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Positive reward-based techniques help puppies and dogs develop essential life skills and behaviors that will enrich their lives at home and day care. These methods set dogs up to succeed and reward them for performing desired behaviors. Rewards are tailored to the dog’s preferences and can include food treats, time to play with a favorite toy, or verbal praise. 

After decades of experience using reward-based training, we know it’s the most humane and effective way of training dogs and addressing unwanted behaviors. It’s the best way to build a loving, trusting bond that enhances your relationship between you and your dog for a lifetime of happiness together.

At Central Bark®, our focus on positive reinforcement has never wavered. We continuously update our skills and policies to stay at the forefront of new advances in behavioral science and positive reinforcement techniques.

Learn more about our training classes.

Visit our Dog Blog for more helpful tips

An essential characteristic of a dog groomer is someone who makes you and your dog feel safe and comfortable.

Other things to look for:

• Certifications – Groomers don’t need a license or certification to work. Still, these accreditations are often signs that the groomer has the necessary training and experience to care for your pup.
• Experience with different breeds – Look for a groomer with experience with a variety of breeds and coats and the standard haircut for your dog’s breed.
• Preparedness – A groomer should work with dogs of all ages and levels of experience with grooming. They should aim to help each dog feel as comfortable as possible with the grooming process. Suppose the dog or puppy becomes anxious or uncomfortable. In that case, the groomer should be able to suggest a plan for increasing their comfort over time with the use of a positive reward-based approach.

Make a reservation for your dog’s grooming session

Step 1: Login

1. Click the “Client Login” option found at the bottom of all pages on our website. 
2. Enter either your email address or phone number that you signed up with 
3. Click “continue logging in”
4. Then enter your password and click “Sign In”

Step 2: Request Services

You will now see the page below. From this page you can do a number of things along with requesting a reservation from the drop downs including editing your information, editing your pet’s info, adding/removing pets, checking your package credits, purchasing package credits, and adding/editing/changing photos.

1. Click the blue “request services” button 
2. In the popup window, click the “Book Day Care or Sleepover Now!” button 

Step 3:  Select a Service Type

1. Scroll down past the notes (after you have read them) until you get to the “Details” section. 
2. Click on the drop-down in the “Type” row and choose your reservation type. 
3. Note: Grooming requests cannot be made through the customer portal. Please call to schedule an appointment.

Step 4: Make Your Reservation Request

1. Choose the pet or pets you would like to add to this reservation 
2. Choose the date you are looking for 
3. You may edit the drop-off and pick-up time from within our open hours, if you know those approximations 

• You can set up “recurring dates” for the same day/days each week for a timeframe 
• You can add additional reservations for other days at the same time. 

Step 5: Add-on Services and Notes

1. You may add any additional services (such as enrichment training, training tutor, special meals (outside of lunch), salon and spa services, etc, to their reservation. 
2. You may add any notes that you would like us to see in the notes box 
3. You may run an estimate for the total cost of your reservation request (please note that the charges for “additional services” such as salon and spa, may vary from the default that shows in the estimate) 
4. Once you have added everything you want, click “Save” in the lower right corner 

Your Done!

You should see the page below if everything went through correctly. You will get an email confirmation when your reservation has been accepted and confirmed, if you are added to a waitlist, or if it is denied. 

Our staff is trained in dog body language and positive playgroup management techniques so they can respond proactively to help avoid issues between dogs. These tools include praise, treats, and work on important Group Play Skills daily like name recall, group sits, and going calmly in and out of doorways and gates. If a dog ever becomes overstimulated during play (just like kids do on the playground sometimes) we use these practiced skills to help redirect dogs into more desired behaviors (like coming to us and offering a sit for a treat) which gives the dog a chance to reset and calm down. When needed, we also utilize play breaks (a short rest in an individual crate) or in-group leash walks if a dog needs a little more help to bring their energy levels back down.