Basic Obedience (6 weeks)
- How dogs learn and communicate
- Verbal / Non-Verbal Cues / Hand Signals
- Attention Exercises / Watch Me / Focus
- Sit / Down / Stand / Come
Intermediate Obedience (4 weeks) Pre-requisite Basic Obedience
- Politely greeting another dog / person
- Loose Leash Heeling (no jumping, pulling or lunging)
- Sit / Stand for Exam / Petting / Social Interaction
- Hand Signal Exercise – Non-verbal cues only
Advanced Obedience (4 weeks) Pre-requisite Intermediate Obedience
- Stay – Sit / Down – Handler Walks Around the dog at a distance
- Wait / Stay (distance, duration, distraction)
- Loose Leash Heeling (no jumping, pulling or lunging)
- Recall (on long leash / off leash)
Heel with Me (6 weeks) Pre-requisite Basic Obedience
- Heel on loose leash (dog watches handler; adjusts pace to stay with handler)
- Heeling exercises (Figure 8, 90, 180, 270, 360, Serpentine, Spirals, About turns, Directional turns)
- Heeling with distractions (food, toys, other animals, noises, etc)
- Pace Changes (slow, normal, fast)
- Moving Stand (dog must heel and stand / stay as handler moves
away from dog)
- Finish (dog finishes around handler into heel position)
- Swing (dog finishes on the side of handler into heel position)
AKC Rally (4 weeks) Pre-requisite Basic Obedience
Exciting opportunity to continue your training with your dog whether you have a companion dog, therapy dog, or competition dog. For anyone that might be interested in doing something a little different and a lot of fun with your dog! Remember, training never ends and this is a great, fun way to connect, bond and continue your training!
Rally is a fun and exciting team sport for dogs and their handlers! Dog and handler teams navigate a course with numbered signs indicating different exercises to perform such as Sit-Down-Sit, Straight Figure 8, Moving Side Step Right, About Turn Right, etc. Teams navigate the course at a brisk, continuous performance. Handlers are encouraged to talk to their dogs during the performance.
Dogs should already have basic training (sit, down, come, stay, and heel) and be in good health. Dogs must be non-aggressive towards people and other dogs. Each week we will work on attention heeling and review the previous week’s signs and skills. When teaching each of the signs I will explain what is required and have everyone practice during their walk through.
All dogs, purebred, mixed breeds and dogs with disabilities are encouraged to participate. If competition is your goal, you will learn all the skills needed to get you started in Rally competition. For anyone already competing, this class will offer opportunities to polish your skills.
All the new regulations and signs will be used beginning November 2017.
Novice - Master levels welcome
Therapy Dog Training (4 weeks) Pre-requisite Basic Obedience
This specialized training is for people who are interested in volunteering with their pet in a Therapy Dog Program. This training will provide you and your dog with the necessary techniques and skills required to become a certified Therapy Dog team.
Basic Obedience cues will be used throughout this class. Please make sure your dog can reliably perform the skills in Basic Obedience prior to registering for the Therapy Dog class as those skills / behaviors will NOT be taught.
There are four levels (semesters) of therapy dog training for completion in this program.
Some classes will take place at various locations in the community.
Agility Basics (4 weeks) Pre-requisite Basic Obedience; No previous agility experience is required
In this class, your dog will begin to learn the basic behaviors needed to safely perform agility obstacles. We will work on training your dog to:
Build confidence
Jump correctly
Move ahead of you
Focus on what is ahead of them when asked/cued
Understand their criteria on the contact equipment and perform it with correct technique
We will discuss agility from our dogs’ perspective which will help us understand what it is THEY see when looking at an obstacle, which can be different from what we see. This is critical to keeping your dog safe and ensuring your dog understands what you are asking of them. Additionally, we will work on beginning handling techniques to build confidence in your skills.
This class is more than just teaching agility, it will:
- Strengthen your BOND with each other
- Encourage you to have FUN together
- Teach you SAFE handling skills
AKC Family Dog Program
AKC Family Dog is a comprehensive good manners program for all dogs. While participating in enjoyable activities that are fun for both dogs and people, dogs become well-socialized and develop a lifelong bond with their owners.
AKC Trick Dog Program
Trick training is a fantastic way to bond with your dog, it's mentally stimulating for dogs, enjoyable for owners and can take place anytime, anywhere!
