Glossary

Dog Training Glossary

Plain-language definitions of the terms Chicago dog owners ask about most. What balanced training actually means. What an e-collar does. What is real aggression and what is just reactivity. Every entry written in Ray's voice.

Balanced Training

Also called: Balanced Dog Training, 100% Balanced Training

A training philosophy that keeps the full toolbox open: markers, food, leash work, e-collars, and prong collars all on the table when they are the safest path to a fast result. The right tool matched to the right dog at the right time. Dog Roar runs a 100% balanced program, which is why we take cases positive-only trainers refuse.

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The R.O.A.R. Method™

Also called: R.O.A.R., ROAR Method, R.O.A.R. Framework

Ray Bhimani's four-step framework for training every dog: Recognize, Observe and Assess, Act with Precision Training, and Reinforce and Rebuild. The short version is that we decode the why behind a behavior before we change it, so the new pattern actually sticks.

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E-Collar

Also called: Electronic Collar, Remote Collar, Stim Collar

A radio-controlled collar that sends a low-level tap or vibration to communicate with your dog at distance. Used correctly, it is one of the safest and fastest paths to reliable off-leash work. Used wrong, it is just a punishment device. We only use e-collars when the dog is conditioned to understand them, and only when they are the right tool for the case.

Prong Collar

Also called: Pinch Collar

A training collar with blunted metal prongs that distribute pressure around the neck instead of choking from one side. Looks intimidating, works gently when fitted right. Often the most humane tool for a strong puller or a leash-reactive dog because it gives the handler real-time information without dragging or choking.

Marker Word

Also called: Marker, Bridge, Yes Marker

A short word like "yes" or "good" that tells your dog the exact instant they did the right thing. The marker is the photograph; the reward comes after. Clear marker timing is what separates a dog that knows a trick from a dog that actually understands the cue.

Board & Train

Also called: Board-and-Train, Boarding Training, Live-In Training

An immersive training format where your dog moves into the Franklin Park facility for 2, 4, or 6 weeks and Ray runs the program full time. About 90% of Dog Roar Board & Train dogs come in with a real behavior problem to solve, not a tune-up. Each program ends with a 90-minute go-home transfer, four follow-up lessons, and six months of complimentary group classes.

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Day Training

Also called: Drop-Off Training

A drop-off training format. You drop your dog off in the morning and pick up after work. Ray runs the daily reps, you run a weekly handler session so the work transfers to you. Great for owners with no time for daily homework.

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Place Command

A command that sends your dog to a defined spot (a bed, a mat, a cot) and holds them there until released. Place is one of the highest-leverage commands in the toolbox because it solves door-darting, guest greetings, mealtime begging, and crate-alternative downtime in one cue.

Recall

Also called: Come Command

Your dog returning to you when called, every time, including off-leash and around real distractions. Reliable recall is the foundation of radius training and the difference between a leashed dog and a free dog. Without it, off-leash freedom is not safe.

Threshold

Any boundary your dog crosses (door, gate, crate, vehicle). Threshold work teaches your dog to wait at the line until released, automatically, even when guests come in or another dog walks by. Prevents door-darting and car-bolting, which is one of the most common ways dogs end up hit by traffic.

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Loose Leash

Also called: Loose Leash Walking, Loose-Leash

A walk where the leash hangs in a J-shape with no tension. Loose leash is the standard, not heel. Your dog can sniff and look around but they do not pull. It is rebuilt with structure, not stronger arms.

Reactivity

Also called: Leash Reactivity

A big emotional response (barking, lunging, freezing) to a specific trigger like dogs, strangers, bikes, or skateboards. Reactivity is not the same thing as aggression. Most reactive dogs are over-aroused or scared, not dangerous. Plan needs distance work and a tool that gives the handler real-time information before any obedience layer means anything.

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Aggression

A behavior pattern where a dog is willing to escalate to a bite. Different from reactivity, fear, or rough play. Aggression has many drivers (resource guarding, fear, frustration, predatory, territorial) and each needs a different plan. Most positive-only trainers in Chicago refuse aggression cases. Dog Roar takes them.

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Authoritative reference: AVMA: Dog Bite Prevention

Resource Guarding

A dog growling, snapping, or biting to protect food, toys, space, or a person. It is a normal canine behavior taken too far. Mild cases respond well to structured training. Severe cases sometimes need management plans alongside training. We assess carefully at the consultation.

Socialization

The ability for your dog to be in a crowded room, near another dog, near a kid on a scooter, and still focus on you. Socialization is not the same thing as friendliness. The goal is ignore the distraction, not engage with it.

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Critical Socialization Window

The 8 to 16 week period in a puppy's life when the brain is wired to accept new experiences as normal. Exposure during this window sets the tone for years. Most fear and reactivity cases in adult rescues trace back to a window they missed. We work the window when we can, and rebuild for dogs that missed it.

Authoritative reference: AKC: Puppy Socialization

Drive

A dog's innate motivation to chase, work, hunt, or play. High-drive dogs need a job. Low-drive dogs need a different curriculum. Reading a dog's drive correctly is the difference between an exhausted, content dog and a destructive, anxious one with the same exercise routine.

Service Dog

A working dog trained to do specific tasks for a handler with a disability. Service dogs have public access rights under the ADA. Not every dog is a service dog candidate; the dog needs the right temperament and the focus to handle long days. We screen at the consultation.

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Authoritative reference: ADA.gov: Service Animals

Emotional Support Animal (ESA)

Also called: ESA

A pet that provides comfort for a person with a documented mental health condition. ESAs are not task trained and do not have ADA public access rights. They are different from service dogs. We train service dog candidates with task-specific work. We do not certify ESAs.

Authoritative reference: ADA.gov: Service Animal FAQ (covers ESA distinction)

Public Access

The legal right of a trained service dog and handler to enter places normally closed to dogs (stores, restaurants, transit). Granted by the ADA. Service dogs earn it through task training plus impeccable behavior in public. ESAs and pet dogs do not have it.

Authoritative reference: ADA.gov: Service Animals

Radius Training

Off-leash freedom inside a perimeter your dog will not cross. Typically 30 to 50 feet around the handler. Your dog runs, sniffs, and explores but does not bolt, chase, or blow past you. Built on top of solid recall.

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Trigger

The thing in the environment that sets off a behavior. Another dog. A bike. A delivery truck. A guest at the door. Knowing the trigger is step one of any behavior plan. Most owners think their dog is just wired that way. Usually the trigger is specific and trainable.