TRAINING METHODS
What methods are available to train your dog?
There are many training methods for dogs that work. Dogs are very smart, so even some of the least efficient methods will eventually work. Our goal is to use the most efficient and humane methods that get quick results. Training does not need to be harsh to get those results.
Methods of Training for Dogs
If you’re familiar with Operant Conditioning, you’ll recognize these terms: Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Positive Punishment and Negative Punishment. These technical terms refer to different methods of training. Most dog trainers don’t truly understand these terms or the methods that are attached to each. Our dog training instructors are required to be versed in all methods of training. Each and every dog is an individual. Attempting to use the same methods for all dogs is akin to using diesel fuel in every motor – it doesn’t work. Matching the method of training to your dog is the single most important decision that must be made both on the onset of training and throughout the entire training process. We are able to assign the correct methods to your dog each time we work with them. This makes training more effective while reducing the amount of work required to accomplish your goals.
You and your training instructor will determine the best course of action to best eliminate any problematic behavior.
Want to learn more about training terms? Check out our Blog Post Series:
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- Positive Reinforcement – Let’s Learn Training Terms: Positive Reinforcement
- Positive Punishment – Let’s Learn Training Terms: Positive Punishment
- Negative Reinforcement – Let’s Learn Training Terms: Negative Reinforcement
- Negative Punishment – Let’s Learn Training Terms: Negative Punishment
Questions? Call today and we will be happy to talk with you! 803-561-9090
Facebook Reviews
Jan Trent
2024-10-30T16:15:19+0000
The puppy distribution system determined that I was going to find a puppy under my car. Divine scrolling on FB/Google found Robert. Even though he was leaving in a day for vacation, he came and assessed Buddy, and determined the little dumped pup needed a lesson before he left the next morning! So at the crack of dawn, Robert is giving me and Buddy a lesson on not biting since that was his favorite thing to do. Robert’s consistent training of Buddy and me has expanded our bond and trust. Buddy continues to grow in confidence of his correct behavior and I am so proud of him. Robert has continued to be available to direct me on how to respond and correct Buddy as issues have arisen. Robert is a wonderful trainer.read more
Sandy Shepp
2024-08-28T17:39:40+0000
Robert is an excellent trainer. My GSD learned so much. Robert taught me how to handle Gus. He's very patient and a good disciplinarian. I was able to tell he has lots of experience under his belt. I would definitely call Robert again in the future.read more
Mary Ann Schneider
2024-05-20T22:40:55+0000
Best dog training experience I’ve had! Such a plus having someone come to my home and train my dogs (& me) in our home environment. Alora was excellent…patient with me and my dogs. My dogs fell in love with her, literally had smiles on their faces when she was here. They learned A LOT and I plan to continue reinforcing what they learned. I appreciate the fact that I have the option of taking them to free “tune up” classes and call Alora as needed. Highly recommend!read more
Angela Mosley
2024-05-16T22:48:20+0000
Alora was amazing. Our pup was very unruly and aggressive and now he is behaving so much better. I highly recommend this service and Alora!!! She’s great!read more
Erica Pawluk
2024-05-13T18:20:12+0000
Alora is an incredibly kindhearted knowledgeable dog trainer who did so good with our American staffordshire terrier named Stormi. She was always willing to share her knowledge and suggestions with us. And Stormi loved her.read more
Michele Boozer Hudson
2024-03-29T14:17:50+0000
Our dog, Wayha would not even allow us to put a collar or leash on him and he was very aggressive. Robert has changed Wayha into a total different dog. We can now take him on walks, ride in the vehicle, he no longer runs to the door when someone knocks or ring the door bell. I would recommend Robert and this company to anyone that needs help training their dog!!!read more
Madison Scheno
2024-03-04T17:55:41+0000
Our first training session was today. The trainers were awesome and we were able to learn a lot! We can’t wait to keep practicing and continue the sessions!read more
Janet Lonkey
2024-03-02T23:41:03+0000
I have used Dog Training in Your Home/Columbia for several of my fur babies. They have gone beyond what I expected. Their knowledge and expertise is beyond other trainers that I tried. I have referred them to several of my friends. If you care and love your pets this is the best all around company for you.read more
Holly Swan
2024-03-02T23:26:45+0000
I have enjoyed the expertise of Robert at DYIYH for over 15 years, and he has helped my family with four different dogs. His ability to connect with a dog and determine different techniques based on the dog is remarkable. They also always work hard to accommodate my schedule and have even done phone consultations when my daughter and her pup moved out of state. I often recommend this group to others. They know what they’re doing.read more
Patti O'Rourke
2024-03-02T03:59:06+0000
Dog Training in Your Home’s trainer Robert Varney helped train many of our rescue dogs after they were adopted and also a few while they were in foster care to help get them acclimated to life in a home and with other dogs. Robert did everything from house training and leash training to basic obedience and even helped with a number of behavioral issues a few dogs were having. I would recommend Dog Training In Your Home and Robert for any of your dog training needs. Robert is knowledgeable, professional and great with the dogs.read more
Loretta Nolan
2024-02-29T21:33:32+0000
I hired dog training in your home to help with my 1 1/2 year old Schichon Bailey! Training has been great. Bailey has learned to walk on a leash and we getting there with house training!read more
Yume Shima Tango
2023-03-15T15:49:46+0000
We’ve been working with Stephen on training our GSP puppy Decker and I would highly recommend him! Decker loves his trainer & is always excited for his training sessions. The training itself is practical & easy to understand & the “homework” is reasonable & doable even with our busy schedules. We’ve noticed a significant improvement in Decker’s behavior by rebuilding his foundational knowledge of basic commands & establishing boundaries. The quality of the training we’ve received is unmatched. Definitely hire Dog Training in Your Home/Columbia & request Stephen if he’s available!read more
Susan B. Stockdell
2022-08-09T17:28:14+0000
This review for Julia Shoup is long overdue.