The best thing about trick dog training is...it's all about having FUN with your dog! Tricks are both entertaining and practical depending on what you are teaching. For example, in therapy work a teaching a dog "paws up" makes it easier for someone who cannot bend down to pet your dog and it is also a dog trick. Win! Win! Dogs really enjoy learning tricks and of course all the positive reinforcement that comes with it such as treats, praise, pets and excitement.
In a nutshell, tricks are simply behaviors and learning these behaviors puts the dog in a learning-to-learn mode. Trick training uses the behavioral principles of shaping, chaining and positive reinforcement. Trick training requires that both you and the dog work together in a fun and creative manner thus continuing to build a strong bond with each other. Besides, who doesn't love to show off a cute dog trick or two?
There are five AKC Trick Titles you and your dog can earn. Click to view the list of tricks.
The Real World Program (4 weeks) Pre-requisite Basic Obedience
Come join the fun! The purpose of this class is to work with dogs in real life situations by utilizing real life activities geared to help your dog properly deal with situations when out in public places. This is a great way to help desensitize your dog in situations where they might encounter children, dogs, cars, motorcycles, outdoor dining, loud noises, etc. Many of us have compliant dogs in and around our homes but what happens when we go somewhere else? Does your training breakdown? Does your dog stop paying attention to you?
This exciting new program is for dog owners who want to have FUN with their dog while learning, proofing and reinforcing obedience cues and behaviors out in the community aka The Real World.This program will help you work in a positive way with your dog while having success being out in public / community places. Locations may vary throughout the 4 weeks.
We will work on:
- Attention and Focus Exercises
- Polite meet & greets and so much more!
The Real World Program - Essentials for Stress-LESS Dogs (6 weeks) Pre-requisite Basic Obedience
As part of our Real World Training Program, The Essentials for Stress-LESS Dogs will teach you important husbandry and Cooperative Care skills used in every day life. We will work with your dog in many every day situations that cause most dogs and owners a tremendous amount of stress. The foundation of this program is to work with real life scenarios and teach you how to train your dog to be confident, calm and settled in a variety of situations.
This exciting new program is for dog owners who want to have a versatile, confident, calm, well behaved dog that can manage and cope with things that they will be exposed to during their life.
This program will help you work in a positive way with your dog while keeping your dog under threshold.
- Attention and Focus Exercises
- Exposure to restraint and handling
- Exposure to various methods of grooming and handling
- Muzzle and Elizabethan collar training...and so much more!
Level UP - Games to Enhance Your Dog's Obedience Performance & Skills (Pre-requisite Basic Obedience)
LEVEL UP SERIES - BRING YOUR "A" GAME! This is exciting new series of classes is for dog owners who want to have FUN with their dog while learning, proofing and reinforcing obedience cues and behaviors. The foundation of each class will be based on games that will encourage you and your dog to interact, have fun, and learn in a challenging positive way!
This is an exciting opportunity to continue your training with your dog whether you have a companion dog, therapy dog, or competition / sport dog. Remember, training never ends and this is a great, fun way to connect, bond and continue your training!
The Three D's Seminar (Pre-requisite Basic Obedience)
Are you wondering how to increase the duration of your dog's stay? Are you feeling frustrated at not being able to walk too far away from your dog when you ask him to stay? Are you feeling annoyed that your dog doesn't pay attention to you around distractions? This is the class for you!
Each of the Three D's represents a set of challenges for your dog.
- Duration - the ability to gradually work up the length of time the dog can execute a behavior such as sit / stay
- Distance - the ability to move away from your dog several feet / yards while your dog executes a behavior such as sit / stay
- Distraction - the ability to add distractions, such as dropping your treat bag, toy, you sitting on a chair, another dog / person passing by while your dog executes a behavior such as sit / stay while you are at a distance
Obedience Practice / Drill Pre-requisite Any level of Obedience
Owners and dogs that have already taken basic, intermediate and/or advanced classes are invited to join our obedience practice classes. This class does NOT teach basic, intermediate or advanced cues, but rather is a reinforcement or practice class for those who have already trained their dog and want to keep practicing. Drills emphasize the essential training cues needed to make a dog a good companion: heel on a loose leash, sit, stand, down, stay in position, come when called, etc.