Most dog training systems focus narrowly on tools—treats, cues, equipment, or techniques—without clearly distinguishing what can be trained, what must be managed, and what must be understood rather than suppressed. The BASSO METHOD was developed to address that gap. The BASSO Method is an ethology-informed dog training framework.
This approach is grounded in ethology, learning theory, and decades of applied experience working with pet dogs and their owners in real environments. It is not a formula for quick fixes, nor is it ideology-based. It is a structured framework for assessment, intervention, and long-term stability.
The BASSO METHOD organizes training and behavior work into four interdependent domains.
The first is Behavior Modification, which addresses learned responses, conditioned emotional states, and maladaptive patterns that can be changed through systematic exposure, reinforcement, and consequence. This includes fear responses, avoidance behaviors, and habits that persist because they have been inadvertently reinforced.
The second is Owner Management, which recognizes that most problem behaviors are maintained—or resolved—by daily human decisions. This domain focuses on environmental control, routines, boundaries, and clarity. It does not assign blame; it assigns responsibility, because responsibility is what allows change.
The third domain is Skill Development, both for the dog and the owner. Dogs must learn functional behaviors that actually work in real settings, and owners must learn how to cue, reinforce, and interrupt behavior with timing and consistency. Skills are not assumed; they are taught.
The fourth domain is Situational and Environmental Awareness, which accounts for instinctive behavior, arousal states, genetic predispositions, and context-specific risks. Some behaviors are not fear-based or disobedient; they are expressions of normal canine systems operating without constraint. This domain is where many training failures occur when instinct is mistaken for defiance.
The BASSO METHOD does not promise outcomes independent of effort. It requires owner participation, practice, and a willingness to replace assumptions with observation. For owners who are willing to engage in that process, it provides clarity, structure, and realistic expectations.
The BASSO Method is not designed for owners seeking shortcuts or outsourced solutions. It is intended for those willing to participate, practice, and think critically about behavior. For those owners, it provides a clear framework for understanding what can be trained, what must be managed, and what must be respected as part of canine nature.
This framework is used across all services offered here, from puppy development to complex behavioral cases.