We were gifted a re-home/rescue 6 1/2 month old terrier mix on St Patrick’s Day through our veterinarian. We named her Saiorse in honor of the day.
In reality she is almost a year old now and is, in fact Shepherd mix not a terrier mix. Translated that means full out 24/7.
Having had the wonderful outcome with Dog Training In Your Home for our previous dog Maisie we immediately called to get signed up for training for Saoirse.
Julia was absolutely incredible on every possible level. She understood the possible breed, habits, what to expect, and worked diligently with me on every aspect of training that she needed.
Julia was patient, firm, and very engaged in every aspect of training. Not having expected a puppy and having not had a puppy for years and years and years this was a whole new territory.
I can’t say enough about Julia, she was always there when I needed her, assured me “we can fix this”.
And fix it she did. So kudos to Julia Shoup and to Dog Training In Your Home. They always go above and beyond.
Julia made Saoirse a happier engaging pup, and did more training with me then she did with Saoirse. We were quite the team.
So kudos Julia and see you at Monthly park training.read more
Helen Michelle Chiri
2022-06-25T01:44:01+0000
Julia was amazing she helped us very much with Alpha and Omega. She was very patient with us. She understood what I needed and my desire to help our my pups to be better in public. Whenever I had a concern or question she was always available to answer me. I would highly recommend Julia and Dog Training in Your Home/Columbia.read more
Sheila McNair Robinson
2022-05-14T18:23:13+0000
Julia is awesome! She worked with our 3 year old golden retriever who had almost no training before. The changes in his behavior are unbelievable! I highly recommend.read more
Lauren Corbett
2022-04-20T22:57:47+0000
Julia shoup was a great teacher and very knowledgeable about puppy training.
she was very patient and took the time to explain the procedures and steps to ensure that both Annabelle (my puppy) and my family understands the importance of all of us being on the same training techniques. we were provided with a training log and potty log to show we are following the training techniques that we were showed weekly and that we were sticking to a training schedule. I would highly recommend Julia and this company to anyone who needs help with training, I really like the one on one session with Julia and I hated to see my training end.read more
Marketta Wright
2022-04-15T12:19:33+0000
Julia is so great. During our training she's helped my baby yorkie poo learn commands and help learn to potty train. He's so energetic and looses focus quickly but she's been able to help us channel through that and he's doing so much better. Thank you Julia.read more
Suzanne Pleming
2022-03-12T02:26:14+0000
Julia was our trainer and we loved her! She was patient with us and our Goldendoodle puppy loved her. We look forward to the outdoor group sessions for more reinforcement!read more
Tonya Barthmaier
2022-03-09T18:20:06+0000
Highly recommend. Our trainer Julia was amazing. Our 4 month old Shih Tzu loved her. Julia was very patient with Zoe and us (as new pet owners). She gave us plenty of hands on and walked us through every step.read more
Cheryl Goodson
2022-02-17T22:56:29+0000
I recommend having Julia Shoup to come to your home and train your four legged companion. She treated my puppy with a lot of love in which he gladly returned. Julia provided me great tips to help me to continue enforcing what she taught us in each lesson. She is very knowledgeable about training, good homemade dog treats, and collars. Thanks to Julia, my puppy sits, come, place, down, and walks by my side. My puppy no longer eat my shoes or potty on my floor. I now have a well trained almost 7 month old puppy. Julia was very flexible with us on scheduling training sessions. She is always on time. We love Julia and are very bless to have had her as our trainer.read more
Lauren Sekula
2022-02-17T20:15:59+0000
Rey and I just finished our last in home session with Julia and I could not be more pleased with how far she has come. We have all the basic obedience now at our disposal to create a more balanced home with our reactive girl. Julia showed me how to easily redirect Rey when situations and distractions occur on walks and gain that control and confidence I needed. Thank you so much!read more
Tonya Rowland
2022-01-04T00:52:35+0000
We worked with Stephen to train our Goldendoodle. He was very knowledgeable and professional. He answered all our questions each time out. His plan has worked great for our dog. I highly recommend him.read more
Jen Klippel Black
2021-12-09T15:34:51+0000
We got a puppy and began training her at two months old. Stephen and Julia gave us the tools to have a well behaved dog! I recommend them to anyone that has a new fur baby. As the old adage says, everyone likes a well behaved dog.read more
Nina Moreno
2021-11-13T17:31:10+0000
We worked with Stephen and he was wonderful: he helped our rescue dog further develop some basic commands and learn more advanced ones. More importantly for us, he taught us how to walk our dog so she won't react to people or other dogs around us. If you complete the program you can also participate in free group classes on weekends that reinforce what the pup and her humans have learned with the trainer.read more
Buddy Norris
2021-11-06T19:52:48+0000
This is our second review for Stephen as our trainer. We wanted to give credit where credit is due. Since we’ve wrapped up our basic training for Sydney, we’ve run into a few post-training behavioral related issues. Stephen has always responded to our calls and has always given us ways to solve the issues. He’s even come back out to our home to assist when needed. Over the last few months, Sydney’s fear of baths has drastically increased. The fear had gotten so bad that when the mobile groomer came to our home, we could not get Sydney in the van. My wife reached out to Stephen and he offered to meet her at a self-wash dog grooming station to start working thru the fears. It took 2 times meeting up to get Syd where she needed to be in terms of not freaking out over the bath process. Today was the second session and significant progress was made. We are now confident that Syd can now endure a bath! Not only are we proud of Sydney for putting a big dent in her fear, but SO THANKFUL that Stephen was willing to take time to go above and beyond to get us to this point. Stephen is a SUPER trainer! DTIYH lives up to their reputation of the Best In Columbia and Stephen certainly drives that honor along.
