How We Train

The positive training of an assistance dog is a lengthy and committed process. Our dogs spend up to two years training before finding their true dream job.

Training Philosophy

At Paws with Purpose we are not only training dogs, we are training partners who will have a vital role in the lives of their human companions. We are committed to using only positive reinforcement methods that will motivate our dogs to learn while building a solid and lasting relationship of mutual trust between dogs and their handlers. We do not use force or punishment in our training. Instead, we use classical and operant conditioning to teach, transform and strengthen behavior.

Recommended reading list:
  • Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs by Jean Donaldson
  • Don’t Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor
  • How Dogs Learn by Mary R. Burch, Ph.D. and Jon S. Bailey, Ph.D.
  • Before and After Getting Your Puppy: The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy and Well Behaved Dog by Ian Dunbar
  • The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell