As many of you know, I am a student at Dalhousie currently wrapping up my second year studying animal science, and I train dogs because I love doing it and it allows me to really connect with the people and community of Truro while paying my rent and feeding my own animals.
While this has been great for flexible session hours which allow me to work with clients all days of the week, it does mean that I do not currently live here full-time and do plan to go home for the summer.
For that reason, I unfortunately have to announce that after the 21st of April I will not be scheduling any new in-person sessions until late August of this year.
That said, I will be working training dogs back home with my mentor and furthering my education while I am away because there is always more that can be learned! I will also be back and booking clients starting again in August.
I will also be available by email or video call for all existing clients, and am happy to chat with any new, prospective clients over either as well. For some issues / goals I am happy to book discounted video call sessions for while I am not available in person. I should also be back in Truro 1-2 times for a few days over the summer months to check on my apartment and meet with a few people, and would be happy to book some sessions during those times with anyone else interested.
Thank you to all of my current and previous clients for your faith in me and all of the hard work you put in on homework outside of sessions, and I look forward to meeting more of the great dog owners in the Truro area over my remaining years of school and hopefully beyond!
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A little bit about me:
My name is Iris and I am from Maine! I am currently a student at the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus studying agricultural science with a focus on animal science. I have over 5 years of experience working professionally with dogs in both a boarding and training setting. I have also spent 7 years behaviourally rehabilitating my own reactive and previously aggressive dog who initially got me interested in the science of training. All photos throughout this site are of her. Without her needing the help to live safely with me, I likely would have never gotten started learning about training dogs!
I am experienced in working through basic behaviours such as leash walking, calm in-home behaviours, and general management, as well as handling reactivity, aggression, muzzle training, confidence building, puppy development / foundations, training for sports like scentwork, and more!
I define myself as a 'balanced trainer', which to me means that I strive to be open to most of the tools and equipment available to me. For example, food, play, slip leads, prong collars, ecollars, long lines, muzzles, crates, etc. That said, if an owner is not comfortable with something that I recommend, we can always work towards another solution. I value building a relationship with a dog based on mutual respect and a willingness to work together while still upholding clear structure and boundaries for the comfort and safety of everyone.
Every dog is different and will be treated and handled as an individual being who requires a targeted, personalized approach.
And of course, I will always give my personal recommendations and opinions honestly, but at the end of the day you are the owner and have final decision on anything done with your dog.
I am not affiliated with any other local businesses, but rather am looking to provide services at what I hope is an affordable price in the area to make some money for groceries, rent, and feeding my own pets while being a full-time student.
A little bit about my work in Truro:
Firstly, I am a student before anything else. I love what I do, and I enjoy dedicating time to training outside of classes, but I do have to schedule around my class time. That said, I try to be relatively available over weekends and do my best to be flexible as a thank you to the flexibility of my clients!
I try to keep my pricing as affordable as possible while still paying for my time and skill, hence the structure that I have settled on which is dependent on the dog and what is desired from me. I am typically happy to do at home or public location lessons as well as have virtual / over the phone discussions, and I am willing to provide write up's on most topics covered after a lesson given a window of time to create them. I also do board and trains on a case by case basis after we have met for at least one session and discussed options.
More info can be found about my pricing and services offered below.
Basic Pricing Structure:
Evaluation session - REQUIRED first session for a temperament test and discussion on goals - $25 in-home or meet up within Truro / Bible Hill area - typically about an hour long
Scentwork session - $60 / session in-home or meet up within Truro / Bible Hill area - typically around an hour to 90 minutes long
Basic behaviour modification / basic obedience session - $75+ / session in-home or meet up within Truro / Bible Hill area - price may change depending on what is covered - typically about an hour to 90 minutes long
Aggression / more intense reactivity behaviour modification session - $100+ / session in-home or meet up within Truro / Bible Hill area with a focus on management and mindset shifting - typically an hour to two hours long
For anyone looking to do off-leash focused ecollar training, I am well versed in the training but will require purchase of an appropriate brand of ecollar, and either a pre-paid series of sessions over a few weeks or a board and train targeted at ecollar training in order to make sure the collar is used and introduced properly! Price is typically $75-$100 / session in-home or meet up within Truro / Bible Hill area or board and train prices if going that route
**Please note that pricing is subject to change depending on behaviour, required time, safety of working with the dog, or distance I travel. Because I primarily do in-home training, I charge a flat travel fee for anywhere over 25km of driving from Bible Hill of 2$ / 5km both there and back. This can be avoided by meeting closer to or inside the Truro area.
Additional services offered and pricing for them can be found in the additional client services heading of this website.
Board + Train Pricing:
The base price for a board and train is 1k / week. They are typically done over 1-2 weeks of time with daily work and care as well as frequent updates. Included in cost, for the month following the end of the board and train, I will be available to work through any issues that come up with implementing the skills practiced in the board and train.
For B+Ts that are not a multiple of 7 days, I add $150 / additional day to the $1k / week (7 days) price
*B+T cost is set with the intention of affordability within the local area, but is subject to increase if a dog requires additional care, such as medications or concerns / challenges that increase the difficulty of the board and train.
Accepted Payment Methods + Policies:
I accept etransfer or cash at time of lesson, but a 50% deposit at minimum must be paid in advance to book a lesson.
How to Schedule a Session:
I request that anyone interested fill out the google form linked HERE with all of the listed information. This form is also listed in the header of the website. I try to get back to all forms within 2 business days, at which point I will give some info and upcoming availability to book a session. I am also happy to chat on the phone with anyone, but do ask that you please fill out the form as usual and put in the final thoughts box that you would like to chat over the phone and I will reach out to confirm a time to call.
Please feel free to reach out at iris.leonard.27@gmail.com with any questions, for more info on my previous employment experience, or just to explore options!
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Have we worked together already? Do you want to leave me a review? Feel free to do so
HERE!
Reviews are always appreciated and they help more people to find my services!