Class Descriptions 

Obedience Classes

Our Obedience program includes both family manners classes, and classes geared towards those who wish to advance their training.

Family Manners

The Kindergarten Puppy Training (KPT) class is designed for puppies under the age of 4 months at the start of the class. Emphasis is on learning early intervention to prevent bad habits (jumping, chewing etc.), beginning training, and socialization to other dogs, people, and unusual situations.

STAR Puppy Training (KPT) emphasizes the AKC’s Star Puppy Program.

The Beginners Obedience class is designed for dogs of all ages who have not had previous training or need to review the basics. We will show you effective methods for dealing with typical dog training issues. Emphasis is on basic household manners - walking on a leash, sitting and downing on command, coming when called, etc. It is never too late to train your dog!

The CGC/Intermediate class is designed for individuals who have previously taken an obedience class such as Kindergarten or Beginners and would like to work on the skills required for AKC’s Canine Good Citizen test which covers basic obedience, manners, and control.

Advanced Classes

Rally Beginning is a class designed to familiarize individuals to the AKC Rally program. Teams negotiate a course consisting of stations that describe the exercise that must be performed.  The main emphasis is on having fun and developing teamwork. Novice - Advanced signs will be taught.

Rally Workshop will consist of Excellent & Master's courses and will include assistance in understanding and teaching the signs.

Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from the start to the finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball. The North American Flyball Association is the major sanctioning organization. An entry level class introducing the basic understanding and skills needed for this fast paced sport.

Obedience Primer is a class that will be geared towards teaching, maintaining and polishing competition obedience exercises. Heeling and stay exercises will probably be the main focus since most everything builds from there. "Games" will be incorporated to keep dogs and handlers engaged.

To register or for more information on Obedience Classes, contact Andrea Minasian at 1-888-444-0906 option 4.
Obedience Registration Form (fill out after speaking with Andrea)

Agility 

For the safety of growing puppies, dogs less than 12 month of age will not be able to participate in some activities in classes beyond Foundations.
Our classes emphasize the AKC Agility program

Foundations Agility: Open to dogs 4 months and up, as well as to those already competing. This class will introduce your dog to the fun sport of agility and emphasize building a positive working relationship between dog and handler. The class will help develop agility skills including: attention (focus with distraction), impulse control, drive, recalls and sends, positional cues, and behavior shaping on low and starter equipment.

The Beginners Agility class will build on the skills learned in Foundations with introduction to lowered full sized obstacles (A-frame/seesaw/dog-walk) and weave poles.

Intermediate Agility is designed for dogs who have completed Beginning Agility and are comfortable with the agility equipment. Emphasis will be on simple sequencing and on basic handling techniques.

Advanced Intermediate puts emphasis on reviewing and reinforcing skills learned in Intermediate for both handler and dogs. Sequences will be more challenging with the goal of moving to actual competition level.

Advanced Intermediate Agility Skills and Drills: Sequences will address skills such as front crosses, rear crosses and/or blind crosses. They may also address layering, contacts, working from a distance and a stay on the line.  Discussion of the dog’s path will be addressed. Different contacts may be used along with 12 weave poles, broad jump, panel jump and/or tire.

Agility Handling is designed for individuals who have completed Intermediate Agility or its equivalent. Emphasis is on handling techniques and course strategy.

To register or for more information on Agility Classes, Contact Linda Arble at 1-888-444-0906 option 3.
Agility Registration Form (fill out after speaking with Linda) 

Tracking and Scent Work

Dogs possess an extremely high level of scent capability -  100,000 times stronger than humans! Enjoy seeing your dog work with their natural abilities! 

Scent Work is a sport based on the work of professional detection dogs (such as drug dogs), employed by humans to detect a wide variety of scents and substances. In AKC Scent Work, dogs search for cotton swabs saturated with the essential oils of Birch, Anise, Clove, and Cypress. The cotton swabs are hidden out of sight in a pre-determined search area, and the dog has to find them. Teamwork is necessary: when the dog finds the scent, they have to communicate the find to the handler.  We offer an introductory course for beginner dogs and owners.

Scent Work Workshop Participants will sign up for a 15 minute time slot each week. There will be a different theme each week such as corners, converging odors, distractors, etc. 

Tracking is a sport where dogs are trained by bringing out their natural ability to recognize and follow human scent. Dogs possess an extremely high level of scent capability and owners who do tracking with their dogs find joy in seeing the dogs at work using their innate scenting skills. The AKC has a Tracking program. Our Beginning Tracking class gets you started 

To register or for more information on tracking and scent work classes, Contact Sandy Roth at 814-238-1822.
Tracking/Scentwork Registration Form (fill out after speaking with Sandy)