This is a basic socialization and early obedience class for puppies up to 12 months old. At the completion of the program, your puppy can earn an AKC S.T.A.R. puppy certificate. Skills such as sit, down, come, and controlled walking on a leash will be taught. Other puppy behaviors we practice are handling the puppy, socialization with other people and puppies etc. Puppies do not have to be registered with AKC nor do they need to be purebred.

Beginner OB/Rally I, Canine Good Citizen preparation, Pre-Agility and Life Skills for Dogs are all reasonable next steps following this S.T.A.R. Puppy class.

The purpose of this class is to build on the AKC Star Puppy program skills. This class helps handler and puppy successfully transition to Canine Good Citizen behaviors.

Handler and dogs qualify for this class if they have successfully completed AKC Star Puppy (passed the test) or have permission of the instructor.

Puppy Socialization and Introduction that will cover the commands of, Sit, Down, Stay and Come. For puppies up to a year old.

Life Skills 1 class focuses on foundation behaviors such as sit, down, polite greetings, and loose-leash walking. The curriculum also includes essential safety exercises like emergency recall, body handling, U-turns, leading by the collar, supervised separation and “leave it.” There are no required pre-requisites.

Life Skills 2 class targets improving the reliability of core behaviors such as sit, down, loose-leash walking, and safety exercises like emergency recall, supervised separation, and “leave it.” New skills introduced include stay and settle on a cot. At this time, there are no required pre-requisites. Priority is given to students who completed Life Skills 1.

Students in this class will also meet with instructors in other Dog Sports - Agility, Obedience, Rally and Scent Work to explore what they might be interested in pursuing with their dog in the future

This is a basic class for handlers and dogs to learn skills needed to prepare for Obedience and Rally Classes. Skills such as sit, down, come, and controlled walking on a leash will be covered. The class is intended for graduates of our STAR Puppy program, Puppy 1 & 2 classes and Life Skills. This class prepares teams for many of our more advanced obedience classes. Recommended for dogs 7 months and older.

This class is the next class for those who have completed the Beginner Obedience/Rally Class (Part I). We will focus on the skills needed for advancing to Beginner Obedience and Rally Classes. Skills covered will be beginning heeling with patterns for obedience and rally, sit and down stays, recalls fronts and finishes.

Prerequisite: Completion of Beginner Obedience/Rally or instructor approval

We will teach to the 10 specific behaviors required by the AKC for the Canine Good Citizen certification. Dogs being enrolled into this class must be able to document successful completion of the CDTC Beginner Obedience class (or a similar non-CDTC training program). Dogs who cannot provide this documentation will require instructor review and approval prior to starting the class and class enrollment is not guaranteed.

The AKC Community Canine is the advanced level of the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Program. Dogs who pass the AKC Community Canine test earn the official AKC Community Canine title that is designated by the letters “CGCA” (Advanced CGC) on the dog’s title record. Whereas Canine Good Citizen tests are most often tested in a ring and situations are simulated , the AKC Community Canine test is done in real situations including at shows, classes, and in the community.

Prerequisite: CGC

This class will prepare teams for the Canine Good Citizen Urban test. The AKC Urban CGC title tests your CGC skills in an active city or town setting where there are cars, streets to be crossed, noises, and fast-paced distractions.

Prerequisite: CGC

Does your dog drag you on a walk, pull you through doorways, lunge at other animals, jerk you off your feet? Three 30 minute sessions will teach how to take back control on your walk.

We will teach to the 13 specific behaviors required by Therapy Dogs International for the TDI certification. Test requirements can be found at www.tdi-dog.org.

Class prerequisites are AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification and / or CDTC (or similar) Beginner Obedience. Dogs who do not meet these prerequisites will require instructor review and approval prior to starting the class and class enrollment is not guaranteed.

This class will teach various tricks using luring as well as shaping to allow dog/handler teams to have fun in a low stress environment, improve their training skills, and learn tricks to prepare for AKC Tricks Title testing.

Control Unleashed is a program developed by Leslie McDevitt, that is a fabulous foundation for working with your dog. CU helps you and your dog develop clear two-way communication about what your dog can handle, while improving the ability to concentrate on task in the face of distractions. It is a great start for puppies, a super way to help adolescents through a difficult time, and helpful for any dog experiencing issues.

