Please scroll down for more information about the classes.
March brings some fun classes for you to explore.
~ Play & Train – Obedience through Games – Play-based dog training that is effective because it speaks to the fundamental nature of dogs. We play fun games like tic tac toe, practice loose leash walking with an egg in a spoon, sits and downs with red light green light, and red rover recall.
~ Tracking – Is a canine sport that tests a dog’s natural ability to follow human scent, simulating search-and-rescue tasks. Dogs work in partnership with handlers on various terrains to locate dropped articles. This sport, popular for building confidence and mental stimulation, awards titles like Tracking Dog (TD) and Variable Surface Tracking (VST) through organizations like the American Kennel Club.
~ Scent Work – Confidence-building activity that taps into a dog’s natural hunting instincts. It involves teaching dogs to locate specific target odors (like birch or anise) hidden in containers, rooms, or outdoors, providing excellent mental stimulation.
~ Treibball – A low-impact, competitive sport (urban herding) where a dog, directed by their handler, drives exercise balls into a goal within a set time. It prompts teamwork, impulse control, and mental stimulation, making it suitable for all breeds, ages, and sizes, not just for herding dogs.
~ Public Access – Prepares service dogs to behave reliably in non-pet friendly, public environments by teaching manners, calmness, and focus amidst heavy distractions. Essential skills include strict obedience (hold, sit, down), ignoring people/food, and unobtrusive behavior under tables.
~ Rally 4 Fun – Interactive sport where you and your dog navigate a course of 10-20, numbered signs, preforming different obedience skills at each station, such as sits, turns, or stays. Unlike traditional obedience, you can talk to, pat, and praise your dog throughout the course, fostering a positive, trusting, and engaging partnership.
~ Urban Agility – Involves jumping over, go under or through everyday objects and structures in the environment to create a fun and stimulating workout. Doggie Parkor!
~ Tunnels & Jumps – Tunnels and jumps are essential tools for dog agility training. They help dogs learn to navigate obstacles, improve their focus, and develop their agility skills.
~ Impulse Control & Leave It – Teaches dogs to pause, think, and manage their urges instead of reacting instinctively. Key methods include enforcing “leave it” practicing “down” with distractions, and requiring calm behavior before meals or walks, using positive reinforcement.
~ Agility – Beginning focuses on building foundation skills like focus, basic obedience, and body awareness through positive reinforcement. We start with simple tasks—tunnels, low jumps, and walking over planks. This class is fun and confidence building.
Intermediate builds on foundational skills by introducing complex sequences, improved handling techniques, and increased speed. Key areas include mastering front and rear crosses, serpentines, and refining obstacle performance like weave poles and contact zones. Training focuses on better communication, handler positioning, and building confidence for longer, more challenging courses.
~ Puppy Obedience – Foundational process of teaching young dog essential manners, safety commands (like sit, down, come), and behavioral boundaries through positive reinforcement. It strengthens the human-canine bond, ensures safety and helps puppies learn to interact properly with people and other animals.