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The Goldstar In-Kennel Potty Training Program is a program which focuses on teaching the dog to urinate and defecate outdoors as opposed to using the inside of the home as its' personal toilet. The dog is entered into this training program for about six weeks, at the conclusion of which, it should be able to resist the temptation of going to the bathroom indoors for at least eight hours, the normal workday. We also use this training program as a platform to begin teaching the dog basic home protocols by identifying, altering, and possibly eliminating problem behaviors such as unnecessary barking or whining, jumping on people or furniture, or destructive chewing.

A healthy puppy of any breed that is weaned and aged six weeks or older is eligible to take part in the Goldstar In-Kennel Potty Training Program. The earlier the puppy begins the training, the less traumatic the potty training experience seems to be for the puppy. we have observed that healthy, newly weaned puppies seem to take to this type of training almost immediately, while older dogs tend to be slightly more resistant. One reason for this may be that young pups may not have had the time to fall into the habit of going to the bathroom indoors, while the older dog may not only be in the habit of doing so, but may also realize the owner is powerless to change the behavior. In even more extreme cases, the owner could be unwittingly and unknowingly stimulating the dog to eliminate indoors.

A puppy purchased from a breeder sometimes seems to pick up on this type of training faster than a pup purchased from a pet store, possibly because the pet store puppy doesn't get a chance at regular outdoor elimination, and thus becomes "institutionalized", and loses its' natural distaste for laying in its' own stool and urine. This type of behavior is hard to reverse and can take an incredibly long time to eradicate.

The health of the dog is an extremely important issue to be considered when thinking in terms of potty training. A sick, listless dog, whether the sickness stems from parasite infestation, surgical procedures, or otherwise, is not a good candidate for potty training. a sick dog will be an animal with little or no bowel/bladder control, and the lack of control is not the fault of the dog. good health is a prerequisite, not only for potty training, but for any type of training.

A dog coming to the Goldstar Kennel for potty training is not kept in the kennel environment. The dog lives in the home with our family the entire duration of the training period. We employ the crate training method of potty training. This is a specialized program based on monitoring the food and water intake of the dog, stable diet and feeding schedule, consistent exercise periods and scheduled walk times, confinement when monitoring is not feasible, and the correct application of praise and correction. The appropriate sized crate is included in the cost of the training and will be returned along with the dog upon completion of the program.

Upon completion, an appointment is made to return the dog to its' owner. At that time the do's and don'ts, whys and wherefores are explained. Basic information that has been learned about the dog from the previous six weeks of close observation is passed on to the owner. Questions posed by the owner are usually addressed at this time.

the Goldstar In-Kennel Potty Training Program certainly doesn't relieve the owner of taking full and complete responsibility for their pet: feeding responsibly and reliably, maintaining consistent exercise periods, etc. the program does however, place the owner in a position of being able to anticipate their pets' actions, and thereby ward off potential mistakes and housebreaking problems.

Healthy puppies of any breed, as young as eight weeks will be permitted into the Goldstar In-Kennel Basic Obedience Training Program. Just as with our service dog training program, we believe that the earlier formal training begins, the quicker and easier the dog becomes established as a well liked member of the household. Early training will usually help to eliminate some of the annoying problems often associated with owning a puppy. While learning the basic obedience commands the dog is also adding length to the attention span.

The Goldstar In-Kennel Basic Obedience Training Program is an approximate two week training course used to familiarize the dog with the following basic obedience skills: heel on lead, sit, down, and stay. In addition, we address basic behavioral problems such as jumping, nipping, excessive barking, etc. We utilize socialization techniques, immersion techniques, and positive-negative reinforcement techniques. We gear our obedience training requirements to closely follow those set forth by the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club. A brief description of each training exercise is given below.

Heel on Lead: The dog is to walk at the handler's left side, keeping pace with the handler without pulling ahead, lagging behind, forging to the left, or crowding to the right, upon hearing the command, "Heel".

Sit: The dog is to sit at the handler's left side, in heel position, upon hearing the command, "Sit".

Down : The dog is to lay down at the handler's left side, in heel position, upon hearing the command "Down", and/or viewing the hand signal.

Stay: After the dog has achieved either a sitting or downed position, and upon hearing the command "Stay", and/or viewing the hand signal, it is to remain in position without moving away, until the handler either returns to it, or calls the dog to him/her.

Suffice it to say that the Goldstar In-Kennel Basic Obedience Training Program is not an end unto itself, but a foundation, a prerequisite training program upon which all other subsequent training is predicated. Whether you wish your dog to be an obedience or agility contender, whether you wish to involve it in the search and rescue, service, or security mediums, or you are just looking to develop a well mannered pet, a solid basic training program is essential.

The Goldstar In-Kennel Advanced Basic Obedience Program is an all-breed training course designed for the dog owner who wishes to take the dog to a higher level of technical obedience skill. Training of this sort demands more attention to detail; straighter sits, tighter heeling, longer stays, more tempting distractions, etc. Much more practice time is required from the primary dog handler in order to maintain a high level of obedience proficiency.

A healthy puppy of any breed, aged twelve weeks or older will be admitted into the Goldstar In-Kennel Advanced Basic Obedience Program. Expect the dog to remain at the training facility about four to five weeks. During the stay the dog will learn the following commands: heel on lead, sit, down, and stay. You'll notice these commands are exactly the same as the commands taught in the Goldstar In-Kennel Basic Obedience Program. There is a difference though. In our regular obedience training course the dog is learning proper responses, interaction skills, and how to "think". At the advanced level we proceed to take the dog to new heights of performance. Now we are looking for the dog to perform practically off-lead with a minimum of mistakes. To those uninitiated in canine training and canine performance, this may not seem like much progress, but trust me, the difference is readily noticeable. From this platform of training you may proceed to competition obedience training, agility training, personal and home protection training, trailing and tracking, search and rescue, dog tricks, or whatever dog sport that strikes your fancy.

This training program is designed to focus the dog's attention on error reduction. We "up" the training intensity tremendously from the work completed in the basic training . The training regimen is more difficult, and the distractions are more subtle, more tempting, and much harder to resist. Dual dog techniques are employed, as are basic crowd negotiation techniques.

We can't stress enough the value of patience, practice, and persistence when it comes to training your dog. There are no short-cuts and no sure-fire methods that are guaranteed to work for every dog.

In summation, the Goldstar In-Kennel Advanced Basic Obedience Training Program will allow the dog owner to take the dog anywhere that dogs are allowed and feel confident that the animal is under control. Whether other dogs are present, whether numerous people are present, whether indoors or outside, this training program will allow the dog owner to place maximum trust in his/her dog.

For those planning on visiting Vegas for a few days and are interested in bringing the family dog, we have boarding available. If you're staying at any of the area hotels/motels we will pick up your dog from the hotel/motel upon your arrival and return it at your time of check-out. There is grooming available to have your pet bathed and the nails clipped before the return if you desire. There is a two day minimum for boarding. The boarding rate is $32.00 per day and must be pre-paid. There are no extra charges for holidays or weekends and there is no extra charge for the pick-up/drop-off of the dog. To make a reservations you must call at least twenty four hours in advance.

The dog runs are outdoor covered runs, and each one is at least 6'X12'X6', and has a minimum surface area of 72 square feet.