Appreciative for all the help – Gale, Buddy and Sydneyread more
Betsy Rambow
2021-02-23T18:35:38+0000
Robert has helped me so much with my dog Jack in just one session. I now have Jack’s constant barking at the window under control. I love being able to have my front blinds open at last! We worked on loose leash walking at our training session today and I’m so excited to practice this week. I’m so glad we found Dog Training in Your Home.read more
Robin-Mike Ray
2021-02-23T16:39:46+0000
We just finished our last session with Ms. Debbie who is AWESOME!!! Our therapy dog Fred just passed his test with flying colors. Thanks for all the help and support. He is gonna be such a good boy and the kids will enjoy him so much at our clinic. Thanks- Capital City Therapy Groupread more
Amanda Kerrigan Wise
2020-10-14T22:40:56+0000
Stephen has done a wonderful job with Howie! He knew right away how to gain the trust of a nervous dog who needed a confidence boost. We can’t wait to keep working with him at Saturday group sessions.read more
Carol Ann Doherty
2020-09-29T22:35:14+0000
We have been having Stephen help us train our dog, Lexi. He has completely changed her from a scared dog we were unable to even walk to an amazing easy-going dog. We are loving our lessons and look forward to learning even more! Thanks, Stephen 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🐶read more
Angie Chaplin
2020-07-28T03:08:12+0000
What can I say about Stephen!?!
Stephen is awesome! He started working with Fendi at 6 months He helped with a very, very energtic puppy & I had no idea how to harness that energy. Now Fendi is on track.
The results were amazing! I had questions after the training was over he never hesitated to help and talk me through it. I also learned a lot about how to maintain the training moving forward.
Stephen is highly skilled trainer; I can see that he takes pride and joy in his work. Great service! Couldn't be happier.read more
Jazmin Jean
2020-07-14T02:03:56+0000
Stephen “SR” has been training my skye for 4 weeks now, and let me just say she’s a whole new pup!! He trained/ helped me train my 4 month old Pitbull to be a great pup! Sit, stay, come, heel etc I 100% recommend “SR” and “Dog training in your home” Now I can take my Pitbull anywhere and not have to worry about her fitting the “stereotype!” THANK YOU SR!!! 🐾 ❤️read more
Alaysia Boyd
2020-07-10T02:03:09+0000
Stephen did a wonderful job and is a subject matter expert! He was very personable and knowledgeable. He was always on time and our dogs love him. Pongo is a totally different puppy now! Highly recommend!read more
Ally Stone
2020-07-03T01:15:28+0000
We finished our 5 weeks of training today and we could not be more pleased with the outcome!! Our miniature schnauzer Cooper is so much more obedient than he was 5 weeks ago, and our trainer Stephen Rinehart gave us all the tools we needed to solve the issues we were having! He has a wonderful disposition for working with dogs, was punctual to every appointment, checked for and thoroughly answered any questions we had, and was all-around a wonderful trainer to work with... 10/10 I would recommend working with Stephen if you get the opportunity!! We are looking forward to continuing our relationship with the Dog Training In Your Home Family with one happy and well-trained pup!!!read more
Lauren Clouse-Bomhoff
2020-07-01T00:29:09+0000
Stephen has been training our dog Andy for the last 5 weeks! I could not recommend a better person to help us with our new puppy. He has given us great tools and ways to make our dog the perfect fit for our family! We will definitely be asking him to come back for more advanced training when the time comes. And we can’t wait for his group classes to open up.read more
Kristy Sokol
2020-06-22T18:19:32+0000
Stephen Rinehart has been training my dog, Maddox, for the last month, and we could not be happier with the results we've seen so far! Stephen is patient with our stubborn puppy and teaches him new skills in a matter of minutes and then allows us to practice until we can get it right. He has also been very willing to answer questions in between sessions. We feel like this was definitely money well-spent!read more
Anita Brandt
2020-06-04T20:21:51+0000
Jake and Emma say, “Thank you!!!” Robert went out of his way to make sure my dogs were well trained. My 2 malinois mix pups were as wild as 2 Hienas on steroids, caffeine, and Snicker bars went I first got them! There was no way I could keep them from jumping wildly much less walk them. From the moment Robert walked in, Robert gained respect from my dogs and listened. He has a tremendous insight that allows him to pinpoint the needs immediately. Robert has been compassionate, professional, and on target with the training. I honestly didn’t know if I could keep these lil guys; but now I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I am so lucky to have been introduced to this company when I did. Really can’t say enough for the incredible service this company provides for dog owners.read more
Courtney Rose Scarber
2020-05-18T21:50:41+0000
Morgan Bryant did an amazing job with Shelby Lynn our Cane Corso. Highly recommend!
