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Saga Dog Behavior does not publish generic pricing information.

Why We Don’t Publish Set Pricing:

Every dog, like every story, is unique. So is the process of helping dogs thrive. Because each case involves distinct animals, histories, relationships, environments, goals and capacities, Saga Dog Behavior provides individualized quotes rather than fixed pricing. This ensures that every plan reflects the true scope of professional time, documentation, and follow-through your dog’s situation requires.

Services are billed hourly in packages of sessions, but the rate and number of hours estimated are tailored to the specific behavioral goals and case complexity. Several factors influence your estimate, including:

• Type of service: Standard training (e.g., skill building, manners, foundations) typically requires less case documentation and follow-up than goals of addressing emotional distress, fear, or aggression.

• Complexity of behavior goals: Behaviors involving safety risks, multiple environmental triggers, or prolonged histories often require more extensive planning, desensitization protocols, and coordination with veterinary or allied professionals.

• Frequency and format of sessions: In-person versus remote, individual versus cooperative (family or multi-dog) sessions can change the amount of observation, preparation, and review required.

• Progress pacing and data tracking: Some goals may be met rapidly with clear contingencies, while others unfold more slowly and require adaptive adjustments and ongoing analysis between sessions.

By quoting case by case, Saga Dog Behavior can fairly match service scope to your dog’s welfare needs and your family’s goals.

Training and behavior intervention outcomes are shaped by many factors, some of which are outside of anyone’s direct control. A dog’s past experiences, genetic predispositions, early socialization history, medical or physical conditions, environmental stressors, and current emotional health can all influence how quickly and successfully they respond to behavior change plans. Even with the most carefully designed intervention, these factors can create barriers to progress. This is why Saga Dog Behavior cannot guarantee specific outcomes.

The structured processes of training and behavior modification are specifically designed to guard against progress barriers by clarifying goals, building in flexibility & responsiveness, and prioritizing welfare-centered decision-making. Information gathering, progress evaluation and responsive adjustments allow us to adapt strategies to meet the client and the dog(s) where they are.

Many factors are within the client’s influence. These may include:

• Openness to a broadened education in dog behavior and welfare, that may guide our own behavior towards relating more effectively to dogs,
• Fostering a safe, supportive, and predictable relationship and home environment for their dog,
• Prioritizing welfare and appropriate enrichment,
• Consistently using management strategies and practicing training skills between sessions,
• Willingness to communicate observations and needs,
• And willingness to adjust expectations and applied interventions flexibly.

Clients who are engaged in learning and are invested in making (often) small, sustainable changes tend to see the best outcomes.

“Behavior Modification” is what the industry calls therapy for dogs.

Behavior modification is an intentional, structured process rooted in a deep understanding of each dog’s unique context. The pathway to positive change begins with thorough information gathering. Considerations include health, environment, risk factors, and the functional purpose behind behaviors. Using careful observation and analysis, we identify the underlying causes of behavior. From this foundation, we design and implement personalized intervention plans that expand behavioral options, support emotional regulation, and promote adaptive coping strategies.

Progress is continuously evaluated, with ongoing reassessment and responsive adjustments to ensure the approach remains effective and appropriate. Success is measured not only by behavior change, but by the overall impact on the dog’s wellbeing (during and beyond the intervention itself). This collaborative process is designed to create meaningful, sustainable outcomes that honor both the emotional life and lived experience of each dog, as well as their relationships to people.

At Saga Dog Behavior, behavior modification is rooted in applied ethology, physiological basis of behavior (neuroethology), learning science, and relationship-based intervention (secure attachment focus). The impact of behavioral therapy for dogs includes:

• Reducing chronic stress, fear, anxiety, or reactivity
• Helping dogs feel secure and more capable in their environment
• Improving their ability to process and recover from moments of stress
• Strengthening trust and secure attachment between dogs and their guardians
• Fostering behavioral flexibility, reducing maladaptive patterns, and supporting long-term well-being

Many of the observable behaviors which prompt pet owners to seek help are often misinterpreted as disobedience. They may rather be expressions of underlying emotional states. Behavior modification focuses on addressing root causes, helping dogs develop adaptive coping strategies, and ensuring they can navigate the world with greater confidence and resilience.

Dog training is the intentional, structured process of teaching dogs new functional skills with compassion, consistency, and respect for their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs. At Saga Dog Behavior, training focuses on building fluency in specific and functional behaviors through positive reinforcement based methods.

Some examples might include giving the dog more appropriate ways to ask for what they want, proactively helping them learn to cope with and relax through moments of boredom or separation, building a repertoire of leash walking skills, “impulse control” around valued resources, or cooperative husbandry related behaviors like choosing to hold still for a physical exam at the vet.

Unlike behavior modification, which addresses emotional distress and maladaptive coping, training strengthens functional skills in dogs who are already cognitively and emotionally regulated enough to learn effectively. Think of it as preventative behavioral healthcare.

Training success is measured not only by the reliable performance of skills, but also by the degree to which learning improves:

• how “big” their world can be,
• their overall diversity of functional behavior,
• increases choice and agency for dogs who can make safe choices,
• strengthens trust and deepens relationships,
• and supports the dog’s welfare

This collaborative (the dog gets a say!) process is designed to foster trust, adaptability, confidence, and well-being in both dogs and their families.

The distinction between training and behavior modification begins with understanding the reasons for the dog’s behavior, and whether the dog’s emotional state supports effective learning. Training is appropriate when a dog is coping well with normal levels of stress, and is ready to build new skills.

Behavior modification, on the other hand, becomes necessary when a dog’s behavior reflects chronic stress, fear, anxiety, or difficulty coping with their environment. If a dog is lashing out, disproportionately reactive, vocalizing in excess, attempting to flee ,hiding, shutting down, or struggling with anticipating the worst, then the focus must shift to changing emotional and physiological responses first, rather than asking the dog to perform new tasks.

In many cases, both training and behavior modification are integrated thoughtfully over time. A dog working through fear or anxiety might simultaneously learn foundation skills that increase predictability, create positive structure, and open up more opportunities for choice and agency. However, when a dog is actively dysregulated, behavior modification must take precedence to ensure that learning is humane, functional, and truly supportive of emotional well-being.

Choosing the right path depends on respecting where the dog is emotionally, not just what behaviors we wish to see. Together, we tailor the approach to meet both the dog’s immediate needs and long-term success.

Group classes can be a valuable learning experience, but they are not the right environment for every dog. At Saga Dog Behavior, we recommend group classes for dogs who are already relatively neutral and relaxed around other dogs, people, and the typical distractions of a class setting.

Dogs who become increasingly excited, stressed, or reactive around these stimuli may require more individualized support before they can thrive in a group environment.

A good candidate dog for group class can offer their handler attention around distractions (such as other dogs or humans), and will predictably choose food rewards even when exciting opportunities for interaction are nearby. Additionally, dogs attending class should be able to tolerate brief, inevitable moments of frustration, waiting, or loss of attention without becoming overwhelmed or distressed.

If your dog ignores food rewards when in new places or when there are other dogs/people, if they need more help with frustrated feelings, or they are still learning to feel safe around new environments or social situations, we may recommend starting with private sessions or behavior modification support to set them up for greater success in future group learning settings. Private sessions/behavior modification may introduce the kinds of experiences your dog would have in a group class, just at a level your dog can process and cope with.