Training Classes

much to learn. better manners. fun and play.

Would you like… A well-mannered dog? A puppy that plays well with others? The skills to make your dog listen out in the real world? Expert instruction by a professional pet dog trainer? Then we have the dog training class for you. We keep classes small (max 6 students) for optimal learning and we have the best curriculum around—discover the difference for yourself.

our classes

Puppy Manners 7 weeks • $140
Start date: Any Saturday at 9:00 am

This 7-session course is for puppies between the ages of 8 and 16 weeks when the course begins. This course is structured to offer you open enrollment, which means that puppies and their people can start at any point in the class. Once registered, all students attend six weeks in a row.

Each week will have a separate theme that will allow you to apply your learning to real life contexts, such as the vet’s office or an outdoor cafe. The lessons, in effect, are about people and dogs working at their own levels. Everyone is engaged in the same activity at the same time, but each student learns how to gauge her puppy’s level and approach the activity accordingly. In short, students learn to handle the challenges and distractions of the real world, which means results when you need them most — outside of class.

Please note: This class includes a 90-minute orientation session without your dog. We will cover how dogs learn, clicker or marker training, bite inhibition, socialization, house training and management, chew training, exercise and mental stimulation and more. Once you register, call to schedule your orientation before you start attending the 6-week class with your dog.

Basic Manners 6 weeks • $120
Start date: Saturday, May 12, 2012, at 11:30 am.

This 6-week course is limited to 6 dogs that are 5 months old or older when the course begins. We will help you establish a healthy, long-lasting relationship with your dog using the most innovative reward-based training techniques. You will learn how to teach your dog behaviors such as watch, sit, down, touch, stay, wait, sit for greetings, come, polite leash walking and more.

Once you learn the fundamentals, you will be given the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned when faced with real-life based situations, such as taking a stroll and dropping by a friend’s house for tea. The goal is for you to learn how to get your dog to work with you wherever you happen to be.

Please note: The first week is an orientation session without your dog. This session is full of human examples and analogies to help you understand the ways that dogs learn, how these are similar to and different from how humans learn, and the implications of this understanding for how we train and interact with dogs.

From Leash Monster to Leash Manners 4 weeks • $95
Start date: To be scheduled.

Who’s walking whom? Tired of your dog dragging YOU for a walk? If you dread sore shoulders and embarrassment when it’s time to walk Fido, this class is for you. Turn your leash monster into a Lassie with our short, 4-week class dedicated to loose leash walking. We put you at the control end of the leash so you and Fido can both enjoy your walks together. Prerequisite: Puppy Manners, Basic Manners or equivalent.

Please Note: This class is not for leash-reactive, dog-aggressive or people-aggressive dogs.

ADPT Rally Obedience, Level 1 6 weeks • $120
Start date: Will resume in the spring. Please call or email us if you are interested in taking this class.

Rally Obedience is a fun and exciting team sport for pet dogs and their handlers. Teams navigate a course with numbered signs indicating different behaviors to perform, such as sit-down-sit, come, stay, weave through cones, and send over a jump. The exercises are arranged in a new order for every course, so there is variety and challenge in each experience. Moreover, every activity, exercise and movement in Rally practices a skill you can use in everyday life. If you want to learn more and have some fun, this class is for you.

Dogs should be familiar with the following obedience skills: sit, down, stay, come and loose leash walking.

Class minimum: 2 dogs
Cost: $120.00

About Town 4 weeks • $95
Start Date: This intermediate class is scheduled based on demand, so please call or email us if you are interested in taking it.

Ready to take it on the road? The focus of this class is on building and refining basic skills with increased distance, duration and distractions, and applying those skills in real-life contexts. We’ll take a sidewalk stroll, visit a pet supply store, and play at the park. Prerequisite: Basic Manners or equivalent.

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much to learn. better manners. fun and play.

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