Paw In Hand, LLC is devoted to keeping good pets in good homes through the training of cats and dogs and the education of owners. Mel specializes in working with family pets and with fearful or reactive dogs.
Contact Mel any time at mel@pawhand.com or 563-663-7554 for help with your pet!
What is Paw In Hand?
Paw In Hand, LLC is a pet training company based in Dubuque, IA and serving the surrounding Tri-State area that specializes in cats as well as dogs. Mel helps you train your pet by enhancing communication between owner and pet. By building a better understanding, we can strengthen the relationship and fix the problem behaviors simultaneously.
Mel, owner of Paw In Hand, LLC, believes in using methods that work with the family. She will work with you to help you understand the nature of the training, helping you commit to it and increasing your overall consistency. In short, this helps the training to "stick" long after she leaves! Mel will work with you to come to a conclusion that is acceptable for both the family and the family pet.
While training with Mel, you will benefit from clear, patient instruction, unlimited support by email or phone, and flexible scheduling. Mel will do everything in her power to help you fit training seamlessly into your life.
Who could benefit from Paw In Hand?
Anyone who wants to better understand their pet and deepen their relationship with their dog or cat. Paw In Hand, LLC specializes in families, giving tips on including children in the training. Paw In Hand also specializes in fearful or reactive dogs, and can give you tips to give you better control and better your dog's behavior despite their fear or reactivity.
The last area Paw In Hand specializes in is lost pet prevention and recovery. With 4 years of experience in a shelter working with lost pets and searching owners, as well as 3 years of experience in trailing, area search, and lost pet recovery theory, Paw In Hand is in a unique position to help you in the first few hours after your pet goes missing with tips and tricks to get them back, or with tips and tricks to prevent your pet from going missing or better their chances of return BEFORE they get lost, as well.
How will my pet be taught?
Mel emphasizes reward-based learning and utilizes rewards heavily in her teaching, but if the situation merits it and the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term cost, she may advise the careful use of mild aversives to help meet behavioral goals and teach the pet. Mel teaches using "marker training", which means she uses a marker to tell the animal when they do something the owner desires and another marker to tell the animals when they do something the owner does not desire. The positive marker is often paired with a treat, toy, praise, petting, access to a resource, or something else the animal wants, which then increases the animal's motivation to hear the positive marker again. The negative marker is most often paired with an abscence of whatever the animal wanted, and can be thought of as "Try again". Only when deemed necessary and Mel is certain that the animal both understands what is wanted and can perform that behavior would the negative marker be paired with a mild aversive (never painful or unduly stressful).
In short, Mel will teach your pet the same way she will teach you- by telling you when you have it right, and helping to correct you when you get it wrong. By telling you both what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong, owners (and pets) improve quickly and steadily while having fun!
Upcoming Events!
Look for Paw In Hand at these local events coming up soon! Also be sure to follow me on Twitter and like me on Facebook to receive reminders about upcoming events!
No upcoming events at this time.
Paw In Hand can accept the following payment methods:
Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover
Credit Card acceptance is thanks to Square.