Owner of new dog-training business offers some free advice for happy canine holidays

Perhaps not surprisingly, a dog was part of the inspiration for Zoe Tieman’s new business, Central Kansas Canine.

“Part of the reason I got into training was because of my Lab, Silas,” she said.

Silas needed a bit more training than some dogs, and the holidays were a particular challenge.

“Sometimes the holidays can be really stressful both for dogs and for humans,” Tieman said.

Central Kansas Canine is an in-home dog training service.

Tieman said she used to work for a business where she helped train dogs at the business.

“The (dog) owners would be like, ‘Wow, how did this happen?’ ” she said of the successful training.

Then the dogs would go home and act up again.

Not everyone has the time or ability to train at home, though, and that’s where Tieman wants to help.

“I really focus on integrating it into everyday life.”

She said that makes it manageable and sustainable.

For instance, while a family is eating, a dog can be trained to lie down or get in a crate or on a mat — just a little bit of training each day instead of setting aside an hour to do it.

“For many people, that’s not realistic,” Tieman said.

“When creating my business, I was trying to figure out what is most beneficial, most helpful for people I’m working with.”

She offers a basic $1,500 package for a six-week training program in which she comes to someone’s house once a week for one to two hours. That price includes mileage in the Wichita metro area and any equipment she needs for training.

Tieman also will make an assessment and advise, “Here’s what you need to be working on; here’s how to work through some issues.”

For more severe cases, the cost may be higher because Tieman may need to come more.

Tieman has some free advice for anyone who is concerned about how their dogs may handle the holidays and visiting guests, among other things.

Most important, she said, is allowing your dog to have a safe space, such as a crate or a room.

“Some dogs don’t want to be friends with everybody,” Tieman said.

She also said to create clear rules for dogs and guests, such as not allowing guests to feed your dog something from the table or allow the dog to jump or beg at the table.

Tieman said it’s also important to be aware of a dog’s body language and be respectful of a dog’s space.

For more holiday tips for dogs, check out the blog on Central Kansas Canine’s website.