All of our group classes are typically 6- 10 dogs per class. This is to give clients and their dogs individualized attention as needed in class.

Puppy Classes are for those puppies 10 weeks to 5 months. Beginner Classes are for all dogs over the age of 5 months. We have combined our Puppies and Beginner Dogs together into one class for our newest class called Poochie Prep 101 to maximize socialization potential. They continue on together into Poochie Life Skills 201 to learn how to use those basic skills they learned in Poochie Prep in real life situations. This is an advanced class.

An advanced class is for any dog that has had previous training and can meet the requirements of a puppy or beginner class. All classes include written documentation for each lesson and a free clicker.

For the first time only, this year we are offering a special Summer Seminar Series in which we will be giving Seminars on different topics each week. These topics will be on various subjects such as What you need to know before bringing Home a Second Dog, Or Before Bringing Home Baby, or in Dealing With a Reactive Dog, i.e. Possible Dangerous Dog. It's hopefully going to be a very exciting series.

Poochie Prep School is about teaching your dog to communicate with you and getting him/her prepped for life in the real world.

The clicker will teach your dog that not only is it fun to learn commands, but that it is fun to do what you want him/her to do for you.  They will begin to learn English Words, and you will begin to understand your dogs personality and own doggy language with the use of a clicker.

• In all of my classes, I will show the whole class how to get a dog to perform a specific command, for instance "sit".
• Then I will show you individually, how to get "your" dog to perform the specific command.
• Then I will let you practice getting him to do it, on your own.
• And I will come around the room and help each of you individually, with getting the correct behavior from him.

• "Watch Me" (Look you in the eyes for 30 seconds or more when you ask him to give you his attention)

• "Sit" and "Stay" in the same place for 30 seconds or more

• "Lay Down" and "Stay" for 30 seconds or more

• "Leave It" (leaves alone anything you tell him to, even a treat that you place on his/her paw)

• "Come" When Called (runs to you when you call him)

• Sit Nicely for Greeting People or Other Dogs.

• Walking Nicely Without Pulling On the Leash.

Here are some of the behaviors we teach you to eliminate in your dog:

• Jumping up on people

• Digging in the Yard

• Taking your Things

• Chewing up Items in your House

• Nipping and Biting

• Pulling on the Leash and

• Relieving himself in inappropriate places (going potty in the house)

The advanced training program is for any dog or puppy that has had previous training and can follow the commands taught in the beginning training class.

Poochie Life Skills Clicker Training Class is the follow up to the Poochie Prep School class. Poochie Prep is about teaching your dog the commands, and Poochie Life Skills is about applying those commands to the real world.

These two classes together, teach your dog to have patience, and they also give your dog self confidence. They are also very bonding for the two of you. There is no fear based training, you and your dog will have fun together, your dog wants to learn, therefore he retains the commands automatically. It's a true win/win!

Here are some of the advanced commands your dog will learn in the Life Skills class

• "Go to Bed" (which asks your dog to go to a particular place you point to and lie down, not just his bed, or for bedtime.)

• "Heel" with Left Turns and Right Turns (which asks your dog to follow right by your side, not walking ahead of you or behind you, but always while looking up at you for direction)

• "Wait at Doorways" (teaches your dog to stay on the other side of a doorway until he has permission to come through it). Helps stop your dog from running out the door into the street.

• Sit/Stay with Distractions and Down/Stay with Distractions (your dog learns to stay with balls bouncing around him, toys being thrown, treats dropped, other dogs passing by etc.)

• "Come" When Called with Distractions (your dog learns to come to you excitedly regardless of the distractions in his way, i.e. toys/treats/smells).

• Stay Even If You Are Out of His Sight (your dog learns to stay even when he can't see you).

• Stand Up from Lying Down position or Sitting position, and

• Stand/Stay

• Commands from a distance. Example: You can ask your dog to go to his bed regardless of where you are in the room. Instead of having to walk up to him and then give him the command.

This seminar series is about What Dogs Need and How You Can Help Your Dog. Typically I teach dog training, which is about teaching a dog to act in a way that is good for the people around him, i.e., learning the "House Rules". These seminars are kind of the opposite of that. It's more about how you can be good to your dog. By knowing what your dog needs, you can help him assimilate into a human world, help him learn English, help him to have confidence, help him assimilate to new animals or a new baby in the house. And then there is the importance of knowing what to do in a situation when your dog becomes reactive, or runs into a reactive, i.e. "red zone" dog, and how to deal with that.  And everyone needs to know all about nutrition for our animals, and what they are putting in dog food these days. All of these topics will help you to know and understand your dog better, and provide him a healthier and  less stressful environment and also give both of you a better bond and friendship.

1) How Dogs Think

Includes Problem Behaviors, and also how Clicker Training Works.

2) Nutrition 
What's good for your pet, What do all those ingredients really mean, What the pet manufacturers don't want you to know, What not to feed your pet. Includes Foods You Can Use for Special Situations.

3) Building Confidence in Your Dog

How to build your Dogs Confidence, includes how to deal with Separation Anxiety.

 

4) Bringing Home Baby

This seminar is not only about bringing home a new baby to a home that already has a  dog, it's also about bringing home a new puppy, to a home with young children;
both need special instruction.
 

5) Dealing with a Reactive Dog
What to do if you encounter one, or if you have one, or if your dog becomes one.
 

6) What You Need to Know before Getting a Second Dog

How to prepare your dog, your house, your children, and yourself.

Note: Please bring proof of vaccinations to first class. Should include vaccinations for Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza and Parvo (DHLP-P), and Rabies*. Bordatella is recommended but not mandatory.

If you titer instead of getting your dog vaccinated every year, please bring the result of your last titer test, along with proof of any vaccinations received plus proof of Rabies shot.

Please provide your dog's name, age and breed as requested on the final PayPal payment page.  Thanks!.

* Rabies shot is not required if your vet recommends waiting until he or she is a certain age to receive it.