FAQ

At Obedience Training NJ, we specialize in positive reinforcement dog training in Jersey City, and our South Jersey Location, we are focusing on rewarding desired behaviors to encourage lasting learning.

We use both classical conditioning and operant conditioning (clicker training). Using treats, praise, and play, our personalized programs make training enjoyable for your dog.

Our approach includes clicker training and clear communication techniques, ensuring each dog learns effectively.

We emphasize consistency and patience to strengthen the bond between you and your pup. Our goal is a fun, positive training experience that helps foster good behavior and a strong, trusting relationship. We do add light corrections once the dog has been trained past the learning phase and is now in the distraction and proofing phase.

We have a more detailed explanation on our Training Philosophy Page.

If you come to us in person. Start with a 30-minute virtual or phone -consultation for $50 to discuss your goals and assess your dog’s needs, or in a park near Bayonne, NJ. If we come to you instead, in your home, there is a $150 fee, which includes travel cost. After that, you can choose in-person sessions at $120 per session, or a discounted package, if you buy lessons in “packs” versus session by session. We encourage you to book training in “10 packs” with each 10-pack costing $600 for 10 lessons, paid in full in advance. All “10 pack” packages are paid in advance. All board and train packages are paid with 50% down of the stated cost-plus sales tax. We also board-and-train and the cost depends on the age of the dog. We progressively move your dog from “puppy kinder-garden” to “basic obedience” to “advanced obedience” and if needed, we can discuss competitive obedience.

Positive reinforcement training is a humane and effective method that rewards desired behaviors to encourage dogs to repeat them. Instead of punishing unwanted behaviors, this approach focuses on rewarding the behaviors we want, using treats, praise, toys, or play as motivators. This training style not only helps dogs understand what’s expected of them but also builds trust and strengthens the bond between you and your dog. By reinforcing positive actions, it promotes lasting behavioral change, making learning a positive experience that’s both fun and beneficial for your dog. Once a behavior earns a reward, your dog gains fluency and an 80% to 90% success rate in performing the command on cue and the more frequently you practice and reward the behavior, the higher rate of success will follow. What is balanced reinforcement training? A dog or puppy is started off in a pure positive model only until 6 to 8 months of age, with no corrections taught whatsoever. A clicker, or marker word is used to “mark” or signal that the dog has performed the behavior as desired and is then rewarded with food, praise, and play. However, for the dog to be reliable and perform the command 100% of time, every time, the dog must be held accountable. So if the dog fully knows the command, (and not before, due to heavy repetition over many months, and has had the command generalized, by taking the dog or puppy to many locations, so that the command is understood in all locations, all settings, but the dog is heavily distracted by pigeons, squirrels, passersby, people on bicycles, and so forth, light corrections are introduced as a proofing phase to make the dog accountable for his behavior. Children learn the same way, via both positive as well as negative reinforcement.

Have some of your dog’s favorite treats ready and a quiet space for focused learning. It is better if your dog is hungry before class. Decide if one family member will be the lead trainer, or if several family members wish to be involved. We strongly recommend that only one person train the dog and the whole family is not involved until a much later stage of training. We also recommend that as your dog is being trained, every family member is consistent with the rules of the house, and not one person allows the dog to do as he pleases, while another person holds the dog accountable. Every family member must agree to do the same exact thing and follow all the same rules when it comes to the dog before embarking on this journey. Be ready to engage and have fun with your dog!

Northern NJ f the lead trainer and owner, Alex Gonta will work with you, we’re based in Jersey City NJ and serve the surrounding area up to one hour away. This includes Bayonne, North Bergen, West New York, Secaucus, Newark, Kearney, and includes Union, Essex and Morris Counties. Southern NJ If our second trainer, Israel Cruze will work with you, he is based in Cherry Hill NJ and serves the surrounding areas of Maple Shade, Collingswood, Woodbury, Mount Holly, Philadelphia.

What issues can you help with? We specialize in a range of training needs, from basic obedience and puppy training to more complex behavioral concerns. Our approach includes safe, positive strategies for addressing behavioral issues.

We work with separation anxiety cases. Currently, we don’t specialize in dog rehabilitation aggression, or reactivity cases, and we can advise you how to reduce triggers, but we will recommend a trainer in Brooklyn NY that can handle such cases.

We focus mainly on traditional obedience training and preparing for the Canine Good Citizen Test, the AKC CD title, or the IGP training world in terms of advanced obedience. We are not specializing currently in behavior modification for extreme cases of aggression. We want your dog to feel comfortable, and in a supportive environment for your dog.

How long does training usually take? We recommend that you don’t come to us when you have an out-of-control dog on your hands. Instead, we recommend you start off with a puppy, or an existing dog and make slow and steady progress over time.

Training a dog is not a quick process. Even if you worked with us over the course of a year, “maintenances training” is still needed. By starting early and preventing problems ahead of time, that is the best.

way to have a smart, and well-trained pet. Every dog learns at their own pace, and while progress can vary, several sessions are usually needed, especially for behavior concerns.

My goal is to teach you the skills to address the behaviors you want to work on. The more effort you put in between sessions, the more successful your dog will be.