> What part of the curriculum made the difference.
I think the big difference is in three parts.
First, they are doing the training all day. I simply don't have the time.
Second, the balanced training methodology adds consequences as well as rewards. This is a far more effective methodology. It is what people use to train working K9s like attack dogs and the like.
The last part is mindset. I have a working dog, granted it is a Corgi, and he wants to be working. Instead of making him "be good," I am giving him jobs throughout the day that reward him.
> That, to work as a pair, you would need some amount of training as well.
You would be correct. I got pretty significant training the day I took him home (about 3 hours). After that, we had a few follow hour-long ups. There they show you the commands and behaviors the dog learned, how to interpret there body language, and how to extend them at home.