We are located 30 minutes south of Boston and serve communities throughout the south shore, metro Boston and surrounding areas. If you're unsure whether we serve your area, please reach out—we're happy to discuss your location and potential travel arrangements.
We believe every dog and family is unique, and therefore CanineKind does not fit into a single training label when it comes to our interactions with each client. The CanineKind approach is about finding what works best for your dog, your lifestyle and your goals. We tailor each training plan based on three key factors:
1. Your available and desired time commitment;
2. The level and intensity of intervention your dog needs, and;
3. Your dog's individual personality and learning style.
Each approach is tailored towards applying the least intrusive method in achieving your desired results with your dog. We are very equipped to work across a range of training techniques— ranging from strictly positive reinforcement to balanced approaches using tools like tens unit e-collars, prong collars, and slip leads when appropriate.
Our priority is honest, effective training that gets results that work for you. We take the time to have an open conversation during our phone consultation and first lesson to ensure that you have a realistic expectation of what approaches will be recommended for your dog. If you have already come from other training situations that were unable to provide long lasting results for you and your dog, part of our job and obligation to you is identifying the way previous approaches went wrong and all the options you have to address issues and goals with your dog.
In general, you will need:
• A 6ft leash;
• A flat collar, or whatever collar you currently use;
• Treats available you know your dog likes;
• Toys that your dog likes to play with;
• Your dog, and
• A commitment to putting in the work from the start! - Check your email, read instructions and ask questions if you're confused!
The last one is so important! :-) Good dog training doesn't work like magic, it's behavioral psychology - it works by having a plan, being prepared and following through. Clients that achieve the most success are the ones that are committed to setting themselves up for success from the start (based on our guidance of course).
After your first session, for pre session instructions/game-planning - we will continue to communicate pre session administrative or training logistics via email/text or the CanineKind training portal, whichever you prefer.
PRE-SESSION
CanineKind is a mobile training service - we will come to you whether its at your home, local park or neighborhood. If you are unavailable to meet at your home or in public - we can arrange for you to meet us near our homebase.
Prior to your session, we will provide you with instructions via email on how to handle/prepare your dog prior to your trainers arrival based on our discussion during your phone consultation.
HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
The first several minutes of your session will be spent diving deeper into your goals and issues with your dog. For example, If you've just adopted a dog - we will discuss topics like shelter decompression, behavior expectations, troubleshooting behavioral changes and introducing freedom. If you have taken home a new puppy, we will take you through all the ins and out of how to raise your puppy and intuitively shape their desire to make choices that you like. Throughout the process we discuss your existing training and lifestyle choices and how your choices fit into professional dog training strategies.
Dog ownership became the most rewarding for us when we learned that you don't need to have a rigid expectation of training diatribes, tropes or online opinions not based in real life to have a successful relationship with your dog. We aim to provide as much of that valuable learned experience in our guidance as possible from the second we meet.
YOUR EVALUATION
Once we have finished rounding out your goals - for basic obedience clients (non-behavioral issues) we will conduct a basic evaluation of your dog or puppy's motivations & drives (food, play, drive to play scent games and more) - each dog has a different and unique profile of what drives them and quality training means being able to harness multiple aspects of the dog's personality and motivations to set them up for success.
If your dog has to come to us for behavioral issues or a behavioral assessment - this part of your session may vary - but during this time, we will also evaluate your dog with our procedure based on their issues - and evaluate their drives and motivates to the same degree possible.
LETS GET TRAINING!
We will spend roughly half of your first session getting straight to work! Successful dog training itself isn't about long sessions where you hammer in as much as possible - its about setting your dog up for success and working on goals in incremental ways. While your dog might not be prancing with perfect obedience like our demo/helper dog Atlas by the end of your first session, you will see and be able to replicate anything I show you from the first repetition.
For behavioral issues, it varies case by case - please contact us if you need more info on how your first training session with a behavioral issue or evaluation will go?
Dog training is like learning a new language. In the beginning, you learn the foundations, how sentences are structured, some fun easy sentences, by the end of the week you might even be able to understand words in shows or books and show off some things to your friends and family! You're learning lots of new things and you're seeing results quickly. But - will you be able truly navigate the country of that language with just a week of knowledge? The answer is probably no.
With consistent practice, you will see lasting results for 95% of cases within a month or less. But - in order to build the reliability of a skill like a "language" you need to practice it routinely after applying a strong foundation to achieve fluent results.
In some aspects, you're learning your dog's language - but in another aspect you and your dog are learning a new "dialect" together that will allow you to have full conversations.
CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY
We understand that schedules change. This policy helps protect both your time and ours by setting clear expectations for cancellations, rescheduling, and refunds. All appointments are scheduled through Square Appointments.
24-Hour Notice Required
• Free cancellation or rescheduling is available up to 24 hours before your scheduled appointment time
• You may cancel or reschedule yourself online through Square Appointments up until the 24-hour cutoff
• Simply use the link in your confirmation email or text message
Within 24 Hours (Late Cancellation)
If you cancel or reschedule with less than 24 hours notice:
• You will be charged 50% of the service fee OR $30 flat fee (whichever applies to your service)
• This fee will be automatically charged to the card on file with your permission
• At the trainer's discretion, this fee may be waived for emergencies (see Emergency Exceptions below)
No-Show Policy
If you miss your appointment without any notice:
• You will be charged the full service fee (100%)
• This will be automatically charged to the card on file
• Future bookings may require prepayment
Same-Day Emergency Cancellations
We understand that true emergencies happen. Same-day cancellations may be waived at the trainer's discretion for:
• Medical emergencies (human or dog)
• Family emergencies
• Severe weather that makes travel unsafe
• Other unavoidable circumstances
To request a waiver: Contact us immediately by email at caninekindtraining@gmail.com
Do not rely solely on the automated cancellation system for emergencies.
PACKAGE & MULTI-SESSION DEALS
Package Cancellation
If you purchase a package (e.g., 5-session bundle) and need to cancel:
◦ Before first session: Full refund available
◦ After first session has occurred: No refund on unused sessions, but sessions do not expire and can be rescheduled
◦ Standard 24-hour cancellation policy applies to each individual session
Package Expiration
• Multi-session packages are valid for 1 year from date of purchase
• Extensions may be granted for medical or family emergencies
• Unused sessions after expiration are forfeited
Mutual Satisfaction Guarantee
If either you or the trainer feels that the training relationship isn't working out, we offer the following mid-package refund option:
After completing at least half of the total sessions of a multi-session package, either party may request to end the training arrangement. In this case:
• You will receive a refund for all unused sessions
• This option is NOT available for single-session cancellations (standard cancellation policy applies)
TRAINER-INITIATED CANCELLATIONS
If We Cancel
Sometimes we need to cancel due to illness, emergency, or other unforeseen circumstances. If this happens:
• You will be notified as soon as possible
• You will receive a full refund OR
• We will offer to reschedule at your convenience
• No cancellation fees will apply to you
Weather Cancellations
• If severe weather makes training unsafe or travel impossible, we will cancel and offer to reschedule at no charge
• For light rain or snow, training typically proceeds