Ruth Lewis
2020-03-30T20:15:55+0000
I had a very opinionated 6 month old lab/pit mix. She was becoming unmanageable for me. Robert came out and has trained both her and me! I was ready to find another home for her but Robert showed me how to handle her to get her to behave. It is like night and day! I wouldn’t give her up for anything now! She’s the best. Robert and his crew are very patient and know exactly how to read dogs and fix their behavior....and the owner’s behavior too!! They are kind but firm and I am so thankful I called them and they were willing to help. Thank you Robert!!!read more
Michael Stagliano
2020-01-19T18:31:20+0000
I researched several dog training organizations including independent trainers. I eventually settled on Dog Training in Your Home. After an initial meeting with owner, Robert Varney, I was assigned to trainer, Jessica. From the first lesson to our last in home lesson, Jessica took control and "educated" our young Airedale, Olive. Our companion animal is now well-behaved and a joy to be around. As long as one reinforces the latest lesson for about 30 minutes a day (broken up in 10 minute intervals) your pet will soon be the pet you hoped for. And if you need a reinforcing lesson, Jessica will gladly help you out. I can't brag on Jessica enough. She is definitely a dog whisperer!read more
Marie Knutson
2019-12-16T14:05:56+0000
Robert is a very knowledgeable trainer and helped us a lot. My German Shepherd needed some tuning up and in just a few sessions Robert had him in check. Also I can't wait to start working with Debbie! Dog Training in Your Home/Columbia has been nothing but kind and helpful, they were quick to respond as well.read more
Sierra McClintock
2019-12-10T15:26:45+0000
Robert came out for a free consultation visit for our 3 month old puppy. He was so patient with her and answered all of our questions. He was incredibly responsive as I came up with additional questions and he worked with us to make sure we could get the training that we needed for our sweet girl. I am looking forward to working with him and his team!read more
Melissa Navarre Prasun
2019-11-12T14:13:01+0000
We just finished 5 weeks of training with Robert and our dog Charlie is a totally different dog then he was 5 weeks ago. I can’t say enough good things about the training. Charlie is a 5 month old wheaten terrier full of energy. Thank you so much for the awesome training!read more
Puggy Blackmon
2019-10-09T16:08:37+0000
Shoutout to Robert Varney for an incredible job in training us to train our adopted two year old Australian shepherd, Bear.
Would highly recommend!!!!!read more
Katharine M. Hartley
2019-09-04T14:37:43+0000
These are people who truly love and respect dogs and want owners and their dogs to have the most positive relationship possible. The time they spend with you one on one are totally individualized and their group classes are excellent. My dog and I have made a lot of progress thanks to their help. I give them at minimum an 11 out of 10.read more
Lee Rambo
2019-08-24T20:10:24+0000
Robert came to our home and worked with our new-to-us one year-old dog. The transformation in her has been amazing! Robert was very straight-forward, practical, and easy to work with and the results have been great! I recommend him and his business very highly.read more
Benjamin Hopp
2019-07-22T22:59:35+0000
I appreciate Robert and Miranda for their training sessions. After one week, with their help, Flexx has made big improvements already.
I can only recommend them to anyone.
You dont only get to know your dog better and what he is capable to do for you, but you get know yourself better. Anyone can do it, with the help of them.
Their training is very simplified, and made fun to do. Once again, if you have any doubts, dont doubt it. its an investment for a lifetime.
Thank you Robert and Miranda!read more
Nadine Halaby Zimmer
2019-06-20T13:14:21+0000
Compassionate, caring trainers. Professional and great at training my dogs and me
Kristen Ellermeyer Rose
2019-06-17T20:34:35+0000
The training and insight I have been given about my dog is invaluable! I am forever grateful for their services!
Kyla Saphir
2019-06-13T01:51:24+0000
Debbie was incredible in helping train our puppy. She also gave me confidence as a new puppy mom. I would highly recommend this training program!
