These training courses are the first step in developing a lifelong friendship with your furry friend. Learn positive, gentle, scientifically proven methods to help communicate how you want your dog to behave. These classes are kept small (maximum of 8 dogs) to ensure every dog/handler team has the individual attention needed. All students enrolled in any group classes receive necessary handouts, booklets, clicker and treat bag.
Requirements: Dogs must have up-to-date vaccinations. To attend Basic Manners classes your dog must be calm and sociable around other dogs and humans. Examples of fearful and reactive behaviors: raised hackles, barking, lunging, growling, cowering, etc. If you are experiencing these behaviours look at Fear and Reactive classes.
This class is open to dogs and puppies over the age of 20 weeks. Basic manners will help resolve many behaviour issues such as jumping up, rough play, barking, pulling, running away. You want to build solid foundation behaviours for your “go everywhere” dog. With a solid foundation of behaviours your dog can be a wonderful member of your family and community.
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A class aimed at pups between the ages of 4-10 months. It is a combination of Puppy Basics and Basic Manners for the ‘teen’ stage of your puppy. Learn positive, gentle, scientifically proven methods to help communicate how you want your puppy to behave. Basic manners will help resolve many behaviour issues such as jumping up, rough play, barking, pulling, running away. You want to build solid foundation behaviours for your “go everywhere” dog. Class includes supervised play sessions with other puppies in class.
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Puppies develop and solidify their impression of the world in their first 24 weeks of life; the ‘critical socialization window’. What they experience in this period determines how adaptable, calm and confident they’ll be as adults. This class will help you to socialize your puppy to people, dogs, sights and sounds in a safe and positive environment. Learn how to encourage appropriate behaviour and set boundaries. Learn the most important skills a dog needs, such as bite inhibition, recall, house training, appropriate dog-dog skills and more. Build a strong relationship with your puppy based on mutual trust and respect!
For puppies 24 weeks and under
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Does your dog choose flight over fight in every situation? Is he slow to recover from startling situations? Do loud noises make him jump? Is he terrified to go to the vet?
If so, the Shy Dog class is for you! It is designed for dogs over 4 months of age who are experiencing anxiety or fear. Students learn how to understand their dogs better and work to set them up for success at their pace. We work on building confidence in a variety of situations as well as desensitizing existing responses. A set of foundation skills will be taught as well as discussions on management and prevention.
** prerequisite Canine Communication seminar **
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The root of your dog’s reactivity can come from any number of causes such as leash frustration, over-excitement, aggression or even fear. For example, your dog may “just want to say hi” but his barking and otherwise inappropriate behaviour puts you and others on-edge. Participants will learn how dogs communicate through body language and examine their relationships with their dogs. Focus on how to teach and reward appropriate or alternative behaviours in their dogs to diminish his reactivity. Designed primarily for dog-to-dog reactivity, but the same techniques can be used with other reactivity issues (i.e., strangers, kids, skateboards, etc.). *The small class size (maximum of 4 dogs) provides encouragement, support and a positive learning environment. We have a large indoor space right on the edge of a huge outdoor green space for flexibility depending on your dogs learning needs (and unpredictable Calgary weather!). This course is for dogs over six months of age with known reactivity (e.g., raised hackles, increased arousal, barking, lunging, or growling, etc.).
** prerequisite Canine Communication & Understanding Reactivity seminars **
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Training is not just for dogs! I offer cat socialization and training in a fun safe environment for your cat. This class is designed to be fun and allow your cat to learn in a new environment. You will learn to clicker train your cat and use these skills to teach tricks, recall and even agility!
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Kittens develop and solidify their impression of the world in their first four months of life; the ‘critical socialization window’. What they experience in this period determines how adaptable, calm and confident they’ll be as adults. Help encourage a calm and adaptable cat in the future by socializing at a young age. You will learn to clicker train your kitten and use these skills to teach manners, tricks, recall and even agility!
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