A unique approach
We believe in simple and effective steps, this is not only easy for dogs to understand but also practical when owners are required to apply the skills learnt to practice with their dogs. We are the first in Singapore to incorporate ADB (Affective Dog Behaviour) in our program, which taps into the minds and hearts of dogs, to understand what they are thinking and why they are making certain decisions that may be a concern for their families. Despite the general training world where trainers work on dogs right away, we prefer to treat every dog as an individual and dive deep into the root of the concerns.
We are one of the few in the industry to work with very limited clients at one point. Each family we work with can take between 6 to 18 months on average, and as long as they are comfortable and wish to learn with us, we stay available throughout their dog’s life. Once committed, we aim to establish relationships that would last a lifetime. We’ve had clients of 15 years still dropping us questions from time to time. We don’t believe in short term training, because we believe that learning should be lifelong.
Most of our courses are conducted privately at the client's place, we encourage this instead of holding group classes because we understand that most concerns needs to be addressed from home, with this we can address individual family's situation and expectations to come up with an efficient way to work with their dogs. With Private classes, owners can also have the luxury to learn and get 100% attention from us without having to travel.
Real world experience
Our lead teacher, Jeryl is one of the few behaviour specialist who has real world, hands on experience working with dogs. Instead of conducting classes and consider them dogs that he’s worked with, Jeryl has spent full time working one to one with dogs directly, investing in a minimum of 300 hours per dog and up to 2000 hours before he considers the case a part of his resume.
❝ To truly understand dogs, just reading books, holding classes and following standard procedures will not suffice, there are too many owners who were offered advice that are impractical because the teachers may not understand the real work required behind a treatment process. One has to spend time with dogs of different temperament and behaviours 24/7, working with them directly over the years to truly understand what the individual dog requires to thrive, what works for them and how to help them. We need to be flexible and creative in our approach, real world experience is unmatched in this area.❞
Jeryl started turning his passion into a career after successfully rehabilitating over 100 dogs during his younger days, it started off as a hobby where he helps friends, relatives and abandoned dogs. To date, he has worked with more than 1300 dogs over the span of 17 years, investing at least 110,000 hands on hours. This puts him among one of the extremely few veterans in the world with such experience.
Our behaviour specialist is qualified and certified to help dogs who are scheduled to be euthanized (Put to Sleep) or sent for Obedience training due to complaints, charges will be quoted according to requirements.
Please contact us to learn more.
What to expect
This is a unique experience where through carefully planned conversations, Jeryl will tailor a plan for you and your dog, guide you through the steps and help you gain better skills. Please note that private session is an experience where you'll gain knowledge and skills, not have a handler work on your dog and expect your dog's skills to be permanent. Most clients may find it difficult to adjust within a session, this is perfectly normal and understandable. Unlike most structured courses out there, you are not expected to repeat the same exercise for the whole session. We want our clients to truly understand the process and learn something at the end of the day. As such, it will be very helpful to be honest about your situation and be open to learning, this means putting aside what you think you know about dog training and be open towards different techniques taught to you.
1st Session - $320
Member rate - $290
Additional dog - $100
Rates are per session basis. You will be automatically upgraded to membership after the first session.
Why us
FLEXIBLE LESSONS
No time? Don't worry, you can choose to
have lessons at your pace!
SAFETY
Safety is our priority when working with dogs,
we do our best to always work with them in a safe environment.
WE DO NOT JUDGE
Whether you have choked or hit your dog, we are here to help you become better instead of judging.
UNIQUE CONCEPT
Using the model of C&S (Connection & SECRAT), we aim to bring the best out of your dog by building a healthy relationship.
2 AT THE PRICE OF 1
Jeryl will be leading the course while Nicole help to take down important notes, as well as assist in difficult situations.
AWARD WINNING SCHOOL
While we don't believe in ribbons, we occasionally receive awards for our work, you may view our awards & milestones here.
LIFELONG SUPPORT
You can still drop us a message whenever you have questions, so do feel free to update us whenever you need help!
ATTEND AS A FAMILY
Whether you are alone or with family members, we welcome everyone to attend the course together at no additional charges.
Our Trainer
As a behaviour specialist, Jeryl has over 17 years of experience handling dogs, specializing in the field of behaviour modification and rehabilitation. He is one of the few veterans in the world with extensive knowledge, hands on experience and training success in all four quadrants of dog training; he spent his initial years successfully working with dogs using punishment based training, before moving on to further educate himself on balance training and positive reinforcement. As such, he was one of the first in Singapore to practice LIMA-based principal. Over the years, Jeryl ultimately designed a model to work with dogs, which is known as the C&S (Connection & SECRAT) model. The C&S training model is a breakthrough theory which strays away from the typical approach of positive versus negative reinforcement, but instead focus on building relationship and trust.
