Our goal is to help you raise happy, relaxed, well-behaved dogs who can share your life smoothly. This is how we do it:
Before you sign up for a course, please take a moment to read this page to ensure that it matches your philosophy.
Dog-friendly methods and food rewards
We shall never use pain, intimidation or compulsion to teach your dog something. That is not how we treat family members here at OhMyDog.
Clicker & clicker word
OhMyDog uses the clicker word. If you don’t know what that is, don’t worry, we teach this in our courses. Our courses are also suitable for people who want to use the clicker.
Using food in training
If you don’t like Indian food, don’t go to an Indian restaurant… OhMyDog is not the school for you if:
- You are not on board with the idea of using food to train your dog.
- You see your dog as a soldier who must blindly obey rather than a family member with feelings.
Effective and modern: evidence-based
Each one of our team members is trained in evidence-based dog training.
The advice you’ll get at OhMyDog is sound. We base it on the latest professional developments and scientific insights. The instructors are also trained in how to distinguish between reliable sources of information and unreliable ones. They are also taught how to be critical of information they come across, before they incorporate it into their advice.
All these precautions are there to protect you from well-meant but non-sensical advice.
Safe and fenced field
The lessons are given on our rented training ground in The Hague. More information about our location.
Individual attention: small groups and behaviour coaches
The lessons are given centrally by a head instructor, who is assisted in this task by at least one behaviour coach. The dog behaviour coach gives one-to-one tips and ensures that every student is comfortable following the lesson.
The groups usually consist of 5 students.
Relevant exercises: not obedience drills
You don’t find robot-like obedience exercises in our lessons. Our lessons are not like army drills during which your dog is asked to do an endless stream of ‘sit’ and ‘down’ and ‘heel’ exercises. You get a bunch of theory during our practical lessons, as we strive to share important theory insights and give you important tools. This means that your dog won’t be busy the entire time.
Additionally, we focus on ‘lifeskills’ like impulse control, collaboration, calm and self-confidence and not so much on blind obedience. We strive to give you and your dog skills which are meaningful in their life as a family dog.
Qualified professionals
Dog training and behaviour advice is a serious profession. The lessons aren’t just given by amateurs who “have had dogs all their lives” or “have always loved dogs” or “do it from the heart”. Of course, our trainers love dogs. So much so that they made a career out of it.
Our trainers are not only passionate about dogs, but they are also preferably highly educated, certified and experienced.
Relaxed atmosphere
We select instructors who are people persons, not the typical “good-with-dogs-but-friendly-as-a-prison-gate” dog trainers. They ensure that the lessons are given in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
In this short film, you can take a quick peak at our Puppy and Obedience lessons, respectively (filmed by Lucy Irvine on our old field). You can also read what our clients have to say about us.
