Phone Consultations

Benefit from customized professional advice by Victoria Stilwell's select team of world class trainers - the first and only global option for individualized dog training advice by the world's most accomplished team of dog behavior experts!

Now dog owners all over the world can schedule a phone or Skype consultation with a professional, licensed Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer to get live, personalized positive dog training advice from one of Victoria's hand-picked professional dog training experts. No matter where you live, you now have direct access to the world's premier dog training professionals. These experts can assist you with issues such as new puppy assistance, shelter dog rehabilitations, advanced behavior issues and/or any other dog related questions you may have.

While nothing can replace the value of an in-person session with a certified Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Trainer (VSPDT), these phone or video conference consultations can be invaluable starter tools, bridging dog owners towards the road to success and long-lasting solutions by using Victoria's science-based, force-free, positive dog training methods.

Register for your consultation by paying the $100(US) consultation fee online using the form below.

After the successful submission of your payment, you will be redirected to a page where you can provide contact details, whether you would like to conduct your consultation via phone or Skype, and your language preferences

Next, you will be prompted to share information about your dog(s), the environment and the issues or questions you'd like addressed by a licensed VSPDT trainer. You will even have the option to submit a link to an online video which provides further insight into the behavior issue.

After your booking is complete, you will be contacted within 48 hours by your VSPDT trainer to schedule your consultation. At a mutually-agreed date and time, your VSPDT trainer will contact you by your preferred method (phone or Skype) and conduct a customized consultation with you and your household members for up to one hour.

PHONE CONSULTATION FAQ's

What is positive training and why is it so important?

That's a big question that requires an even bigger answer, and at the risk of being annoying, we'll answer that question with another very basic but very important question: Do you want your dogs to follow you because they want to or because they're scared of what will happen to them if they don't? For most people, that's an easy answer, and the use of Victoria's and VSPDT's positive training methods has been universally endorsed by the behavioral scientific community at large as the most effective, long-lasting, humane and safest method in dog training.There are a lot of scientific and hard-core concepts at play when describing Victoria's method of positive reinforcement, but very generally, positive reinforcement means that if you reward a behavior you like, there's a better chance of that behavior being repeated. When paired with negative punishment (the removal or withholding of something the dog wants like food, attention, toys, or human contact for a short period of time) or using a vocal interrupter to redirect negative behavior onto a wanted behavior and the guide a dog into making the right choices, these methods, combined with an awareness that most dogs are not trying to achieve world domination, are what we call 'positive training'. But that's just really just scratching the surface. Read Victoria's book Train Your Dog Positively for more detailed info, or read her more about positive training here.

What is Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training (or VSPDT)?

VSPDT is the world's first global network of professional dog trainers dedicated to providing the public with a humane, positive reinforcement-based option in dog training under the most trusted name brand in reward-based dog training. Featuring individually certified positive trainers from all over the world which have been hand-picked and personally approved by Victoria Stilwell (It's Me or the Dog) in the use of her force-free Positively method, VSPDT's mission is to create a global network of professional dog trainers whose goal is to help shape the future of dog training by promoting positive reinforcement methodologies. With overwhelming support from the undisputed leaders in the field of animal behavioral science and the largest veterinary organizations in the world, VSPDT is now the pre-eminent brand promoting humane, science-based, force-free dog training methods throughout the world. Find a local VSPDT trainer at www.positively.com/trainers.

How are VSPDT's chosen?

VSPDT has developed a reputation as the industry leader among dog trainer organizations, and we're completely dedicated to maintaining a network of only the very best dog training professionals who use only positive training methods. Other organizations may claim to use only positive trainers, but our application requirements for new members are the most stringent and comprehensive in the dog training world, so we're 100% confident that every VSPDT trainer's work is truly force-free and avoids the use of punishment - methods recommended by the leading behavioral scientists around the world. New members must undergo a rigorous and thorough, months-long application process culminating in either a live Skype interview and evaluation or (more frequently) an in-person training evaluation with Victoria herself. Victoria attaches her name and professional reputation to every single VSPDT, and she is very careful to do so only after she and the VSPDT team are certain of the trainer's credentials, professionalism and training methodology.

How long will my consultation last?

Most consultations last approximately 45 minutes, depending on the number and complexity of the issues raised during the call. Consultations will not last longer than one hour, although if more time is needed, the client can arrange a secondary or extended consultation directly with the trainer, usually for an additional fee.

Are any issues or topics out of bounds during my consultation?

No. While many anxiety and fear-based issues such as aggression require an in-person visit from a qualified positive trainer to begin a comprehensive behavior management protocol, all issues are available to be discussed during consultations. In many cases, the trainer will be able to provide invaluable insight and advice regarding certain extreme behaviors and help to uncover other triggers or environmental cues which are crucial to understanding what your dog is thinking and feeling, as well as why the dog may be reacting in a certain manner. At a minimum, the trainer will be able to provide a clear roadmap for how to (and, importantly, how NOT to) proceed and what to look for when interviewing local trainers (assuming you're not located near a certified VSPDT). Depending on how many dogs and how many issues you'd like to address, however, time may become an issue in terms of getting to all of your questions.

What languages are available for the consultation?

Currently, we can conduct consultations in the following languages: English Greek Hebrew Italian Japanese Spanish

Can I choose a specific VSPDT or will one be randomly assigned to me?

There is a field in the registration form where you can request a specific VSPDT trainer, and if that trainer is available, we will try to match you with him or her. In most cases, clients are matched with their nearest VSPDT in terms of geographic location, but occasionally a specific trainer may be assigned based on particular skill sets after we see what type of issue you need help with.

What is the 48-Hour Guarantee?

Your VSPDT trainer will contact you within 48 hours of your registration or you get your money back. Guaranteed. If you have registered and have not been contacted by a trainer (check your email and spam folders!), please forward us a copy of your transaction confirmation email to [email protected].

What happens if I still need help after my consultation?

All VSPDT's are professionals, but they also all share in the Positively mission to educate, engage and empower the dog-owning public with the latest in science-based, force-free and effective training methods. At the end of the session, if you still have questions or concerns, your VSPDT will be sure you have access to the tools and information you need to build and maintain bonds with your dog(s) based on mutual trust, respect and love. The power of Positively!

Other questions about the phone consultation program? Fire away here.

48 HOUR GUARANTEE:

Victoria Stilwell Positively guarantees that you will be contacted by a certified VSPDT trainer to schedule your consultation within 48 hours of your registration or we'll refund 100% of your payment.

IMPORTANT INFO

Please note that while phone/Skype consultations are extremely valuable tools to help dog owners find answers to questions and guide them towards long-lasting solutions, nothing can replace a session with a certified VSPDT trainer, especially for anxiety and fear-based behavior issues such as aggression. Such issues can and will be addressed during phone consultations, but it is important to understand that to effectively address such significant issues, extensive and personalized behavior modification protocols designed by a qualified trainer who has witnessed the behavior issues in the dog's environment is almost always required. There is still great value, however, in conducting a VSPDT phone consultation even for these more significant behavior issues, especially for those who do not live near a VSPDT trainer, as the VSPDT trainer can help point the owner in the right direction in terms of possible environmental changes, general behavior protocols, what to look for (and what to look out for) in local dog trainers, and more. Also note that VSPDT's are not veterinarians, and are not authorized to prescribe medication or provide more than summary opinions regarding veterinary health issues.