The Perfect Pooch
Transform Your Dog Into The Perfect Pooch
By Karen Appold
When Carl and Abbey Rosenfeld of Lafayette Hill adopted General, a 2.5-year-old, 90-pound boxer, they quickly discovered some pretty severe behavioral issues, one of which was aggression toward other dogs.
Attempts to improve his behavior were minimally successful. That all changed when the Rosenfelds were referred to Perfect Pooch in King of Prussia. After talking to owner David Cugno, they were impressed with his 12 years of experience, and his dedication to dogs and dog behavior. They felt confident that with Cugno’s help and guidance they could rid General of his bad habits.
Prior to dropping off General for a seven to 10 day program at Perfect Pooch, where General would be boarded during training and socialized for up to 10 hours a day, the Rosenfelds met with Cugno and toured the facility. They were amazed to see a group of more than 50 dogs playing in the spacious fenced-in yard. There wasn’t any barking, fighting or anxiety. “We never saw anything like it,” recalls Carl. “We couldn’t believe how well behaved and happy they all were; we knew that this was the best fit for General.”
“Dave doesn’t actually train the dog, he trains the owner,” explains Carl, who has referred at least a dozen dog owners to Perfect Pooch. “The ‘people’ training is very easy, as long as everyone who interacts with the dog is consistent and does it regularly.” In fact, 80 percent of the training time is spent explaining the psychological part of why dog owners should do things a certain way.
Cugno, who owns seven dogs, six of which he rescued, has worked with thousands of dogs. “I’ve learned what I consider to be the most effective and efficient way to communicate with both dogs and dog owners,” he says.
Cugno says that most owners unknowingly send mixed messages to their dogs every day. They assume that dogs think and communicate the same way as humans do. This results in dogs becoming confused, and as a result, being bad unintentionally.
Cugno doesn’t deal with individual behavior problems, such as jumping. Instead, he deals with the underlying theme that causes all unwanted behaviors. “More than anything, I train people how to communicate with and understand their dog in order to build a healthy, well-balanced relationship between dog and owner, so the dog ultimately has a better life,” he says.
“The education owners receive during their classes can be applied to any dog they own in the future,” adds Cugno. Dogs receive lots of one-on-one training from each of the trainers during their stay, and because there are always other dogs there, they are also influenced by the rest of the pack. “Boarding your dog while he is being trained allows our trainers to spend much more time with your dog than would otherwise be possible,” Cugno says. No treats or harsh means are used for training.
The Perfect Pooch’s daycare and boarding services are only available to clients who have been through the training program. “It’s important that all of the dogs are on the same page,” says Cugno. “In order to maintain stability, there has to be a clear and consistent leader. If we don’t maintain leadership the dogs will elect one among themselves, and that’s something we strive to avoid.”
Ultimately, the better behaved a dog is, the more he gets to do. Dogs are supposed to make our lives better, and proper training is the best way to ensure long-term happiness for both dog and owner.
The Perfect Pooch is located at 385 South Gulph Road in King of Prussia. Call 610-337-7698 or visit www.perfect-pooch.com for more information.
Karen Appold is a Royersford-based freelance writer (www.WriteNowServices.com).
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