Lahela Worley
2019-02-28T14:41:53+0000
Morgan was absolutely fantastic with my sweet, but slightly dominant/aggressive pup Kylo! A new rescue, he had some behavioral issues that needed to be taken care of and I can't believe the difference in just the short five weeks of training. She was very understanding and helpful when he had some issues with biting that had me extremely worried, and she gave me a lot of reassurance that he was going to be able to learn. I am so happy with the results and don't feel nervous that I won't be able to handle him anymore! so so so happy with all her help, and with the social group classes on Saturdays, highly recommend!read more
Ron Parler
2019-02-25T15:15:26+0000
We had Morgan as our trainer and she did an awesome job with our border collie/ lab mix.
Marti Paul Dahl
2018-12-12T16:41:34+0000
Debbie is an awesome trainer. She gets immediate results from our Pomeranian pup. Highly recommend this service! And especially Debbie!! 👍🏻🐶
Greg Mackie
2018-11-29T01:12:16+0000
outstanding trainers. for both pets and humans. highly recommend.
Robin Mackie
2018-11-29T01:00:27+0000
Highly recommend Robert and Chris. They provide consistent training and great customer service. You all really care about dogs and their owners and it shows. We appreciate the commitment you have made to us and our German shepherd Sadie. Thank you! Robin and Gregread more
Sandra Daniel Faggart
2018-09-22T14:17:39+0000
My dog ash is 1 year old Australian Shepherd with leash aggression towards other dogs. I had training classes with another company that really did absolutely nothing to help fix the problem. I was almost to the point of giving up to ever walking ash around other dogs. After 4 classes with Robert Varney I was able to go to the monthly training class and join in. I am so excited for ash and how quickly he has learned new things. I can’t thank Robert enough and dog training in your home is the only trainer and training you should ever consider.
Absolutely the best. Very good with your dog, always on time and extremely knowledgeable about any problems you are experiencing. Shows you step by step how to handle the problems and makes sure you are doing the training correctly.read more
Mandy Page Toole
2018-08-07T01:35:15+0000
We had a wonderful experience with Chris Varney. Our two dogs that used to get along great we’re now fighting each other causing total stress and chaos in the house. We called Dog Training in Your Home and Chris came to the rescue. The dogs learned some basic commands, along with important socialization while we regained our confidence as well as control of our household again. I know our girls are happy and I’m thankful for meeting Chris.read more
Gail Adams
2018-08-06T15:17:20+0000
It was the best investment I made. Debbie Beck was our trainer and she was fabulous. She was always prompt and dependable . She so good solving any problems we had between visits. Always great recommendations to make Anna a better dogread more
Cathy Landis
2018-07-18T01:36:26+0000
Needed training for my 15 month old spunky 10 lb cavachon, Oliver. Robert was terrific with Oliver. Within 4 training periods, Oliver will now sit, stay, down, place and walk with me without pulling! So exciting. Actually, Robert trained me and Oliver cooperated!! Robert also put our 7 yr old golden doodle through refresher training with Oliver, they were great. So glad we were able to work with Robert and highly recommend!read more
Cathy DuBois Scott
2018-07-12T18:51:27+0000
We called Dog Training in your Home soon after we moved, which caused our previously sweet lab mix Dunkin to become extremely aggressive. We couldn’t even have friends come to our home with his new behavior.
Chris was amazing. Within 2 months Chris had shown us how to handle Dunkin and retrain his behavior so that he is once more the sweet lab we thought was gone. We now have the confidence to take him out in public and over the 4th had a party at our house where Dunkin showed exceptionally good behavior.
I whole heartedly recommend them. No more worries about public situations going horribly wrong. Fantastic results. Thanks Chrisread more
Christina Kauffmann Isenhower
2018-07-12T00:24:13+0000
Chris Varney was so helpful with our two dogs. We hired training to prepare for our first child. We were nervous but Chris worked wonders! Very quickly, our dogs learned new commands and skills. Plus, our dogs now love Chris! They whine with excitement when he visits! Thank you, Chris!!read more
Sydney Boykin
2018-07-02T22:30:24+0000
Robert was amazing with our 10 month old goldendoodle. In 2 lessons he has fixed problems we have been trying to fix for months. He is so knowledgeable and has made our training so much more effective. We would highly recommend.read more
Abbye Hope Smith
2018-02-16T21:11:21+0000
Our trainer, Chris Varney is the best. Chris worked with our dog Chip last year and did a great job. However, I became unable to take Chip out for socializing due health issues. As a result, Chip has become unfriendly towards other dogs. We called Chris, and he immediately began working with us to resolve this matter. So far we are making good progress. We are so thankful and appreciative to Chris for his work and dedication with our fur babyread more
Dennis Cooley
2018-02-15T03:49:31+0000
Tell your employees about how u lie to them about their pay. 22 an hour then to receive only 10 is wrong!!!!
Mary Etta Able
2017-12-27T18:40:38+0000
Dog training in your home/columbia came promptly and warmed right up to my dog. I am excited to work with them 🙂
A Belinda Bartling
2017-12-16T03:53:04+0000
Absolutely the best choice we made for Dash, would recommend to any dog � parents!!!!
