrected, your dog gets mixed signals and progress slows. The same thing happens when different family members enforce different rules.

 At Off Leash K9 Training of Hampton Roads, the quickest progress usually comes from the most immersive option we offer: our 2 Week Board and Train, where your dog stays with a pro trainer for two weeks and trains every day in a structured way. After the program, you get a 2 hour one on one transfer session so you know exactly what your dog has learned and how to handle everything at home, which is what keeps the results going. 

 Start with the basics that make everyday life easier and safer. Our In Home Basic Obedience is built around core commands like come, sit, down, place, loose leash walking, and off (so your dog learns not to jump), plus out for dropping items. These skills give you real control and make it much easier to build consistency in the home and out in public.

 There is not one perfect number for every dog because age, health, and energy level matter. What we do emphasize is that short, focused training walks can beat long, frustrating walks when you are working on leash manners. In our leash manners blog, we recommend aiming for about 10 to 15 minutes of focused leash training daily, then gradually increasing as your dog improves.

 Inconsistency is one of the biggest ones we see. That can look like using the same word for two different behaviors (like saying “down” for “lie down” and “get off the couch”), rewarding something one day and correcting it the next, or having different family members enforce different rules. When you clean up the mixed signals, dogs learn faster because they finally get one clear message.

 A clean sit is usually one of the quickest wins because it is simple, repeatable, and easy to reward. If you want a structured way to start, our Basic Marker Mastery introduces reward based training and specifically includes come and sit, then builds into place and loose leash walking with owner practice time in each session.

 A reliable recall is one of the hardest because it has to work when your dog is excited or distracted. That is why our 2 Week Board and Train focuses on recall in real world conditions, including come on command outside, off leash, with distractions, and it also lists full off leash recall as part of the training.

 It depends on the program and the level of support your dog needs. Off Leash K9 Training of Hampton Roads list several training options, including In Home Basic Obedience, In Home Basic and Advanced, 2 Week Board and Train, Aggressive Dog Training (for aggression or reactivity around other dogs), Therapy Dog Preparation, Tracking Board and Train, and Basic Marker Mastery. The best fit comes down to your goals and what you need your dog to do in real life.

 People usually mean timing. Dogs learn through association, so rewards and corrections need to happen quickly enough that your dog connects the outcome to the exact behavior. Being timely helps dogs understand what earned the reward or correction.

We do not rank breeds. Our focus is matching the dog in front of us to the right plan and the right level of structure, because history, consistency at home, and motivation matter more than a label. You will see this reflected across our messaging as all dogs, all breeds, all issues.

No. Adult dogs can absolutely learn, and what matters most is a clear system and consistent follow through. Our programs cover a wide range, from foundational obedience to distraction proofing and behavior work. Also we adapt training methods by age, including using clicker and treat based methods for younger pups who are not ready for e-Collar work yet.

Most owners notice it in everyday moments, not in a formal “test.” Your dog pulls on leash, jumps on guests, ignores you when you call, or listens only when the house is quiet and nothing is going on. If your dog’s obedience disappears the second there are people, smells, or other dogs around, that is a strong sign they need more structure. At Off Leash K9 Training of Hampton Roads, our core obedience work is built to fix those exact pain points with skills like loose leash walking, off for jumping, place for impulse control, and come for real world reliability.

We do not list “calmest breeds” because calm is usually created through training and routine, not just genetics. A calm dog is typically a dog who understands the rules, has clear boundaries, and practices settling as part of daily life. When owners stay consistent with expectations and reinforcement, most dogs become easier to live with, even if they started out high energy. That is the kind of calm we focus on at Off Leash K9 Training of Hampton Roads.

We do not name one “best” breeds because the better match comes down to lifestyle, energy level, and trainability for the household. In real life, many seniors do best with a dog who has reliable leash manners, polite greetings, and listens the first time. Training is what makes that possible, especially with fundamentals like loose leash walking and off for jumping. At Off Leash K9 Training of Hampton Roads, we focus on building the obedience that makes day to day life feel easier and safer.

We do not label any breed as “most high maintenance.” Usually, when people say high maintenance, they mean a dog who is high energy, easily distracted, or lacks impulse control, especially when the home routine is inconsistent. The good news is those issues often improve quickly when the rules are clear and everyone follows the same system. With structure and consistent follow through, most dogs become calmer, more predictable, and much easier to manage.

Red flags include growling, snapping, lunging, or intense reactivity around other dogs or people, especially if it is escalating. Those behaviors should be taken seriously because safety and control matter.

At Off Leash K9 Training of Hampton Roads, we list an Aggressive Dog Training option specifically for aggression or reactivity issues around other dogs, with additional lessons built around real world scenarios so owners can regain control in a safer, more structured way.