Traction Dog Training Club of Colorado

Serves Boulder, CO

35244

Hired 3 times

5 employees

5 years in business

$149

5.0

This pro accepts payments via Apple Pay, Credit card, Stripe, Venmo, and Zelle.

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Credentials

Background Check

Brielle Soo
Completed on 3/1/2023

Introduction

Go to our website for a free consultation with a trainer! Solid 5-star rating with over 110 Google reviews! Our small team at Traction Dog Training Club uniquely focuses on professionalism, customization for each dog and family, and convenience. Our small team of trainers includes: Mara Soo: Lion, Bear, & Elk Trainer - Trained sport horses up to the Olympic level - Professionally trained lions, bears, elk, otters, and eagles to voluntarily participate in veterinary procedures - Competes in PSA (protection and patrol dogs) Tina Chavez: Ne Po Po Silver & Gold Graduate - Trained directly by Bart Bellon, inventor of modern dog training methods - Certified AKC CGC, STAR, & Trick Dog Evaluator - Competes in PSA (protection and patrol dogs) Eric Knierim: Air Force K-9 Handler - Led K-9 security team 10 Presidential Secret Service missions - Held K-9 training seminars for Secret Service, US Navy, & German Air Force - Certified MWD Handler in patrol and narcotics & explosives detection Victoria Davis: 500-in-5 Behavior Specialist - Resolved 500 behavior cases in 5 years - Volunteer trainer for Malinois and Dutch Shepherd rescues - Close partner with various police K-9 teams, bite sport teams, and protection teams Christie Branch: Primate Behaviorist - Spent 3 years training and caring for over 1,000 neotropical primates - Developed and taught obedience and behavior training protocols for dog training facilities across San Diego - Holds Animal Sciences BS degree and AKC CGC, STAR, and Trick Dog Evaluator certification An overview of our training programs: 1. Varsity membership: build-your-own membership, starting at $30/month. Select from overnight boarding access, extracurricular outings with trainers, and in-home training sessions monthly. $30 - 680 per month 2. Tutoring program: 5-week program during which each week consists of one 1:1 session between trainer and dog and one family coaching session at your home. $1490 3. Homeschool program: 3-week program during which each week consists of four 1:1 sessions between trainer and dog and one family coaching session, all at your home. $2490 4. Study Abroad program: 2-3 week program during which your dog lives in the personal home of your trainer for complex behavior learning and multiple training sessions daily. Requires a free, in-person behavior evaluation. $2890 - $4160. Schedule a free phone consultation with a trainer through our website to learn how we'll work with your dog and customize a training plan. Read more reviews from Google in photos! We don’t just fix behavior problems, we invite you to join a community committed to building exceptional dogs.

Q&A

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

Pricing ranges from $95 to $2890. All dogs are encouraged to train on “Varsity”, which includes regular training sessions on a bi-monthly ($95/month), monthly ($190/month), or bi-weekly ($345/month) basis. Varsity membership also includes free training classes and workshops, access to boarding, and sponsorship of training for 5 shelter dogs every year whose behavior may prevent them from finding loving homes. To fast track your training, pick from our Tutoring ($1490), Homeschool ($2490), and Study Abroad ($2890) programs. Compare these programs on our website, linked in bio. All programs are individually tailored and customizable. Create a custom training plan with a trainer by scheduling a free phone consultation on our website.

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

Interested dog parents are encouraged to start with a free phone consultation with a trainer, or they can directly sign up for Varsity on our website, then schedule a set-up call. You can select the best day and time for us to call you at Calendly /tractiondtc/consult. During the phone consultation, we'll create a custom training plan, talk through the training methods that may make sense for your dog, and send you an onboarding package if you opt to move forward. Once you've reviewed our training agreement, we'll set up training sessions according to your family's schedule.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

Our Boulder team comes together to provide a wealth of dog training and teaching information: - Ne Po Po Silver School certification - Ne Po Po Gold School certification - Military Working Dog handler certification in patrol and narcotics/explosives detection (2) - Military long range off leash certification (2) - Secret Service K9 security team leading experience on presidential and vice presidential missions (2) - Professional training of K9 handling personnel of Special Ops, SWAT, FBI, NCIS, Homeland Security, NPD, ATF, and Naval Explosive Ordinance Disposal - AKC STAR Puppy, CGC, and Urban CGC Evaluator (2) - Competitive in PSA (protection sports association) (2) - Ongoing apprenticeship under THREE national champion sport dog trainers and competitors in Colorado, Missouri, and Ohio (2) - Professional sport horse training experience - Professional large exotic animal training experience - Canine CPR certified - Almost 40 years combined dog training experience

How did you get started doing this type of work?

Mara Soo founded the Traction Dog Training Club to provide a uniquely professional and thorough dog training experience. Because dog training is a completely unregulated industry, it’s common to find yourself working with an unprofessional, under qualified, and generally ineffective dog trainer. Furthermore, most companies that employ other dog trainers pay their trainers minimum wage or not much more, resulting in some of the least qualified trainers in the industry representing brand names. Traction uses a unique business model that keeps its pricing competitive while employing some of the most highly qualified and professional trainers in the country, in your home to focus on you and your dog 1:1 long term.

What types of customers have you worked with?

The Traction Dog Training Club works with Founders and CEOs, media companies, professional sports players, government officials, entertainment figures, and the dog-loving families of Colorado. We are a club, and our members are friendly, kind, community-oriented people from all walks of life. We look forward to getting to know you and supporting your dog and family’s training long term.

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

Did you know that dog training is a completely unregulated industry? Look out for people who are excellent at marketing, but not as great at dog training. Don’t always count on the videos you see! Be careful to review a trainer's experience, certifications, sports titles, and customer reviews when hiring, and always get a training consultation first. We also advise not to limit your search to certain labels of training styles, like "balanced", “ecollar”, "force free", "purely positive", etc. It's good to evaluate what training styles suit your personality, but these labels are not typically a true representation of a trainer's philosophies and approach to training. Speak to a trainer about their training philosophies regarding your specific dog and determine whether it makes sense to you. You may try several different approaches to your dog’s training, and that’s okay!

What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?

Consider these things when selecting a Traction training program: 1) How much daily time do you have to dedicate to training? 2) How interested are you in the subject of dog training? 3) How quickly do you need to accomplish your training goals?