Step-by-Step
Whether you’ve attended our Puppy and Adolescent classes or you have a dog that has yet to begin, provided he or she is at least 16 weeks of age, you are welcome to enter into our Levels Training. This program consists of four independent 6 week courses that will guide you and your dog from introduction to mastery, beginning with the obedience basics and leading you step by step towards a National Certificate and opening the doors to a world of opportunity. Generally Level 1 is the place to begin regardless of your previous training as each set of six classes is designed to build upon the previous set.
Accuracy and Patience
In this early phase of your obedience and manners journey, you and your dog will learn the arts of observation and communication. Dog owners will learn how to read their dogs behavior, how to teach obedience cues and how to develop leadership skills that leave your dog eager to learn from you, interact with you and accept your guidance. Dogs will learn how to learn! They will develop their listening skills while also learning how to self-regulate their excitement levels in order to remain calm, cool and collected. Skills to be introduced are sit, down, stay, leave it, wait and come. Leash walking will absolutely not be missed! Nor will proper interactive play and the ever-important ‘drop-it’.
Speed & Repetition
To sum up our focus, think speed and repetition for this phase of your journey. Now that you and your dog are on the same page and the foundation has been poured, it’s time to sure it up! We will be reminded here that dogs possess free will and despite “knowing” a behavior, they may lack consistency, so we’ll manipulate our reward system and begin to lean into the relationship in order to boost the cooperative spirit.
We will introduce a few new obedience skills, but the focus of this level is in building their foundation of successful repetitions, blanketing them with reinforcement for precision, speed and accuracy – the fine-tuning begins here.
Time & Experience
Time and experiences are the necessities here. Initially training is best received in a calm and familiar environment if these environmental factors are not met, we tend to struggle gaining, regaining and maintaining attention.
Now that those areas have been addressed through the previous levels, this level removes you and your dog from the ‘chamber’ and guides you through varied levels of distraction. Often this phase is associated with the term ‘proofing’.
Time to Celebrate
Celebrate and revel in your successes! Now you have a dog that is knowledgeable, precise and reliable with the skills you have taught. But wait! We are just beginning…
In this series of classes we will focus on how to keep those behaviors fresh – and aim you towards achieving your first certificate of training through the American Kennel Club! This is the beginning of the rest of your lives together and if you have put in the effort you will really begin to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Whether you are interested in learning about the world of dog sports or you have an activity already picked out, it’s time to take action!
In addition to studying the test items, we will post a testing opportunity for you and your dog following the completion of this class. Get a taste of what’s out there through this Advanced Course!
This class will fully prepare those of you who want to pursue a more calm and meaningful ‘career’ such as Therapy Work. We can get you where you’re going!