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Zoom consultations!
I swear we had a tech thread at some point here…anywho…
I’m looking for some clues as to how to get more information BEFORE an in-person meet and greet, to keep safe and to set things up to make the initial meeting most successful.
As a “one-person show” who has done some reinvention of private training methods, based on my previous fields of experience (I was an aquatic director for 16-20 young teachers and 1,500 students weekly for 2 years), I’ve adjusted what I think a lesson should be four dog and human client, for quality and time purposes. First, I speak with the owner via phone initially and/or email, to decide on a meet-and-greet (in their home usually, but sometimes, if reactive, outside on leash) before our training lessons begin. Also, I either email them upfront (best option) or hand them my paperwork at the meet and greet.
????However, I especially liked learning that Zoom works for some of you (I’m especially looking at you, @virginiad and @catherine and maybe you use it, too, @bmacwatt ?).
⭐️My questions:⭐️
1. How long of a consultation is it on Zoom? Are there tech parameters you discuss on call or text to make this successful? Do you need the person to do the call on their phone so they can move to a doorway or the yard, if necessary, to ask for certain demonstration of a behavior? (Not that we want to push someone to set up triggers for their dogs to set off unwanted behaviors!)
2. How do you proceed with your determinations of unwanted behaviors, in an in-home setting? Is this mainly “reading the BEET”, which to me seems usually pretty neutral when it’s in an environment the dog is used to and there are no triggers or new guests present. What do you ask for? What do you look for?
3. How do you discuss what you’ve witnessed with the client, before deciding on how to proceed with lesson plans?
4. Anything else I’ve missed, please fill me in! I’m also thinking this would be the perfect opportunity to ask the client to demonstrate any obedience behaviors the dog always knows (also to watch the owner themselves), as well as any tricks they know (I’ve had some clients say, “my dog always knows this and this…”)
I also wonder if any of you use Zoom for online training, and how that goes! Do you have clients out of your driving radius that it works well for? I do not think this is an option for me personally, as I do not have a dog myself, currently. I do, however, privately board and “borrow” clients’ dogs from time to time, so who knows?!
It is a strange, new world to me in many ways, post-pandemic. Not because of my age, but because of the all-or-nothing ridiculousness of the tech savvy world, at times. If a system or the internet goes down, no one can cope in some situations (I’ve seen this in France recently when a computer system went down and they couldn’t let us into a museum, as paid e-ticket holders, until they could get back on computers, LOL, but annoying and maddening!) But, I’m looking to grow my training business, moving away from daily dog walks and pet sitting. I’m also interested in the possibilities in training with people from around the states and other countries, down the line. So much to learn…always assimilating…!
Thanks in advance for your expertise, supreme knowledge and gracious help!????
P.S. The photo doesn’t have much to do with this post, Abbey (client dog) is just a cutie!
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6 Replies
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Hi @bernerlabreclectus — happy to share some details. I use Zoom in two ways:
1) new or soon-to-be puppy parents — I may meet with them PRIOR to puppy’s arrival to share lots of info to help set them up for success — what’s important to buy, how to puppy proof the home, how to et up confinement areas, etc. Occasionally, I even get a client who is seeking help in selecting the right breed and/or breeder — LOVE THIS! Once puppy arrives, there’s a ton I can help them with right away — house training, crate training, alone-time training, enrichment, dealing with nipping and chewing, how to socialize correctly, etc. I love that I can help people no matter where they live.
2) for clients seeking help with a dog that’s very fearful or aggressive towards strangers. I’ll write more about this later as I’ve got an appointment in a few minutes…
To be continued!
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Oooh! Thanks, @virginiad ! I love this quick reply. You gotta love when people do their homework before selecting a dog. Not, oops! This dog happened.
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I agree!!
Okay, more details on Zooms:- My first session is always 1 hour, and it is paid-for, not free.
- Client fills out intake form and service agreement prior to Zoom, as well as any in-person sessions.
- For behavior cases — between the intake form and any conversations I’ve already had by email or phone, I know when it’s best to start with a Zoom. It gives me a chance to go over the intake form in more detail, gather more info, and then explain how we’ll proceed when meeting in person so that we have the best chance of managing the dog’s stress levels and, in the case of stranger aggression, keeping me safe.
- In addition to specific instructions about treat selection, having a treat pouch, perhaps the use of food puzzles, potentially the need for muzzle training, I may also be instructing the client to introduce a couple very simple things to the dog before our first in-person appointment.