Jeryl's abilities lie in his observation and unique approach to training; by treating each dog as an individual and diving deeply into the root of their behaviour. He is firm in his belief that no one method fits all, but at the same time committed to giving all dogs a chance to learn through scientifically proven, humane and positive approach. To date, he has personally worked with and handled more than 1300 dogs(over 400 hours’ worth of training per dog), ranging from puppy upbringing, cooperative care, reactivity, anxiety, obedience to aggression.
Besides training and rehabilitation, Jeryl has a passion for writing about dogs, often selecting contentious topics that aims towards improving the welfare of dogs. During his free time, he regularly participates in volunteer work, such as rehoming, donating necessities and encouraging responsible ownership. Today, aside from being a freelance behaviour consultant, he is also a part of the team at Amber's Cottage. He is currently certified in canine behaviour, intermediate canine behaviour, AVS and IAABC accredited. While he continues to educate himself regularly, he believes that a skilled practitioner should include hands-on experiences along with an open mind to progress.
Learn to train dogs my way
Before you sign up for any classes, it is important to know what to expect and what you can do to maximize learning for you and your dog. Our courses are designed based on our lead behaviour specialist, Jeryl, and it is based on training dogs his way. You are engaging a professional to learn dog training the way he does based on the thousands of dogs that he has worked with, the wealth of information he has are plentiful, but it is up to you on how much you want to gain from this experience. If owners just want to reward and/or punish a dog, it is easy and most trainers are doing that, but if owners want to learn the art of building relationship and trust, Jeryl is one of the few in the world to be equipped with the knowledge to do so. With the right mindset to work with your dog, our program would eventually open up a new world of dog training that you may not be able to learn anywhere else. As such, it is beneficial to be attentive, hardworking and ask as much questions as you require, while respecting the theories covered. After all, you are engaging a professional to learn, not the other way round. If you are unable to accept what is taught, then the teacher will not be helpful for you and your dog.
During lessons, Jeryl spends time covering on topics like canine psychology and ADB (Affective Dog Behaviour), this requires a good knowledge of canine cognitive ethology and psychology, but at the same time, he understands the importance of keeping information simple, as such our courses are designed in such a way that even beginners will be able to understand and apply the knowledge learnt as long as they are attentive and hardworking. Our classes consist of up to date training techniques and science based theories while incorporating our signature C&S theory designed by Jeryl since 2013. Our goal is to impart the necessary skills on canine psychology, training and handling in layman's term, as well as create the best routine and training plan according to individual dog and families expectation. We believe in providing an education backed by proven science and experience, not fads. Fads can come and go based on popularity, but science and experiences only gets better with time.
F.A.Q
Q: How will the private sessions be like?
A: We prefer to conduct lessons in a relaxed and comfortable manner, we will speak to you and get to know each other as you progress. Do bear in mind though, this is not a course where i just go over to your place and start working with your dog right away, our goal is to help owners understand their dogs, learn how they think, understand why they behave in certain ways and equip humans with a skill that will last them for life. A lot of things we cover may be very new to most people, even professionals in the industry, so don't be alarmed. Sign up if you are ready to explore a different world of dogs and dog training.
Q: What is the minimum age requirement for my dog?
A: We would encourage to start training as early as possible no matter the age, however it will be great to have your puppy vaccinated at least 2 jabs to make sure they are protected.
Feel free to drop us an email for special cases.
Q: What do I need to prepare for Private Courses?
A: We will drop you a message on the list of items to prepare depending on individual dog's case and course chosen.
Q: Would it be possible to train my dog if it is aggressive?
A: Yes, we specialize in this area and has successfully worked with hundreds of dogs with aggression.
Q: I have engaged a trainer before but it didn't work, would yours be any different?
A: First of all, we are behaviour specialists, not general dog trainers. We would be more than happy to guide you using the model created by Jeryl. There are already a number of owners who had engaged in our courses even though they had attended others before and trust us, the results were different!
Q: How many students do you take in at one point of time?
A: Generally we don't take in more than 8 clients per month, this is due to the time required to dedicate to each and every dog. Whenever lesson ends, we still have to go through their notes and try to find out the best training method and solution to individual problems. Some cases may also require assignment submission through video/photos so that would require even more time.