Carol A Getz
2017-12-14T14:42:45+0000
I have a special needs dog that I have just adopted. She needs injections twice a day and she was giving me a very hard time, growling, snapping and flipping on her back. Robert was able to help me create a positive situation with rewards that has really helped us. Now she quietly holds still while she gets her injection. He turned a stressful unpleasant situation into a normal part of her day. Thanks Mr Varney!read more
Sue Sears Carter
2017-11-21T16:37:52+0000
I had Robert Varney come out and check my dog after so many of others have told me to to either give her up or put my gracie down for aggressive , I believe in giving a pet a chance. So I called Robert he came to my home meet me Gracie said she was a great dog just needs a little training and does Not.need to be put down. After I told him about the other trainer he fell to the floor laughing. He could not believe it.So if you want a GREAT AND HONEST TRAINER .ROBERT VARNEY IS YOUR GUY... thank you.� so much..for being their for my girl.read more
Paul Borden
2017-11-18T16:57:53+0000
Highly recommend Dog Training In Your Home. A lot of problems solved with the in-home training. The group classes are great exposure for our Rescue Pomeranian. She seems to enjoy them also.read more
Cheryl R. Holland
2017-10-21T17:15:27+0000
We have two miniature Australian Shepherds (smart and high energy). Between our in-home training with Chris and group Saturday classes, we have two well-behaved, happy dogs that we can take anywhere. Chris helped us with behavioral challenges unique to each dog and the breed as well as the basic training to put us on the track to success. I couldn't recommend more highly.read more
Bill Rogers
2017-10-21T14:51:26+0000
Chris and Robert are amazing dog trainers. We have seen a great improvement with our dog Leica. Group classes have made a huge difference and our dog eagerly anticipates the Saturday sessionsread more
Matthew Shuler
2017-10-21T14:14:07+0000
Thank you Chris for making the trips home more tolerable. Taming the hellhounds, Black Eye and Ivy, is quite the accomplishment! Over the years it has been astounding to see the improvements in their behavior! Thank you so much for helping my mom out.read more
Laura Solmaz Alghothani
2017-09-16T21:00:12+0000
We hired Robert to help us with our new Norfolk Terrier puppy (our first puppy ever). Last week I had to have a dog walker come for midday walks and received the ultimate compliment!!! She said that Copper was the most well behaved 6 month old puppy she has ever walked!!! Woot woot! Thank you Robert!!!read more
Anne Dreher Adams
2017-06-14T18:18:42+0000
This was our first appointment for Ziggy Stardust! I have to say, after just a couple of exercises today, he became much more polite to people coming to the door or passing by!! Can't wait for the real lessons to start!read more
Sabrina Engom Faircloth
2017-04-20T19:57:44+0000
Robert V was very friendly and I am so pleased with the results after just 1 visit! I am excited for the coming weeks.
Tiffany Boyd Prichard
2017-04-18T00:29:05+0000
We have been so pleased with Dog Training In Your Home! Our Goldendoodle Sulli is doing so good!
Jen Sylvander Sadlovsky
2017-03-20T19:50:45+0000
We are very pleased with the dog training we had with Robert. We have a 1 1/2 year-old Havanese who was becoming very aggressive when people came to the door. We were embarrassed to invite people over, not knowing if Harlow was going to bite them or bark & growl the whole time they were here. In just 4 sessions we were taught how to handle these situations with confidence.
When Robert came for the free in home evaluation I was certain Harlow was going to bite him at the door. Before Robert was done with the evaluation, Harlow was sitting quietly at his feet. (I had never seen Harlow do this before.)
During the free in-home evaluation we were able to discuss all of our concerns. It was great to have the trainer see how Harlow reacted in his natural home environment. The added bonus of all the training sessions being held at our home where Harlow's behavior issues are at their worst was the best thing for him.
We are also enjoying the group classes where Harlow gets to work on socialization skills around other people and other dogs in an environment that he's not used to.
We just can't say enough good things about Dog Training In Your Home. We highly recommend them. If you have an issue about the cost we can say, it's well worth every penny!read more
Anna James
2017-02-13T16:59:51+0000
Chris has been great in helping Delilah to get over her fears. Plus she is learning new things to become a better dog citizen. Cannot say enough good things about the experience.read more
Russ Knight
2017-01-19T21:15:41+0000
I have used them twice and both times they made my life and my dogs life so much better for the life of my dogs.
Paul Fram
2017-01-14T21:00:13+0000
We absolutely LOVE Robert and the difference he has made in our lives by working with us and our dogs, Sophie (a 5 year-old Lab mix) and Pixie (a 10 month-old English Mastiff). He taught us how one person can walk two large dogs without getting dragged around, and his careful work with Sophie and her anxiety-caused aggressiveness has led to huge improvement in her public behavior. Sophie usually doesn’t like or trust anyone outside of the family, but she loves Robert and will do about anything that he wants her to do!! And the clicker!! Pixie is a strong-minded puppy who generally wants to come in when she wants to come in, but when I click the clicker after training her the way Robert taught me, she comes running right away. With such a large dog, it is incredibly important that she comply when we need her to, and we feel so much more confident because of the training that Robert has provided to us.
