ROOT Dog Training getting to the ROOT of the problem!
Training Philosophy – A solution for every dog & every owner!
At ROOT, we strive to help you develop well-behaved companion and competition dogs using positive reinforcement - operant and classical conditioning - training techniques. This positive approach to training is done with the use a clicker, food, praise, and fun. At ROOT, we never train with the use of force, fear, physical manipulation or corrective collars.
As an instructor, Sara like to be innovative, supportive, and is always up to a challenge. She loves nothing more than rising to the challenge of someone saying “that (behavior, animal, etc.) can’t be trained using positive methods!” I love training small details and building on these skills allowing teams to easily master complicated behaviors.
At ROOT we know that to give everyone the best chance for success it means working with both the handler and their dog. All good dogs come from good owners with the help of great trainers. Sara finds it very important that the people are treated positively and with respect along with their dogs. If the people are not treated in a positive way then they will not treat their dogs in the same manner. We strive to help train people as well as train your dog. As you complete classes, you will build the skills and gain the confidence needed to continue training your dog.
Sara feels strongly that continuing education is critically important as an instructor. She routinely attend a variety of seminars every year to keep current on behavioral theory and training techniques. I have attended seminars by a wide variety of presenters such as Ian Dunbar and Jean Donaldson, Ken Ramirez’s week long Professional Trainer course, multiple Clicker Expos.
ROOT’s training philosophy comes from information gathered from various sources and years of practical application. Sara has been lucky enough to work with two different people that have studied with Bob Bailey. This information has been a turning point. If you can get a chicken to run an agility course you can teach a dog just about anything. Other influences have been the teachings of Jean Donaldson, Ian Dunbar, Karen Pryor, Pam Reid, Ken Ramirez, and Leslie Nelson.
In the Beginning - Training Dogs Since I Was 9 Years Old
Dog training, for Sara McLoudrey, started when she was nine years old and received her first dog Gus, a Schnoodle. Gus eventually became her 4-H obedience dog and was trained solely with the help of 4-H books, no classes or formal instruction. Thankfully, due to Gus’s wonderful temperament and their strong bond, they did well at the 4-H fair.
Her first introduction to higher-level training was through a service and therapy dog organization. She trained her Border Collie, Scout, to be a therapy dog with the organization and began puppy raising. Sadly, even though Scout was a great therapy dog and excellent trick dog, she started developing a number of fears and phobias. It was then that Sara decided to retire her. Sara realized that she had learned a valuable lesson about not stressing my dog for someone else’s benefit. Scout taught Sara many things over the years about breeds and behavior. She is always grateful to her for being kind and patient.
Sara also shared over seven years with her husband’s yellow Labrador, Bailey, who was a retired service dog. Bailey was trained by an organization using “traditional” obedience methods that relied heavily on force. During his training Bailey became extremely dog reactive, but was still placed as a working dog. Finally he was retired from public work, due to his escalating behavioral issues. Bailey’s reactive nature was minimized over the years with the help of positive training (under the initial guidance of Dr. Karen Overall at University of PA) and various management techniques.
It was Bailey’s behavior and consults with Dr Overall that led Sara to find a more compassionate way to train. She never again wanted to treat (or train) a dog the way that Bailey had been. Sara knew she had dogs because she loved them, enjoyed their companionship and partnership. She knew that she would never treat a friend like that so why treat her dog in that manner, there had to be a better way. It was the best path ever taken, and Sara is so glad to have found a more compassionate training method.
Scout, Bailey, & Kayla The beginning of a Positive Approach to Training, Dec. 2000
Sara Berry McLoudrey
CPDT-KSA, CNWI, TAGteach Level 2
Highwood - Highland Park, Illinois • 847-235-6290
CPDT-KSA, CNWI, TAGteach Level 2
Highwood - Highland Park, Illinois • 847-235-6290