We may work differently from most trainers but we are proud of what we do :)
Q: Why are your charges more expensive?
A: I have to be straightforward here, people charge base on what the think their information are worth. With our experiences, track record and qualifications, we are very confident that our charges, when compared to others of 'similar' standards are way out of the range of being overpriced. We are also one of the very few pioneers in Singapore that are willing to keep improving and updated with techniques and findings, therefore we would appreciate if owners can try not to compare us with amateur and outdated trainers.
Q: Will you use any physical training on my dog?
A: Dogs are physical animals, they use their body postures, eyes and mouth to convey messages. In order for us to communicate with dogs, we always need some form of physical contact to let the dog understand what we are feeling. Even so, we do NOT practice nor support physical abuse like hitting or slapping a dog, we work to make the dog respect and love their owners, not fear. So yes, we may use physical guidance in certain situations, but before any execution we always explain to owners about what it is, why and how it benefits the dog.
Q: How early should I book to ensure availability?
A: For off peak periods, about 2 weeks in advance. For peak periods, at least 1 month in advance. Do note that this is just a rough gauge, there are actually owners that book 6 months in advance. Deposit is a must to secure booking.
Q: How much time do i have to spend training my dog daily?
A: We will provide homework at the end of every lesson, you will need to practice at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour) a day to keep up with the course. For busy owners, securing a free period (up to 1 hour per day, for at least two months) should be considered, OR you can opt for extended lessons to keep up. Please do not sign up for the course and then say that you are too busy to practice, we are not here to take the course money, say good job and leave owners hanging.
Q: What is the difference between you and other schools?
A: Instead of focusing on dogs and their commands, we focus on owners and their dog's lifestyle. We consider ourselves and work like psychologists. We prefer to understand individual dogs and owners, what they need and the problems they face, then we assess the dog's condition and customize a suitable routine for the family. Through our studies, years of experience and discussions with pioneers, we believe that this form of training is going to be the future. Hence we are one of the first in the world to conduct dog training classes in this manner. Because of the interests and limited slots, we do not need to sell our services, in fact we select the cases we work with, this means that we can prioritize passion over sales. We prefer to work with owners that are cooperative and shows interest in learning from us.
Q: Can my family members attend the training with me?
A: Yes of course, we encourage families to work together in training their dogs, hence you can bring along your family to attend the lessons with you at no extra charges!
Q: Are results guaranteed?
A: Our courses are specially designed to make dog training as simple as possible for owners, however it will depend on individual owners whether or not they follow the training closely and apply what they have learned on their dog. We are proud to say that most if not all owners that did not sidetrack from the training had seen improvements after finishing the course. You have to understand that we are providing education, not product, so there are no such thing as a guarantee. Similar logic to studying in a school, students themselves need to to put in effort and work hard to see results. We understand that not everyone can achieve the same results even if they get the best teachers in the world, there are limitation to one's capabilities and our goal to is maximize yours.
Q: Are you Certified?
A: Yes, we certify ourselves based on self interest and will continue to upgrade ourselves every now and then.
We do not do this for show purpose.
Q: Can i have some tips to make sure i can follow lessons well?
A: As mentioned earlier, put in some time and practice, be humble and take down notes. We expect owners to be attentive and respectful of what is covered, that is all!
Q: Are deposits refundable if i were to cancel?
A: We do not support cancellation of slots therefore non-refundable payments/deposits are required to secure bookings, as well as full payment at the end of the first lesson. Please understand that the purpose of deposit is to secure a slot, which we will not be able to provide a refund in the event of cancellation as our slots are reserved up to 3 months ahead. Very few clients would be willing to reschedule their sessions just because of someone canceling their slots. We hope you can understand and only make payment when you are committed to the lesson. Rescheduling of lessons due to emergencies can definitely be arranged however.
Q: What does lifelong support cover?
A: Since 2012, we have been opened to questions owners may have through means of whatsapp/sms and email. Topics should be related to subjects covered during lessons and the same dog who attended the courses. Support includes providing general text guidance on assignments provided and also to let owners know if it is time to move on to the next stage of training. Do note that because we are not physically around during support, no matter if it is in between lessons or after courses end, we are not be able to provide demonstrations. For anything that requires physical guidance, we would advice to have them asked during lessons instead, or arrange for follow up lessons if the topic requires on site assessment and discussion. We will do our best to answer. There are owners who still send us questions even after 10 years, so don't be shy to ask if you have any!