I could not recommend Robert more highly as a dog trainer! He always just seems to know exactly the right thing to do in every situation to make our dogs behave in the way that they need to, and his genuine kindness and decency comes through in every interaction that my wife and I have had with him.read more
Bev Gentry Denny
2017-01-12T18:15:45+0000
I've had many dogs in my life and utilized different methods of trading, but nothing touches Dog Training in Your Home/Columbia. First training visit was incredible! I have never seen anything like it. Lala loves her trainer, but boy, did we both learn a lot in that first hour. I am a very grateful client!!read more
Angie Blocker Carter
2017-01-07T00:03:46+0000
We have a different dog, for the better! We are amazed at how much he has learned! Thank you Debbie!
Jordan Nealey Langland
2016-11-30T13:48:56+0000
Dog Training in your Home has been amazing! Not only has Max, our sports retriever, learned a lot, I have too. Our trainer, Chris, is super flexible with schedules and is very friendly. The group classes are the best part! They help a lot with training! Chris has been very helpful and easy to work with during Max's puppy stage. I really appreciate his time and I absolutely love Dog Training in your Home! I don't know what I would have done without it! I am only 14 but Chris made me and everyone in my family feel like we were important and very much needed in Max's training (and we were)!read more
Paul Lisa Rams
2016-11-02T00:27:46+0000
Happy dogs, happy family! We are so grateful for Chris and Dog Training in Your Home program!
Carmina Paskowich
2016-10-28T18:08:49+0000
I am very happy with the the training my dog Cookie received from DTIYH. Debbie was assigned to be our trainer and we were so happy to have her. On clicker training week we discovered that our dog was deaf. Debbie gave us names of deaf dog agencies and web sites to go to for information. Cookie could be trained but in a different way. After sorting everything out we decided to continue with the training. The company was fantastic and let us start over and made an e-collar available for us to use. Debbie was compasionate but firm with our dog, she is a bulldog and very stubborn. Cookie has learned so much and was so happy when Debbie came. She is a puppy and had a hard time controlling her joy when she saw Debbie coming to the door. We are extremely satisfied with this company for dog training purposes and their selection of Debbie as a trainer. I will recommend them to anyone looking for dog training. Debbie is a fantastic trainer and Cookie and I will miss her visits.read more
Sam Bailey
2016-10-10T14:44:14+0000
Our puppy Charlie, was near uncontrollable and not fun to be around. Today he behaves, takes commands, and respects our space. Robert Varney walked us through every step to get him to this point. Thanks Robert!read more
Debra Boland
2016-09-17T19:29:35+0000
A big shout out to Max's trainer Tony......we are so very pleased with the skills Tony has given us to be able to enjoy our puppy. Tony is very professional and is very passionate about his training. Thank you so much Tony your awesome!read more
Rhonda N Phil Hall
2016-06-24T17:48:26+0000
Robert is Amazing! We were referred by friends who used Robert. Oh what a wonderful decision we made. We have a 12yr old Chihuahua that is king of the house (not mean just spoiled rotten). We adopted a full of energy golden retriever/bassat mix puppy. Needless to say we had some wild dynamics going on. He has taught us that you CAN teach old dogs new tricks. We are learning how to handle both dogs together. We could not have done this with his help. He truly is a dog whisperer (maybe even a person whisperer too.) If you need a trainer call DTIYH!read more
Elizabeth Kafont
2016-05-30T12:20:53+0000
Best money I ever spent on my dog. I would highly recommend DTIYH!!
Dana Barker Klinepeter
2016-05-26T00:58:14+0000
When I first contacted DTIYH I remember Chris telling me that they don't necessarily just train dogs but they train people too. Little did I know, but that is exactly what I needed. Chris worked with my dog Wilson, a 5 year old plott hound and I for quite some time. Wilson had some aggression issues towards other dogs when on a leash and was hard for me to handle. The transformation that I saw in him over the period of time was awesome! Chris was fantastic to work with and I would recommend him to anyone! Even my parents who don't live here comment on how much better Wilson is and what a great trainer Chris is. We are all definitely much happier and glad we took the time and lots of effort to train my fur baby!read more
Elizabeth Ouzts
2016-05-19T17:54:37+0000
Bella, my sweet 1 year old miniature schnauzer, has been working with Robert. She was kind of a 'free spirit' with a 'high prey drive' and had very little manners. In just one session, Bella learned to sit stay/ down stay and no barking . Robert adds several techniques each week for us to practice....including, come, and walking on leash without pulling. I am thrilled with the progress Bella has made. She was sweet and loving but she is even sweeter now with her new doggie manners!!!
I highly recommend Dog Training In Your Home!!!!
Thanks Robert and Dog Training In Your Home/Columbiaread more
Tim McClary
2016-04-22T13:19:43+0000
My husband and I needed help with our rescue terrier mix. We contacted Dog Training in Your Home and were immediately amazed at the assistance provided in the first few minutes of the first training session. Chris and Tony provided us with valuable techniques in dealing with a high energy puppy. We look forward to continuing our training with our newest member of the family.
