Frequently Asked Questions
HOW DO I PAY?
Payment for classes and private lessons can be made through etransfer to our business email: k9@zendogtraining.com No password required.
Payment must be received before the first class starts.
If you don’t do etransfer, contact us for other payment options.
Payment for our Zen Puppy Kindergarten course is the only exception: all payments must be made to Simply Natural Raw Pet Foods.
They accept a variety of payment options.WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?
For training equipment we keep it simple and gentle!
A basic collar and/or front clip harness (with a back clip option) and a standard leash. Depending on the training we are doing, leash length can be 6-8 feet for loose leash walking, and 20-30 feet for recall and distance training.
Another must-have is a treat pouch (or easily accessible way to get treats out) and a clicker.
Please no aversive collars, flexi or bungee leashes.
WHAT METHODS DO YOU USE?
We are committed to reinforcement-based training and follow protocols backed by the latest science on dog education and welfare. That means we won’t use anything that causes fear or pain to your dog.
We use markers (verbal or clicker) to provide clarity and accelerated learning; and food, toy play and verbal/physical praise from the human to create and build desirable behaviours.
We will show you how to move from a fixed to a variable reinforcement schedule as your training progresses but most importantly, we teach you HOW to be a reinforcement-minded person for the lifetime of your dog. Reinforcement builds and maintains behaviour for all learners!
WHY DO YOU START WITH A ZOOM SESSION?
Most of our private packages and some of our group classes start with a zoom session because this is our opportunity to train you! Here we get to “teach the teacher.”
The Zoom is to help you understand how to set up a training session; how to use a marker (and why markers are important); how reinforcement works for your dog; how diet, management, exercise, and enrichment all affect behaviour and learning.
Learning all this theory tends to go best in the quiet of the learner’s home!
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM A PRIVATE LESSON?
Our private lessons run anywhere from 60 – 75 minutes, depending on the session(s) you have purchased. In that time, you have us all to yourself!
We focus on the specific issues and goals before you, and together we come up with creative strategies and exercises to reach those goals and resolve those issues. Each lesson is followed with an email covering the exercises and topics we covered in the form of videos, written material, relevant podcasts, diagrams and lesson plans – all designed to keep you on track and to refer back to at your leisure.
You are encouraged to call and email with your questions as you start your training journey with us. Your one hour lesson with us is packed with weeks of practice ahead!
For your private lesson, we either come to you or have you meet us at a location appropriate for what we are focusing on in that lesson.
There is a $25 travel charge per lesson for private clients outside of Vancouver.WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM A GROUP CLASS?
A group class environment is an affordable way to better understand dog training and the exercises that are applicable to today’s urban dog or puppy. Each class runs for one hour and follows a set curriculum of topics, supplemented with a lesson plan emailed to each student before that week’s class.
Except for our Skills and Drills Power Hour class and Sunday Morning Walking Club (which are biggies!), we keep our class size small: 5-6 handler/dog teams per class. This ensures you get quality individual attention from your instructor!
Our classes typically run 5-6 weeks in length and there is opportunity to progress to the next level for students keen to move up. Our group classes feature a number of weekly exercises that are game-based, practical and fun so that you have homework for the week ahead.
WHAT IS YOUR REFUND/CANCELLATION POLICY?
We respect that life is full of twists and turns and we will do our best to accommodate a change to your plans. If you need to move a private lesson to another day, we simply ask for 24 hour notice, otherwise the fees for that lesson are lost.
There are no refunds for partial private packages once a lesson has been taken.
For group class refunds, because we keep our courses small, with a wait list, we require five days’ notice so we have the opportunity to fill your spot. Once a class has started, there is no refund.
There is a $10 administration fee for all refunds.
We are open to transferring payment to other training services if you feel the course you have signed up for is not suitable for your dog. Get a hold of us and we can talk!
What do Dog Owners think?
I highly recommend “the growl” for reactivity. In a few sessions we have seen such a big difference in our dog Sako. Although we still have a long way to go through his adolescent years, Shannon has given us the tools and exercises to continue to work on his reactivity towards other dogs. Thank you for your help Shannon!
Zen dog classes are amazing! They really challenged our dog and taught him practical and fun skills to take out into the world. Would highly recommend the classes, especially if you have an active dog!
We have learned so much with Zen Dog, so happily. The classes are effective, with an outstanding trainer (Shannon) guiding our dogs to learn very happily. Everything is based on positive reinforcement and it all works so well. You will enjoy the training and your dog will thrive.Our Aussie Mountain Doodle puppy came home at 5 months. She is our first dog so we were a bit anxious about how to get it right. We quickly gained confidence with the Zen Dog JumpStart programme. It was astonishing on the first day to find that Indy could do so much already... when Shannon worked with her. Then we took over and things fell apart. It dawned on us that Shannon was actually training us, not the puppy! We applied ourselves, began guiding Indy better, and saw really rewarding results. Grade 1 was a great experience, too. We have made notable progress and, most importantly, now have considerable confidence as to how to proceed. We'll be back for Grade 2 with Zen dogs!
Excellent, highly knowledgeable trainer that constantly stays on top of current research in dog training. Highly recommend
Shannon is the best! We have worked with her and our 2 dogs on and off for over 10 years. Our dogs are super content and always have so much fun in class. Highly recommended!
Zen Dog Canine Training is one of the best I experienced with my reactive dog. Shannon is a great trainer, knowledgeable, patient, and very supportive. Her classes are always fun for dogs and their people. I learned a lot from the training sessions as well as from the private classes. . I can always count on the constructive feedback from Shannon, and support in sometimes hard reality owning a reactive dog. I am very happy that I found the Zen Dog Canine Training and will continue to work with Shannon.
Superb advice, delivered in a patient and easy to understand way! We gained a great deal from the classes and the advice and our relationship with our puppy is many times better for Shannon’s expertise. And we and the puppy know stuff now!
My husband and I recently had the pleasure of working with Shannon at Zen Dog Training to help our dog Apollo with reactivity issues and making better choices. Her experience was transformative.Shannon provided us with a set of practical and effective tools that have made a significant difference in Apollo’s behavior. She took the time to understand the specific challenges we were facing and tailored her approach to suit our needs. Her expertise and patience were evident throughout the training sessions.One of the most valuable aspects of Shannon's training was her focus on positive reinforcement and clear communication. She taught us how to create a structured environment where our dog could thrive and learn to make good choices independently. The techniques were easy to understand and implement, and we have seen immediate improvements.Shannon’s guidance has been invaluable, and we feel more equipped to handle any challenges that come our way.We highly recommend Shannon at Zen Dog Training to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and compassionate dog trainer.
Puppies are so cute but also so challenging at times. Shannon’s courses provided both me and my puppy with the necessary foundation and skills required to develop a happy, confident and well behaved adult dog. Each of the courses offered are very informative while being fun at the same time. Shannon’s extensive knowledge and kind approach brings the most out of any owner/dog combo.
It was so calming for my dog!
I can't say enough about Zen Dog training and Shannon herself. She really exudes sheer knowledge, wrapped in a comforting layer of reassurance and fun. My dog now behaves so well and is so much calmer in situations that used to be stressful. Thanks so much!
We had a great experience training our nearly 1.5 year old golden retriever with Shannon. She was super informative and we saw immediate progress using the tips she shared, right from our very first session.
Shannon is hands down THE BEST! We just completed Puppy Grade 1 - not only was it fun but we learned a ton of tricks to keep our pup safe and engaged! This is the third class we have taken with Shannon (two different dogs!) and we just love her practical approach to training - 10/10 highly recommend. Archie agrees!
