"It has long been said that 'Dog is Man's Best Friend' — now you can return the favor."
Most dog owners know exactly what they don't want. Total Dog helps you figure out what you do — and builds a dog that delivers it. Every time.
Untrained dogs aren't just inconvenient — they're the leading cause of owner surrender, injury, and broken relationships between people and their pets. These numbers tell the story.
Nearly half of all dogs surrendered to shelters are given up for behavioral reasons — issues that professional training directly addresses.
Source: National Council on Pet Population Study
Most bites are preventable. Dogs with clear boundaries, consistent training, and stable leadership rarely bite. Untrained dogs with no structure frequently do.
Source: American Veterinary Medical Association
Dogs that complete a structured obedience program show measurable behavioral improvement. The variable isn't the dog — it's the program and the follow-through.
Source: Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Source: American Pet Products Association Survey
Source: American Kennel Club Owner Survey
Most dog owners come to us frustrated. Their dog pulls on the leash, jumps on guests, barks at everything, or flat-out ignores them. They know the behavior they're tired of — but they've never stopped to define the dog they actually want.
Training without a clear destination is just hoping. We don't hope. We build a plan — and we work it until the job is done.
I'm Brice Cavanaugh — Marine veteran, lifelong dog trainer, and the creator of The Cav Protocol.
I spent nine years in the United States Marine Corps, where I was hand-selected to create and become the first Kennel Master for HMX-One — the Presidential Helicopter Squadron's Explosive Detection Canine Unit. I traveled the world training dogs that protected the President. That's where I learned that precision, consistency, and clear communication aren't just good ideas — they're the difference between success and catastrophic failure.
After the Corps, I served as a deputy sheriff in Virginia and later as a private contractor for explosives detection in Washington DC. Over 35 years, I've worked with every kind of dog imaginable — from happy puppies to what I call Captain Naughty Pants. There are no bad dogs. Only dogs without clear expectations.
I don't believe in extremes. Purely positive training ignores reality. Heavy-handed training destroys trust. Nature is about balance — and so is my approach.
Most training programs start with commands. We start with clarity. Developed over 35 years, The Cav Protocol is a systematic framework that works because it respects how dogs — and people — actually learn.
We define what you want, not just what you're tired of. Most people train from frustration, trying to eliminate problems. We flip that — training toward a clear goal, which naturally resolves most unwanted behavior. When the destination is clear, the path becomes obvious.
We establish the rules of engagement. What techniques fit this dog and this owner? What tools are appropriate? What does life look like day-to-day? Clear expectations on both ends of the leash set the stage for everything that follows.
Now we build the behaviors. Sit, down, stay, heel, place — whatever your goals require. Foundational commands are taught cleanly and consistently. This phase moves faster than most people expect. The dog learns. The owner learns. We move.
This is where most programs stop — and where we're just getting started. Teaching a dog to sit is simple. Getting that sit to hold across the Four Variables of Proofing is where reliability is born: Distance, Duration, Distraction, and Location. We don't leave this phase until your dog performs in the real world.
The training wheels come off. We systematically reduce dependency on leashes, collars, and treat bags. The goal isn't a dog that obeys when you're armed — it's a dog that responds because they understand what's expected. Equipment will fail. The training shouldn't.
The Cav Protocol was developed for dogs. But the framework — clarity, administration, training, proofing, independence — applies everywhere. A book is coming. For now, your dog gets it first.
No cookie-cutter packages. Every program begins with a conversation about your goals, your dog, and your household.
For dogs of any age starting from the beginning. Whether you have an 8-week-old puppy or an adult dog who never had structure, Foundations builds obedience, clear communication, and consistent behavior from the ground up. Start right and you'll rarely have to correct later.
Book a Call →Aggression. Anxiety. Reactivity. Resource guarding. These are the cases other trainers pass on. We don't. We identify the root of the behavior, establish clarity and structure, and build a reliable path forward — without drama and without giving up on your dog.
Book a Call →Your dog knows the basics — but do they hold a stay with a distraction 50 feet away? Advanced Obedience takes the commands you have and makes them bulletproof across all Four Variables of Proofing. Unlimited sessions. We work until you're done with us.
Book a Call →Brice's proven housebreaking guide — the same system used with thousands of dogs across the country. Free. No fluff. Just results.
Just wrapped up Puppy Training with Total Dog. Super impressed with the transformation — our pup is like a whole new, well-behaved family member.
Tried various trainers, but Total Dog's advanced obedience and behavior modification genuinely improved my dog's focus and manners like none before. Worth every penny.
Brice took my off-the-rails monster and reintroduced me to a happy, engaging dog that I can now call my best friend.
Puppies can begin as early as 8 weeks old with our Foundations program. There's no upper age limit — our Foundations program works equally well for adult dogs who need structure for the first time. We've worked with senior dogs with great results.
We use a balanced approach — not purely positive, not heavy-handed. Every dog is different, and we let the dog's personality and the owner's belief system guide the tools and techniques we use. The goal is always reliability and enthusiasm from your dog.
Our Foundations program runs 6 weekly sessions. Advanced Obedience is unlimited — we work with you until you're satisfied and cut us loose. The timeline depends on the dog and the consistency of practice between sessions.
Yes. Serious aggression is where many trainers draw the line — we don't. We've worked with some of the most difficult cases in Central Texas. If your dog is a last resort, call us before you give up.
We guarantee that if you follow the program and put in the work between sessions, you will see significant improvement. In Advanced Obedience, we work until the job is done — period. Training is 80% owner, 20% dog.
Yes — and that's by design. We're not training your dog to perform for us. We're training you to communicate with your dog. Every session is as much about you as it is about them.
The first call is free. We'll talk about your dog, your goals, and whether Total Dog is the right fit. No pressure. No pitch. Just an honest conversation.
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