If you are looking for professional dog training in Margate, FL, Dog Training Does Matter offers personalized training designed to help owners communicate more effectively with their dogs and develop calm, obedient, well-mannered companions.
Located in Margate, Florida, Dog Training Does Matter is owned and operated by Tom Savoca, an experienced dog trainer, therapy dog handler, and longtime South Florida resident. Tom’s approach is based on a simple idea: dog training has to involve both ends of the leash. Training the dog is only part of the process; teaching the owner how to communicate with and manage the dog is equally important.
Meet Tom Savoca
Tom Savoca’s experience with dogs goes back much further than the creation of Dog Training Does Matter. Tom grew up around German Shepherds because his parents raised German Shepherd show dogs. His family also operated a dog and cat boarding business that included a dog training service, giving Tom an early exposure to dogs, their behavior, and the responsibilities involved in caring for and training them.
Tom eventually moved to South Florida and developed a professional background that included law enforcement, security, web development, and search engine optimization. In 2000, he moved into web development and SEO, eventually building a business that worked extensively with dog trainers.
That experience ultimately came full circle.
After years of working with dog-training businesses online, Tom began doing more hands-on dog training himself. His interest in helping dogs and their owners grew into Dog Training Does Matter, a Margate-based dog training business serving clients throughout North Broward and South Florida.
Today, Tom brings together years of experience with dogs, communication, business, and teaching to help owners solve everyday problems with their dogs.
Why Dog Training Does Matter
A dog doesn’t have to be aggressive or seriously problematic to benefit from professional training.
Sometimes the biggest frustrations are everyday issues:
- A dog that pulls on the leash
- A dog that doesn’t listen
- Jumping on people
- Excessive excitement
- Difficulty settling down
- Poor recall
- Reactivity toward other dogs
- Nipping and unwanted behaviors
- Difficulty behaving in public
- Puppies that haven’t learned appropriate boundaries
- Owners who simply don’t know how to communicate effectively with their dog
Dog Training Does Matter focuses on teaching dogs how to behave while also teaching owners what to do. The business’s website emphasizes that “Dog Training has to do with BOTH ends of the leash.”
That philosophy is important because owners are the people who ultimately live with the dog every day. A trainer can demonstrate a technique, but the owner needs to understand how and when to use it.
Leash Training Is a Foundation
One of the areas Tom emphasizes is walking nicely on a leash.
A dog that constantly pulls its owner around can be difficult to enjoy. A dog that walks calmly beside its owner, pays attention, and understands how to respond to leash communication is much easier to take places.
Tom has specifically written about leash pulling as one of the first problems he addresses with many dogs. His philosophy is that a leash should be used to communicate, not simply control the dog.
Good leash manners can make an enormous difference in everyday life. Going for a walk becomes more enjoyable, visiting public places becomes easier, and owners can have greater confidence when taking their dogs out into the community.
Training for Real Life
Dog Training Does Matter isn’t simply about teaching a dog to sit on command.
The ultimate objective is to help create a dog that can function appropriately in the real world.
That might mean walking through the neighborhood without dragging the owner, remaining calm when another dog passes by, greeting people appropriately, responding when called, or simply relaxing instead of constantly looking for something to get into.
Tom also emphasizes the concept of teaching dogs to be neutral in public. A neutral dog doesn’t need to interact with every person or dog it encounters. Instead, the dog can learn to remain calm and focus on its owner. Dog Training Does Matter has specifically published educational material about developing neutrality in dogs in public environments.
Puppy Training
Starting training early can help prevent many problems from becoming established habits.
Puppies are naturally curious and energetic. They explore their environment with their mouths, jump, investigate everything, and don’t automatically understand what their humans expect from them.
Early training provides structure and teaches puppies appropriate behaviors before undesirable habits become deeply established.
Dog Training Does Matter offers puppy training along with obedience and behavior-focused training. Its published success stories include owners who received help dealing with puppy jumping, biting, excitement, and other challenges.
Behavior and Obedience Training
There is an important difference between teaching obedience commands and addressing unwanted behavior.
A dog may technically know how to sit and still have difficulty behaving around other dogs. Another dog may know “down” but become extremely excited when visitors arrive.
