Obedience Training

We currently offer four classes by Lindsay Hudson-Tolles, ABC CPDT:

• Puppy Kindergarten
  dates: Tuesdays, June 14 – July 19 at 7:30 pm.
• Advanced Puppy
  dates: TBD
• Basic Manners Class
  dates: Tuesdays starting February 2nd through March 8th at 7:30 pm.
  
• Advanced Manners Class (outdoor class - only offered in the spring and fall)
  dates: TBD
• Learn more about Canine Behavior

Are you Bringing Home a New Puppy?

We encourage you to make an appointment as soon as you get your new puppy, so we can start their vaccines series. There is a minimum requirement of vaccines for enrollment in class. Your puppy must have a Bordetella vaccine, 2 Distemper vaccines, and 2 dewormings.

Enrolling your new puppy in class at a young age is paramount and without appropriate vaccines you may miss out the important socialization window. Joining a puppy class is a great start for the entire family. Puppies are most impressionable before 16 weeks of age, so this is the optimal time for learning. Puppy Kindergarten will teach basic obedience cues as well as the behavioral needs of a puppy, humane training techniques, proper communication, body handling and tools to address problem behaviors. In addition, puppies will participate in play time and valuable socialization with novel objects and sounds.

Private training services

• In-home training consults - These training consults take place in your home for one on one attention to address your specific needs and prevent and resolve behavior problems. Behavior consults help you understand your dog's behaviors and develop a plan to manage and change those behaviors. Follow-up training sessions teaches your dog new skills and help you to implement your personalized training plan. You are given handouts on the information that is discussed during the consults.
• In-hospital training consults - Private one on one training that take place at Hartwood to address your dog's specific behavior problems. These consults are best for behavior problems that do not solely take place in the home such as jumping and leash manners. Consults will help to develop a plan to manage and change your dogs behavior.

Behavior problems include:

• New puppy or dog in the home
• House breaking, crate training
• Preparing your dog(s) for a new baby
• Nuisance behaviors such as jumping, mouthing, counter surfing, barking, destructive chewing, etc.
• Basic manners and leash walking
• Anxiety and fear
• Leash reactivity
• Aggression towards people or other dogs

Puppy Kindergarten Class

Puppy Kindergarten Class is a 6 weeks class designed to guide you in better communicating with your puppy through positive reward-based training. Positive training motivates your pup with something he really enjoys. This class is the most important class you will ever take! Puppies are most impressionable before 16 weeks of age, so this is the optimal time for learning. It will strengthen your bond with your pup for a long lasting relationship and is a great start for the entire family. Puppy Kindergarten will teach basic obedience cues as well as the behavioral needs of a puppy, humane training techniques, proper communication, body handling and tools to address problem puppy behaviors. In addition, puppies will participate in play time and valuable socialization with novel objects and sounds. Socialization and exposure to novel every day experiences create a friendly, social and confident adult. Lack of socialization can cause a dog to be anxious, fearful, shy, or aggressive due to inappropriate social skills and lack of coping abilities.

Your puppy should be brought to class in a buckle collar or easy walk harness and a six-foot leash. At the beginning of the class you will receive a “getting started” package with toys, training treats and a treat pouch.

This class is first come first serve and there is a limit of 6 puppies per class.

Requirements:

1. Up-to-date on vaccines (2 Distempers & Bordetella), at least 2 de-wormings and 2 negative fecals.
2. The puppy must be less than 16 weeks at the start of class

There is a package discount of $40 if you sign up for the Puppy Kindergarten and Advanced Puppy classes together. The Advanced Puppy is the follow-up class to Puppy Kindergarten (also 6 weeks). Taking both puppy classes will provide you and your puppy with the most comprehensive information and tools to form a social and confident adult dog.

Advanced Puppy Class

Advanced Puppy Class is a 6 weeks class designed to work through adolescence by helping to keep them socialized, friendly and maintain bite inhibition. The class will use positive reward-based training, which motivates your pup to earn something he really enjoys. Obedience cues will consist of further work in proofing the sit, down, come, leash walking, watch and touch. Additional cues will consist of leave-it, stay, and wait. Advanced Puppy class will provide continued socialization through puppy play time and further work with body handling.

Your puppy should be brought to class in a buckle collar, head collar or easy walk harness and a six-foot leash. Also, bring an ample supply of high value treats with you to class.

This class is first come first serve and there is a limit of 6 puppies per class.

Prerequisites:

1. Completed Puppy Kindergarten or the equivalent. There will be an orientation/skills session set up prior to class if the puppy has not
   participated in a class here before.
2. The puppy has remained a social and friendly adolescent.

Requirements:

1. Up-to-date on vaccines (2 Distempers & Bordetella), at least 2 de-wormings and 2 negative fecals.
2. The dog must be between *16 weeks- 8 months* at the start of class

There is a package discount of $40 if you sign up for the Puppy Kindergarten and Advanced Puppy classes together. Taking both puppy classes will provide you and your puppy with the most comprehensive information and tools to form a social and confident adult dog.

Basic Manners Class

Basic Manners Class is a 6 week class that will guide the owner in better communicating with their dog through positive, reward-based training. Positive training motivates your dog with something he really enjoys. Positive exposure to novel every day experiences will help to maintain a confident, social, friendly adult. This class will help your dog learn to be polite with basic manners such as door manners and leash walking. This class will help strengthen your bond, teach life skills like body handling and provide you with skills to manage or solve problem behaviors such as jumping and mouthing. Obedience cues will include sit, down, leave-it, touch, come, stay, and wait.

Your dog should be brought to class in a buckle collar, head collar or an easy-walk harness and a six-foot leash. Also, bring an ample supply of high value treats to class.

1. Up-to-date on vaccines (Distemper, Rabies & Bordetella), negative fecal and Heartworm test.
2. The dog must be over 8 months at the start of class.

Advanced Manners

The advanced manners is a 5 week clicker class for owners who want to take training even further and increase their communication and impulse-control of their dog. This class will continue with positive training methods to motivate your dog by earning rewards and building trust. Students will learn to have their dog perform cues more consistently, hold behavior for longer periods, work with greater distance and work with more distractions. The class with proof behaviors through the 3 D’s of training – duration, distance, and distraction. Cues will include advanced work with sit, down, watch, leash walking, stay and the recall.

This class will be held outside at various local parks. Working with your dog in public will help to proof behaviors further in new environments and in the presence of distractions. Positive exposure to novel every day experiences will maintain a confident, social, reliable and friendly adult dog.

The class is first come, first serve and there is a limit of 6 dogs per class.

What you need for class:

• A flat buckle collar, head collar or harness.
• A six-foot leash (non-retractable)
• A 30ft long line (non-retractable)
• A clicker
• An ample supply of a variety of treats and a treat bag

Prerequisites:

• Completed Advanced Puppy or Basic Manners class.
• If the class was not with Hartwood, your dog needs to be evaluated prior to class by the trainer in the following skills: sit, down, watch, come, stay, leave-it and leash walking.

Requirements:

1. Up-to-date on vaccines (Distemper, Rabies & Bordetella), negative fecal and Heartworm test.
2. Must be at least 10 months of age.