About Us

Our Methodology

A Step Beyond employs reinforcement training and clickers as tools to modify behavior. These methods are two of the most important models in applied behavior and training used today. Reinforcement training very simply means that you reward the behavior that you want to make stronger. There are many excellent sources of information about reinforcement training in the resources section.

Based on your needs and your animal’s specific behavior issues, we will establish your goals for your dog (with the understanding that some goals are long term and long range) and then start planning the training process in a manner that will reduce errors. All training sessions are designed to build your skill and understanding in animal behavior as well as change the behavior of your pet. We rely on the SPIDER planning method:

Setting goals,
Planning,
Implementing,
Documenting,
Evaluating and
Readjusting the plan.

We use the LIMA principle, which states we use the Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive tools when creating behavior change. We believe in using the most effective and least fear or pain inducing methods when training or modifying behavior and are most conducive to protect the human animal bond.

The International Institute for Applied Companion Animal Behavior (IIACAB), the Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA), the Aquarium and Zoo Association (AZA) and other high level professional organizations require that their members and endorsed professionals adhere to strict ethical standards and that only animal-friendly, reinforcement-based methods be used when training, managing or modifying animal behavior.

Many training methods used today rely on pain, fear, social pressure and intimidation as a way to instruct, communicate social status or increase the animal’s “respect” for humans. The professional organizations of which we are members consider these aversive methods out dated, unethical and inefficient; as they increase the risk of serious harm to both animal and human and are the most likely to deteriorate the human animal bond. When misused these methods can be considered animal abuse.