That is why Tom’s approach looks beyond simply teaching commands. Dog Training Does Matter addresses the relationship between the dog and owner, communication, boundaries, consistency, and the circumstances surrounding unwanted behaviors.
The business provides private training and has also worked with dogs experiencing more challenging behavior issues.
Tom Savoca and Therapy Dog Work
One of the most distinctive parts of Tom Savoca’s background is his experience with therapy dogs.
Tom’s German Shepherd, Coco, became a therapy dog and participated in extensive community service. According to the City of Margate, Coco was rescued from Miami Animal Control in 2011 and began therapy visits as early as 2013, including work with adult day-care centers, nursing homes, and special-needs classes through Canine Assisted Therapy.
Coco also participated in Canines for Christ ministry and served with Tom in community and educational settings.
Perhaps most notably, Coco became associated with the Margate Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The City of Margate recognized her as being among the first therapy dogs in the United States integrated into a CERT program.
Tom and Coco also participated in crisis-response activities, including responding to the Surfside building collapse to provide comfort to first responders. Tom’s personal website documents their therapy-dog and crisis-response work.
This experience gives Tom a unique perspective on what it takes to develop a dog that can remain calm, reliable, and focused around people and in unusual environments.
Serving Margate and North Broward County
Dog Training Does Matter is based in Margate, FL and serves dog owners throughout the surrounding South Florida area.
Service areas listed by the business include:
- Margate
- Coconut Creek
- Coral Springs
- North Lauderdale
- Parkland
- Tamarac
- Surrounding North Broward County communities
The business specifically promotes dog training for Margate, Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, and surrounding South Florida communities.
For dog owners searching online for “dog training near me,” “dog trainer near me,” “dog training Margate FL,” “dog training Coral Springs,” or “dog training Coconut Creek,” Dog Training Does Matter provides a locally focused option with training built around the individual dog and owner.
What Makes a Well-Trained Dog Different?
A well-trained dog isn’t necessarily a robot that responds perfectly to every command.
A well-trained dog is a dog that understands what is expected and has learned how to behave appropriately in different situations.
Training can help owners:
- Enjoy walks more
- Take their dogs to more places
- Reduce frustration at home
- Improve communication
- Establish better boundaries
- Increase safety
- Build confidence
- Strengthen the dog-owner relationship
- Make dogs easier to manage around people and other animals
Dog Training Does Matter’s website features numerous client success stories describing improvements such as calmer behavior, better obedience, reduced frustration, and improved leash manners.
Dog Training Has to Involve the Owner
Perhaps the most important message behind Dog Training Does Matter is that the owner is an essential part of the training process.
Tom doesn’t simply want to demonstrate something and leave the owner wondering what to do tomorrow.
The goal is to help people understand their dogs and learn how to communicate with them consistently. When owners understand what their dog is doing, why the behavior is occurring, and what they should do about it, training becomes much more useful outside of the training session.
As Tom puts it, “A leash is to COMMUNICATE, Not Control.”
Looking for a Dog Trainer in Margate, FL?
If you’re struggling with your dog’s behavior, you don’t necessarily have to wait until the problem becomes worse.
Whether you have a new puppy, a dog that pulls on the leash, a dog that doesn’t listen, or a companion that needs help becoming calmer and more reliable, professional guidance can make the training process easier.
Dog Training Does Matter, owned by Tom Savoca, provides dog training in Margate and surrounding North Broward County communities with an emphasis on communication, obedience, calm behavior, and helping owners develop dogs they can enjoy taking into the real world.
Contact Dog Training Does Matter
Tom Savoca, Owner
Dog Training Does Matter
Margate, Florida
Phone: (754) 227-9876
Email: dogtrainingdoesmatter@gmail.com
Free dog-training phone consultations are advertised by the business, making a phone call a good first step if you’re unsure what type of training your dog needs.
Visit Dog Training Does Matter
Have a dog that isn’t listening, pulls on the leash, jumps on people, or simply needs better manners? Contact Tom Savoca and Dog Training Does Matter today and start working toward a calmer, better-behaved dog.