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Lincoln is mostly suburb, and it is still growing, which means there are neighborhoods full of families walking dogs on sidewalks and on the trail system that ties the whole town together. There is a lot going on out there, and that is exactly what makes it a good place to train.
There is also a rural side. Lincoln has horse properties, open land, and a whole trail network running through town, so a dog here can meet a horse, deer, or a coyote without ever leaving the neighborhood. That is a lot to see and a lot to react to, and it is also a lot of opportunities to practice getting it right.
I do not look at the stressful spots as reasons to avoid walking your dog. I look at them as opportunities to get better, and when you train from that perspective, you reach your goals more reliably, and faster.
How the work runs
The evaluation is $100 and is credited toward your program if you enroll.
Lincoln has paved trails and open space running through and around town, with several parks along the way. They are wide open and easy to use, and on a nice evening they are also full of other people and other dogs. That is a great setup, because you get real-world practice without having to drive anywhere for it.
Lincoln has added a lot of houses in the last several years, and new neighborhoods come with new dogs. More dogs per street means more encounters on every walk, and every encounter is a repetition. Done on purpose, that is how a dog gets better fast. Done on autopilot, it is how a dog gets better at the wrong thing.
Once you get out past the subdivisions, Lincoln turns into horse properties, ranches, and open space. A dog can meet a horse, deer, or a coyote here, and most people do not realize those blow ups feed the same problem as the ones over other dogs. It also gives you somewhere quiet to work when you want to practice without any dogs around at all.
This is the part most owners never hear, and it is the whole reason I like working somewhere like Lincoln. Every walk is practice whether you planned it or not. The dog who gets surprised by another dog on the trail and blows up just rehearsed the thing you are trying to remove. The same walk, handled differently, is a rep in the right direction. Same street, same dog, same trigger, opposite outcome.
These are the Lincoln spots that come up most often, and they are the reason I like training here. Every one of them is somewhere we can work.
Lincoln, California
Paved paths and open space linking the parks and neighborhoods, with plenty of dogs, bikes, and strollers on a nice evening. You can cover a lot of ground here, which is perfect for building endurance once your dog is ready for it.
The off-leash park in town. I recommend against dog parks as a rule, but from the outside they are excellent training ground, because you get a high concentration of dogs and all the excitement that comes with it while staying safe on your side of the fence.
Most of the reactivity I see in Lincoln starts on the sidewalk your dog walks every day. Your dog sees that street as their own area, with familiarity and history attached, and that is usually the best place to train because you can step out the door and get to work.
The creeks, oaks, and open land around Lincoln bring in a lot of wildlife. Squirrels, birds, deer, and the occasional coyote are all things a dog can come apart over, and those reactions feed the same problem as the ones over other dogs. They also give you something to work on when the trail is empty.
Past the subdivisions, Lincoln turns rural, with horse properties and roads that do not have sidewalks. If your dog has never been around a horse, that is a big one to work through, and it is the same underlying problem as the reactivity you are already dealing with.
“Derek worked with us and our one year old Catahoula, Harvey, to help with reactivity and recall. Harvey is a great dog but young and easily distracted. Derek was great in breaking down the training and getting Harvey motivated and learning. He came along really quickly and is doing great now. We highly recommend Derek's approach.”
Susan Hellrigel
Harvey, Catahoula, reactivity and recall
Yes. Sessions happen on the routes you actually walk, which in Lincoln usually means your own street and the trail system you use most. Working where the behavior happens is the point, because a dog who only holds it together in an open field has not learned the thing you need.
It is not too much, it is just the place you want to end up. We start somewhere quieter where your dog can succeed, build the skill there, and then take it back to the trail once your dog has something to fall back on. The busy path is the goal, not the starting line.
No, and I would rather you did not. Complete avoidance usually makes the problem worse over time, because the dog never gets a chance to practice a better choice. I do not look at a stressful place as somewhere to stay away from. I look at it as an opportunity to get better, and when you train from that perspective, you reach your goals more reliably, and faster. We manage distance and timing at first, then take those supports away on purpose as your dog is ready.
Six to eight weeks for the standard program, or an accelerated four week format with two sessions each week. The evaluation tells us which fits your dog and your schedule. Many dogs get great results in as little as four lessons, but I keep the six to eight available so we can get you even more improvement.
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View pageThe E.D.G.E. program
Four stages built for leash reactivity: Engage, Drive, Guide, Execute. Pricing, what is included, and the Make-Right Guarantee.
See the programThe evaluation covers your dog, your goals, and the specific Lincoln routes you walk. You leave knowing whether this is the right fit.
The Make-Right Guarantee: if we have not hit your goals after the eight sessions of your program, you get up to four additional lessons at no cost. At least one of those is mine alone, with no leash in your hand.