Tim McClaryread more
Brenda Mehaffey Summer
2016-03-28T22:34:21+0000
Shauna, my sweet, newly adopted 18 mo. old black lab and I had our first lesson today with Robert. I am SO pleased and encouraged. She is already responding well to commands and learning. Robert loves what he does and it shows. Shauna is becoming a "model canine citizen"read more
Kari Bristol
2016-03-24T23:58:11+0000
Robert was amazing!!! We were totally unsure what to expect when we asked a trainer to come to our home for our 3 month old pug... We had always had bigger dogs (boxers mostly) and did not know how to handle this precious little baby. Nor did we fully believe this service could help our misbehaving puppy. Robert whipped him into shape in no time! The kind, gentle manor in which he taught him, was my favorite part. It was clear from day 1 that there was a genuine love and understanding of dogs from In Your Home Training. He definitely knew what he was doing! We have recommended In Your Home Training to several people, and currently they are training 3 other dogs in our neighborhood. Go for it... i promise you will not be disappointed!read more
Renee Lucido
2016-02-01T19:47:24+0000
I've just started training with Robert. He came to my rescue (and I mean rescue ) with my white German Shepherd puppy, who had had obedience training, but had no respect for me and was getting worse by the moment. I was at my wit's end and had tried so hard different approaches. Nothing worked. Robert came over and took a look at her and told me this was not going to be a problem. He gave me a simple solution on Friday. This dog had been mauling me constantly. It's Monday afternoon. She's been a completely different dog. She hasn't jumped on me at all. She's listening and behaving. It's like a miracle and I'm not exaggerating, she was tearing up my clothes and jackets! . I can't wait to get started for real. I'm expecting great things
Reneeread more
Cole McKinney
2016-01-25T19:30:24+0000
I recently rescued a multi-year old terrier mix that was overly aggressive toward other dogs - large or small. After a few lessons, Ozzie (and I) learned proper behavior. He is not the same dog I adopted - he is the new improved model. Both of us are happier now. I cannot stress enough how pleased I am with the services offered by Dog Training in Your Home. Don't even think about other services - just call! You will not regret it.read more
Debbie Simpson
2015-11-08T12:52:39+0000
I have been very pleased with the training and help we received -- Debbie has been a great trainer! I took Jazz to eat Thursday at Grill Marks in Columbia and he sat beside us on the porch and we had a great meal! I never thought he would be this calm and obedient. This is an example of what I wanted to be able to do with him when we signed up for classes.read more
Alyssa Michelle Heffner
2015-08-04T23:02:19+0000
Our puppy has learned SO MUCH through the courses taught by Robert Varney. We have a Portuguese Water Dog and he can be full of energy. Robert has taught us how to really channel his energy into obedience. Would recommend this service to anyone we know!read more
Bunk Heffner
2015-08-04T22:59:26+0000
Would absolutely recommend to anyone! We have been working with Robert Varney, an incredible trainer who is as equally good with people as he is with dogs.read more
Carriann Russell
2015-06-15T19:41:05+0000
My trainer Chris is absolutely amazing! Training sessions are not only fun, but IMMEDIATELY effective. My rescued Pomeranian mix has gone from completely wild, to a perfectly well behaved member of the family. The training program is very affordable for the one on one attention you receive, and the results are worth every single penny.read more
Heather Barley Lathrop
2015-05-26T22:31:25+0000
Thanks to Robert, our trainer, our one year old Max is a completely transformed dog!! We can't thank Dog Training in Your Home enough! Money well spent!read more
Chelsa Gower
2015-05-26T20:54:55+0000
Mia my six month old boxer mix just finished obedience training with Robert Varney. We could tell that Robert really enjoys what he does and Mia did too!
Looking forward to the next stage in her training!read more
Caroline Mobley Phifer
2015-04-07T16:53:02+0000
I absolutely love Dog Training in Your Home/Columbia! I rescued a lab/rott mix named Buster and he couldn't walk on a leash. Robert came out and took care of all our problems. My sweet boy walks on a leash now like a pro and is SO much better behaved! I'm so thankful for y'all and all you did for us! We love coming to group classes, too! Thanks for everything!read more
Elizabeth Fager
2015-01-19T18:38:32+0000
We were having lots of issues with our 5 year old hound mix Beatrice. She has horrible separation anxiety and was destroying the house. She was difficult to walk and would snap at other dogs. After having lessons with Craig, Beatrice is doing great on her walks, has learned her commands, and will even go into her crate without being forced. We are still working on the separation anxiety but now we have the right tools to work with her and to keep progressing. Thank you Craig and dog training in your home!!!read more
Neal Coyle
2015-01-13T22:00:23+0000
First visit and first lesson with Robert was great. Saw results right away. Excellent tips and techniques. Rusty responded immediately and is learning quickly. VERY happy with results!read more
Charlotte Camp Ballenger
2015-01-06T21:55:29+0000
I have 2 Great Pyrenees that I adore!! Unfortunately, the younger one was bullying the older one and started getting in horrible fights with her. Seeing 2 100+ pound dogs fighting was horrible. Now it is like they are best buds. Samara, the bully, knows to back up when Sadie, the sweetie, comes inside. They do not fight at all anymore. Sam is doing great. She will sit, lay down, etc. when I say. Before I knew about them, I thought I might have to put Sam down, but now Sam and Sadie are like best buds. GOD bless you!read more
