Welcome!
Thank you for making a commitment to your dog's behavioral development and
for making Confident Canines a part of that journey!
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About Eileen
Eileen Koval is a certified dog behavior consultant (CDBC, CBCC-KA) and certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA). This means that she met the extensive experience and education requirements, and passed rigorous exams designed and adjudicated by certified animal behavior consultants and behaviorists to receive these prized certifications from the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). These are the largest certifying bodies for dog trainers and dog behavior consultants nationally and internationally. She also has a Master's of Science degree in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas. In addition to working with private clients, she is highly sought after as a mentor, expert, and international speaker in the realm of dog behavior, particularly on the issues of snake/sheep avoidance, resource guarding, and teaching off-leash boundaries with positive reinforcement.
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Training Philosophy & Owner Expectations
Eileen will meet with new clients for their first appointment over Zoom to learn more about each dog and the issues as a whole, then craft unique training plans and solutions. Follow-up appointments may be either over Zoom or in-person (at Eileen's discretion) if the meeting location is within 15 minutes of Confident Canines LLC (89143). Owner involvement is vital to successful and reliable behavior change and the performance of trained behaviors for you in your home and everyday life. Owners must be present during all appointments and practice regularly with their dog(s) daily for short sessions, and instituting recommended suggestions and protocols. The rate at which dogs progress cannot be controlled entirely by humans -- it depends on may factors including the dog's genetics, socialization, learning history, health, living environment, owners' level of effort, and is also up to the dog himself as a sentient being. Dogs are not a blank slate and behavior is complex. This is why we want to learn about the whole dog to help set expectations and training goals, and to identify the best avenues to effectively work toward those goals.
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​We will NEVER instill fear, intimidate, or use harmful or painful techniques on your dog. Instead, we teach useful skills using fun, relationship-building techniques. We do NOT use shock or prong collars, yelling, intimidation, or leash or collar corrections. Our philosophy is that we want and need your dog's cooperation. We want him/her to perform the behaviors willingly, so that they can make good behavioral choices in various situations.
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Eileen does not personally use clickers when training her own dogs and does not advocate the use of clickers.
Cancellations, Rescheduling, and Refunds
When client schedule an appointment they are reserving a specific time that is then made unavailable for other people to access our services. Therefore, we do not provide any refund for cancelled appointments.
Appointments may only be rescheduled once if done at least 48 hours in advance of the appointment time, or otherwise will be charged as a missed appointment.
Dogs displaying human-directed aggression will meet over Zoom with Eileen until safety training and protocols can be established for in-person appointments (at Eileen's discretion). An appointment may also be switched to Zoom if Eileen is ill, someone in your home is ill, or if one of your dogs is ill. A dog is considered "ill" if they have an illness that is contagious to other dogs (e.g. kennel cough, coccidia, giardia, etc) and have not been cleared by a veterinarian as free of illness, or are unable to physically partake in normal training activities.
Appointment packages are non-refundable and must be used by the expiration date.
Booking the incorrect appointment/package and duplicate bookings will result in a $25 fee deducted from any refund ($50 for six-lesson appointment packages) to cover transaction fees. A refund will only be issued after the client has booked the correct appointment/package.
In cases of inclement weather for outdoor appointments, appointments will be switched to a suitable indoor location, the client's home, or Zoom.
Online courses are non-refundable.
Communication
Hours of Operation are 12PM - 8 PM Monday through Friday.
Please only text Eileen if you are running late to a scheduled appointment or similar. Email follow-up is limited between appointments, as it is expected that clients take notes and will be meeting regularly with her. If your question will take more than a short paragraph to answer we can schedule a Zoom or phone call appointment, or move the next appointment to a sooner date. Eileen will not return phone calls unless it is part of a scheduled appointment.
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Following Safety Protocols and Instructions
Clients may be required to follow specific safety protocols in cases involving aggression to ensure a safe arrival when Eileen comes to their home or when meeting at other locations. If these safety measures cannot be fulfilled the appointment may be switched to Zoom or another virtual platform.
Clients who create an unsafe environment at an appointment by failure to follow Eileen's verbal or written instructions or safety protocols, who bring out weapons, or otherwise create a threatening environment through verbal or physical harassment or otherwise (at Eileen's discretion) will result in forfeiture of the appointment fee if Eileen chooses to leave early. Please follow all safety instructions, please leave weapons in secure locations, and use common sense.
