Behaviour rehabilitation
The dogs other placeshave run out of ideas for.
Lunging, barking, guarding, fear of visitors, dogs that cannot be walked without a fight. This is most of what we do, and most of the dogs doing it are rescues.
What we work on
One problem, and the time to actually solve it
You name the thing. We build the plan around it and spend significantly more time on it than a general program allows.
The goal is never a dog that performs for us. Most of the effort goes into showing you how to hold it at home, because that is where the dog actually lives.
- Leash reactivity
- Fear of people, or of other dogs
- Barrier frustration
- Separation related behaviour
- Advanced socialisation for dogs that missed it
- Off leash reliability
- Advanced obedience
- Public access preparation
- Trick training, agility foundations, sport work
- Rehabilitation after a bad experience somewhere else
What it actually looks like
Small steps, in the right order
Behaviour work is not a breakthrough moment. It is starting somewhere your dog can cope, then making it slightly harder, over and over, until the thing that used to set it off does not.
The evaluation gives us a place to start. From there, the plan changes with the dog. We keep the steps small enough for the dog to succeed, then make the work harder when it is ready.
“He started with calmer situations and built up to progressively more stressful situations to build my dog's confidence.”
From behaviour clients
What they say
“We brought our rescue dog Otto home at 5 months old—he was extremely timid, anxious, had never been on a leash, and would bark at every person and dog. Michael didn't just train our dog—he trained us to be the kind of owners our dog needed. With incredible patience, he guided us through everything from leash walking and socialization to crate and house training, and was always there when we needed help, no matter the time. The transformation has been unbelievable—Otto is now more confident, calm, and happy. Michael truly cares and treats him like his own, and Otto absolutely adores him like a 2nd parent. We only trust Michael for boarding because he always comes back better, never with bad habits like elsewhere. If your dog has anxiety or behavioral challenges, I can't recommend him enough—he truly has a gift.”
“Michael and RAJA K9 have been a huge help with my golden retriever puppy. She came to me with resource guarding issues, and they worked to eliminate those. They also gave me techniques to use should they crop up again. She is a new dog thanks to RAJA K9! Also my puppy has been going to doggie day care with them and it has been a huge help to me. I would recommend RAJA K9 to anyone.”
“Michael and crew at RajaK9 have been so helpful to our dog and family. We have a large dog that grew more and more reactive and territorial as he grew into adulthood. Michael and his team spent a week boarding and training our dog to wear a muzzle and respond less aggressively to stranger dogs and people. Then Michael trained us how to better guide our dog's behavior and has provided tuneups ever since. We now board our dog with Raja when we travel and send him for daycare 2 days per week. Having a reactive dog is a journey - we're so happy to have RajaK9 to guide us.”
“I can't recommend RAJA K9 enough! Michael and his team did an incredible job working with my 6 year old rescue pup who used to struggle around other dogs. With patience, skill, and genuine care, they helped her build confidence and safely integrate with other dogs—something I honestly wasn't sure was possible. Seeing her now happily join the pack is amazing. It's clear they truly understand dog behavior and treat every dog like their own. I'm beyond grateful for the transformation!”
Questions
Before you call
- Will you take a dog that has bitten?
- Sometimes. It depends on the dog, the history and what happened. We will not answer that on the phone without meeting the dog, and not every case is fixable.
- Is reactivity the same as aggression?
- Usually not. A lot of lunging and barking is fear or frustration rather than a dog wanting a fight. Working out which one you have is most of the first hour.
- How long does behaviour work take?
- Longer than obedience, and it is rarely finished in a week. Owners often see a real change quickly and then keep working at it. We tell you what is realistic after the evaluation.
- Can my dog ever be normal around other dogs?
- Some get all the way there. Some get to comfortable and managed, which is still a completely different life from where they started. We will tell you which one we think you are looking at.
- What if my dog cannot handle the group or the van?
- Then it is not a fit for daycare, and we say so. There may still be private work worth doing. Better to find that out at the evaluation than at a front door on a Tuesday morning.
Everything here starts with an evaluation, and for behaviour cases we usually want to do it in your home. Here is why.
Tell us what your dog is doing.
An hour in your home, where the behaviour actually happens. You will get a straight answer about whether we can help and what it would take.
$125 at your home, $50 at the farm. If you start any program, the full evaluation payment is credited toward your first program payment.