Traction Dog Training Club of Texas

Serves Round Rock, TX

35244

Hired 8 times

5 employees

5 years in business

$149

5.0

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

Next Service

Hours

Sun 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Mon 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Tues 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Wed 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Thurs 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Fri 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Sat 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

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 Mara, 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 Mara to call you by clicking on our website on our profile. 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?

I apprenticed under some of America's top horse trainers, including Olympic event trainers, National Chamption Hunter Jumper trainers, and Parelli 4-Star trainers, from 2010 to 2017. Later in 2017, I became employed at an exotic animal habitat training mountain lions, bears, elk, river otters, and bald eagles to willingly cooperate with veterinary procedures and teaching visitors about the animals. Our habitats were the first in America to successfully complete veterinary visits without the use of sedation. In 2019 I moved to Denver, Colorado to work at Colorado's top dog training company, where I completed their official training certification tests. I have continued learning through seminars and dog sports, and am now also an AKC CGC Evaluator, PSA member, protection sports handler, and have completed several movie animal jobs.

How did you get started doing this type of work?

I began training sport horses and competing in riding competitions in 2010. Eager to learn as much as possible, I spent several years living with some of America's top horse trainers and apprenticing under them. By 2017, I was working with Olympic level trainers. Later in 2017, I became employed at an exotic animal habitat training mountain lions, bears, elk, river otters, and bald eagles to willingly cooperate with veterinary procedures and teaching visitors about the animals. I began dog training while working at the exotic animal habitat and moved to Denver, Colorado in 2019 to work at Colorado's top dog training company. Despite loving the work, I was frustrated by a general lack of professionalism and results in the dog training industry, and founded the Traction Dog Training Club in 2020. Within 6 months, Traction became one of CO's top training companies itself and employed a small team of Secret Service K9 Handlers, Ne Po Po Gold Trainers, and more.

What types of customers have you worked with?

My company works with Founders and CEOs, media companies, professional sports players, government officials, entertainment figures, and the dog-loving families of Texas. 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. Be careful to review a trainer's experience, certifications, sports titles, and customer reviews when hiring, and always get a training consultation first. I would also advise not to limit your search to certain labels of training styles, like "balanced", "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 three 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?