- With rare exception, I don’t need to see any video of the dog’s behavior, nor do I need to have the client work live with the dog on our first Zoom. Occasionally, it may be beneficial for me to see the house layout, in which case I make sure the person can Zoom on a phone or laptop that allows them to move around to show me that.
Hope that helps a bit.
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Great topic @bernerlabreclectus – I agree with everything Virginia said, and have used Zoom much the same way.
I’ll start with saying that pre-pandemic, I was a bit tech phobic, but had some experience with working online at least, and with being in front of a camera – skills that came in handy. I also had a large monitor so that I could more easily see what was happening for the client. (Or clients; I’ve even done group classes via Zoom! – very fun, with lots of action).
I don’t see clients any more, but when I did, everyone started with an online form which helped me to know what their needs were and how to prep for their appointment. When I accepted the appointment and set the date, I sent them instructions for setting up Zoom which included using two devices if possible. This works if one device is muted on Zoom but acts as a second camera angle which you can see in Gallery View on your Zoom Screen.
I also had two cameras – or the ability to move my external webcam – when I wanted to demonstrate a skill which I could do with a real or stuffed dog.
I recorded the whole meeting. I offered to send the client the whole recording – not all wanted them; some really hated seeing themselves on camera. At the end of every consultation, I’d give a verbal 1-2 minute wrap up summarizing their action points/homework before the next session. You can use a video editor to clip that part of the recording and send them afterword as a reminder. Clients loved it.
Most sessions were 60 minutes. Some first-consults, especially behavior cases, were 90 to 120 minutes, charged hourly. Sometimes clients need more time to talk and process, and that’s fine, but I made sure they knew they were paying by the hour ahead of time. (I never did free consultations for any reason, and don’t believe in giving away services unless it’s for a charitable cause. Maybe a dog walker/petsitter model requires it, but it’s not something I ever did as a trainer or behavior consultant. )
For my separation anxiety cases, after the initial consultation, we did two 30-minute appointments each week at a set day and time, with a shared daily task sheet (in Google Sheets) where we exchanged notes and daily updates as the client worked through their missions. This is from Malena DeMartini’s book – tons of great ideas there. You really could use a similar approach for almost any case, if the client likes the idea.
I LOVED doing remote consultations – not just for the behavior cases (which greatly improved success) but for puppies and adolescents too – as it’s so much easier for the client and dog to focus without a stranger in the room. You are not limited by geography and travel time and costs are removed.
Hope that some of these tips help.
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Thank you both for the detailed responses. I have read and re-read them this past few days prior to responding, simply because of the wealth of information in there! WOW!!! I hope that one day, I can be as awesome and organized as each of you!
(I am not an incredibly organized individual, I have ADD, too, diagnosed as an adult). I don’t want these things to hold me back, but I fear often that they do/will. (That was just a side-bar. Ha, ADD!)
I have a new client starting next week. I met him already on neutral ground (at another clients house, her MIL, who is my client and personal trainer). The dog was fine and not afraid of me there, in their back yard, with two other dogs. But the owner said her dog has stranger anxiety and is often fearful of guests coming to her house. They are a young couple and just bought a house last month.
I told her I will send her the paperwork today. I am wondering if doing a Zoom consultation prior to meeting at her house, would be beneficial. If so, how to progress. I bought client forms/homework handouts a few months ago from dogbiz.com, but because I am not very tech-savvy, I haven’t used them much. Argh. I feel like a hopeless case.
Any help is always appreciated. Thank you tons!
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If you decide to start with a Zoom, it may help in a variety of ways. (I know the kind of stuff I need to cover initially with the client and if it’s do-able by Zoom for the first meeting, I may be able to mitigate some of the scariness the dog experiences when I actually come to the house. Here are just a few examples:
- Gives you a chance to see the entryway and layout of the house, via video, beforehand — you may then have recommendations to make. Often, it helps to meet a fearful dog outside first, as there’s more space.
- Allows you to gather info about how they’ve handled guest arrival in past, what dog does, how they respond, what help, what doesn’t, etc.
- Allows you to advise about treat value (super-important)
- Lets you explore the idea of calming (lickable) food puzzles in case this may help dog relax when a visitor is present
- Lets you assign a simple task, like teaching the dog to visually track and then locate treats that are tossed behind her — lots of dogs are not good at this initially, and because I use a version of Suzanne Clothier’s ‘treat and retreat’ protocol with fearful dogs, I want the dog to know how to do this before I get there.
Keep us posted on how things go, whatever you decide.
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