Q. Where does the training or behavioral consultation take place?
A. All consultations are performed in the client’s home or, in the case of a behavior issue, where the behavior problem occurs. This allows us to observe the puppy or dog in their familiar surroundings and gain a better understanding of the problem.

Q. When are appointments scheduled?
A. Consultations are scheduled Monday through Saturday 8am to 6pm. Other hours can be discussed on an individual basis.

Q. Do I have to take notes during the appointment?
A. You may take notes during our consultation. A written training and behavior plan will be emailed to you within 48 hours of the appointment.

Q. What do I need to do to prepare for my appointment?
A. You will need to read and complete the training and behavior services agreement and complete a registration profile for your puppy or dog. Your dog needs to be up-to-date on their vaccinations.

Q. Who should attend the appointment?
A. All family members or friends that routinely interact with your puppy or dog. If you have a behavior problem specifically with a family member or friend it is important that they attend.

Q. At what age can my puppy begin training?
A. Puppies start learning the moment they are born and the optimum time to introduce them to new things is during the first 16 weeks. Training can begin as soon as they arrive at their new home from the breeder or humane society.

Q. Will you work with older dogs?
A. Absolutely, dogs are never too old to learn new things.

Q. What if I have more than one dog that needs training?
A. That is fine. We can talk about the logistics of this and how it will work with your family.

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Q. How will you work with my veterinarian?
A. On Cue’s philosophy includes valuing a close relationship with the veterinary community. We require that clients have an up-to-date vaccination record and reserve the right to request a consultation with a client's veterinarian before training or behavior modification. Because behavior issues may be a result of illness, it may be suggested that you bring your puppy or dog for a veterinary exam before we set up a consultation. If your veterinarian has referred you, the training and behavior plans will be sent to them so they are aware of our recommendations.

Q. Are there behavior issues or training you will not handle?
A.  There are many specialized dog activities such as agility, freestyle or therapy work. We may refer you to a specialized instructor and help you with this referral. We reserve the right to refer clients to their veterinarian or the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center if behavior is believed to be related to, but not limited to, aggression, compulsive or anxiety disorders or other illnesses, in order to obtain a proper diagnosis.

Q. Are there certain breeds you won’t work with?
A. We will work with any breed, depending on the training or behavior issue. Please see the question/answer above: "Are there behavior issues or training you will not handle".

Q. I am a veterinarian and I have a patient that I would like to refer to you.
A. Please call or email us and we will contact the client to schedule an appointment.

Q. How far will you travel for an appointment?
A. This service is available for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and greater Twin Cities area.

Q. How long does an appointment last?
A. Most initial appointments take from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Additional sessions last 1- 1-1/2 hours.

Q. How many sessions does it typically take to get desired results?
A. This will depend on your goals and how much time you are able to spend working with your dog.

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Q. How much time will I have to spend each day on training?
A. Dogs and especially puppies benefit from short training sessions set-up through out the day. The more time you have to work with your dog, the faster the results!

Q. Will you train my dog for me?
A. We feel that it is important to teach you to teach your dog and to have your family build a relationship with your dog.  We equate taking your dog to train to asking you to play a game without giving you the rules!

Q. How much does an appointment cost?
A. Consultations fees are $120 per hour, with a minimum of 1 hour per visit. After the initial hour, time will accrue in quarter-hour increments. Fees are due at the end of each training session unless otherwise agreed upon by both parties. Client will be billed at the normal appointment fee for any “no shows” or appointments canceled with less than 24 hours notice.
Consultation fees include travel to your home.

Q. What methods of payment do you accept?
A. We accept checks and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover). Payment is due at the conclusion of your training session.

Q. Are there different stages of training you would recommend or will an initial set of sessions do the trick?
A. We will work with you to set goals and will recommend skills that we feel all dogs should know, especially skills we call foundation skills or good manners skills such as drop, coming when called and walking on a loose leash. It is very important that these skills are reinforced for the lifetime of the dog. Dogs do not retain skills without consistent practice. Please see “Do you guarantee results?” below.

Q. Do you guarantee results?
A. We will work directly with you and your and dog to impart contemporary animal behavior knowledge, but successful training and behavior programs depend on a combination of learned skills on the part of the dog and owner. Behavior is not static; an animal will not continue to perform trained behaviors without ongoing practice. Especially in cases involving any type of aggression, although behavior may be modified, the dog is never considered “cured”. A pet’s behavior is ultimately the owner’s responsibility. We will make every reasonable effort to help you attain goals but make no guarantees of performance on the part of you or your dog as a result of providing professional animal behavior consultation.

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