In home dog training group dog training collin county canine about us

Professional dog training offering private In-Home Dog Training Solutions and Group Training Workshops since 1995.

Serving McKinney, Frisco, Plano, Allen and North Dallas.

Whether you select In-Home Dog Training or Group Workshops, we are here to help!

Why we do what we do?

A staggering 6 to 8 million dogs are put to sleep each year. A growing majority of those are not put to sleep because of health reasons, but because of overpopulation attributed to behavioral issues. Our goal is to reduce this number one dog at a time. We want to help the community to establish a relationship with their pets, teach them how to communicate, and experience the true joy of life with a pet.

First and foremost is the importance of education and counseling before a pet is placed in the home. Some pets are just not suited for some homes. Making sure you have a breed and home environment that are conducive to one another is the first step in having a successful pet placement.

Second, once you have selected your pet, obedience training is the next priority. You want to establish early on, a relationship built on mutual respect, trust, and solid communication. This can be accomplished with proper obedience training. As your dog becomes more and more in tune with his responsibilities and his place in the family, you will find you have a companion for life.

Who we are:

Richard L. Barbee, CPDT, began training professionally in 1987 with the United States Air Force USAF studying all aspects of Animal Behavior and Working Dog Operations. He graduated highest in class at the Military Working Dog Handler School in San Antonio, Texas receiving the Honor Graduate Award. He served during Desert Storm and participated in the organization and mobilization of six explosive detector dog teams destined for Saudi Arabia. He also served in joint Secret Service details performing explosive detection for visiting dignitaries such as the Queen of England and the President of the United States. After his military career, Rich started Collin County Canine. While operating Collin County Canine, Rich completed his Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of North Texas. Rich continues to expand his dream business by providing a wide range of services for the individual pet dog owner, veterinarians, dog day cares and animal rescue organizations. As long time member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), Rich shares the commitment to become a better trainer through education. His commitment has earned him the designation title of Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. Additionally he is a Certified Evaluator of the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen program and was selected by the Animal Behavior College as a Certified Mentor Trainer.

“We cater to our customer’s needs by providing private training in the dog’s natural environment and group obedience classes. We use only dog friendly, positive reinforcement training techniques based on behavior modification and shaping, teaching humans to effectively communicate with their pets. Always learning and enhancing our knowledge is our philosophy at Collin County Canine. Our goal is to stay ahead of the curve on current, effective, gentle training methods, and to Change the World One Dog at a Time.”

Stephanie Sparkman, B.S. Cum laude Psychology & Sociology, H.R., Marketing Stephanie is a Cum laude graduate with a B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis on Animal Behavior Studies. She published “Two Opposing Theories on the Effects of Classically Conditioned Stimuli During Instrumental Conditioning” in 1990 and presented the results of her findings at the 1990 American Psychological Association Convention in Dallas . She provides consulting in the areas of behavioral modification techniques, animal psychology, marketing, and human resources.

About our training:

We offer In-Home Training and Group Training Sessions. We center all of our training programs on the objectives of the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) evaluation.

With our In-Home Training, a trainer will visit your home and customize a specialized plan for your pet and family. We will discuss concerns and address the specific needs related to the dog’s behavior in the home. Through the trainer, placement in the home will be aligned to become consistent with a peaceful environment. We teach you how to effectively communicate with your pet. Our In-Home lessons are conducted in the client’s home at their convenience. This type of training, besides working on the CGC objectives, is especially beneficial for specific problems related to the home such as bolting out front door, eliminating, digging, etc. It also is a good opportunity to develop a family time where all family members can be present for the training and integration of a new pet into the home. You can feel confident in that our behaviorists are trained and fully insured.

Our Group Training Sessions are offered in addition to private training to help socialize your pet. These lessons are offered in small groups, helping your pet socialize and become acclimated to other breeds and other dog behaviors. This is also a good opportunity to introduce puppies to the world of obedience.

We Guarantee Our Training For the Life of Your Dog. We guarantee your satisfaction. We will continue working with you as long as takes to meet the training objectives.

We regularly provide continuing education to local veterinarians and their staff members at no charge. We conduct educational and fun summer camps. Additionally, we are available for school, scouting, or nursing home visits at no charge. And we are available for fun and unique birthday parties! Let our famous “Dazy” entertain your guests.

Why do I want my dog to be a

Canine Good Citizen?

You’ve seen them…people with their polite pets sipping java at Starbucks (people sipping java not pets), hangin’ out with their dog or dogs. Or those peacefully working in their front yard with their dog relaxing alongside. And you just can’t imagine ever doing that with your own pet. But you Can !!! So what is the American Kennel Club (AKC) Good Citizen Certification (CGC)? According to the American Kennel Club’s Chairman’s Report May 2005: The AKC Canine Good Citizen^®program rewards responsible dog ownership and is the national gold standard for recognizing good canine behavior and a dog owner’s commitment to basic training. The 10-step CGC™ test not only encourages owners to begin a journey with their canine companions that epitomizes the human-animal bond, but is used as a yardstick for canine manners by the government, the insurance industry, law enforcement and beyond.

The CGC is becoming more and more widely acknowledged by others in business and community. Read on…The American Kennel Club is pleased to share the news that in some regions, Nationwide Insurance is issuing homeowners insurance to owners of breeds previously prohibited by the company, providing the dog passes the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. Also state legislatures have begun to recognize the CGC program as a means of advocating responsible dog ownership, and 21 states including Texas now have Canine Good Citizen resolutions. Many other countries (including England , Australia , Japan , Hungary , Denmark , Sweden , Canada , and Finland ) have developed CGC programs based on the AKC's CGC Program. A CGC Neighborhood Model has been established, and police and animal control agencies use CGC for dealing with dog problems in communities. Some therapy dog groups use the CGC as a partial screening tool, and some 4-H groups around the country have been using the CGC as a beginning dog training program for children.

10-Step CGC Test Objective

Accepting a friendly stranger

    Sitting politely for petting
    Having proper appearance and grooming
    Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
    Walking through a crowd
    Sit and down on command and staying in place
    Coming when called
    Controlled reaction to another dog
    Controlled reaction to distraction
  Maintaining supervised separation

Please note that all breeds pure or mixed can participate in the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Program. To learn more about the CGC program visit www.akc.org.

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