This class is for teams that want to work on foundation heeling skills. Included in the class: attention, heel position, first step heeling, basic heeling drills, turns, transitions rear end awareness, tuck sits and team building. This class is designed for new handlers or handlers with young dogs.

This class follows Beginner Obedience/Rally I & II and is intended for handlers interested in competing in Beginner Novice Obedience. This class is also a great next step for Canine Good Citizens who want to go on to competition obedience. Since Beginner Novice can be the first step on the AKC Obedience path, we'll focus on what to expect in the ring, learn ways to train for the specific exercises, and make sure students are prepared to avoid common handler errors.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Pre Obedience/Rally Parts 1 & 2, currently competing in Beginner Novice, or instructor approval.

For those teams presently competing in AKC Novice Obedience or have their CD. Prerequisites include Beginner Obedience/Rally Parts 1& 2, and Beginner Novice/Novice or instructor approval.

For those teams that are competing in Open or who have completed their CDX title. Beginner Novice/Novice or instructor approval.

This class is for dogs who have completed the STAR Puppy, Life Skills or CGC class. The focus will be on the foundational skills needed take more advanced classes in Obedience or Rally. Dogs should be able to walk on a loose leash and know sit, down and come. The next class would be Obedience/Rally Skills II.

This class is the next class for those who have completed the Obedience/Rally Class (Part I. We will focus on the skills needed for advancing to Beginner Obedience and Rally Classes. Skills covered will be beginning heeling with turns required for obedience and rally, sit and down stays, recalls fronts and finishes. Prerequisite: Completion of Obedience/Rally I or instructor approval

This class is for students who are new to the sport of AKC rally, or for those who want to brush up on the skills needed to successful compete in AKC Rally Novice. AKC Rules and Regula ons will be introduced. The focus of the class will be on learning the correct way to perform each exercise at the rally novice level. We will also work on improving the skills needed to succeed in Rally Novice including leash handling, heeling, sits and downs, fronts and f inishes, and pivots. Short courses will be introduced building on the signs that are being covered each week.

Prerequisites: Dogs must be able to work in close proximity to people and other dogs. Students should have knowledge of basic obedience exercises as taught in the Beginner Obedience/Rally I and II class.

Equipment Required: Regular collar and 4' or 6' leash.

If you are considering training for Rally or Obedience, your dog needs certain skills. In this class we will work on taking your loose leash walking to heeling learning games and exercises. We will work on body awareness for flexibility for turns and finishes.

We will explore the different skills required for either obedience or rally and will learn the basics for taking the next step in your training. We'll do novice rally exercises as well as obedience.

Prerequisite: Dog must be able to eat treats and/or play with toys on leash in proximity to other leashed dogs and walk on a loose leash

Rally AKC rules and regulations will be reviewed. One Novice Rally course will be set up each week, possibly and if space permits, a smaller ring will be set up for prac cing exercises. Students will receive prac ce and coaching in reading signs and running courses. We'll cover everything you need to enter your first AKC Rally Novice Compe on.

Prerequisites: This class is for students who have knowledge of basic obedience exercises as taught in the Beginner Obedience/Rally I and II classes. Teams must have command of basic obedience skills such as heel, down, front, finish, and sit. The dog must demonstrate that the handler is in control of the dog’s behavior while on leash.

Equipment Required: regular collar (no harnesses) and a 4' or 6' leash.

This class is designed to provide experience in running AKC Intermediate, Advanced, and Excellent level courses. Students will receive prac ce and coaching in a run-through format. Intermediate teams are welcome to use a regular collar & leash but will not execute any jumps.
Prerequisites: This class is open to students who have completed the Rally Novice class and have at least one leg in Rally Novice or have the instructor’s permission.

The first 3 weeks of this class will consist of short sequences with the focus on learning the proper way to perform the excellent level signs. During the last 3 weeks students will run full courses with coaching and instruction to help maximize scores. If there is enough interest, we may include an introduction to some of the master level signs.

Prerequisites – Rally Novice title and familiarity with advanced level signs.

The first 3 weeks of this class will consist of short sequences with the focus on learning the proper way to perform the master level signs. During the last 3 weeks students will run full courses with coaching and instruction to help maximize scores.

Prerequisites: Currently exhibiting in rally excellent or knowledgeable in the excellent level exercises. No prior experience in masters is required.

This class is designed to provide experience in running AKC Choice/Master level courses. Students will receive prac ce and coaching in reading signs and running courses. (Choice is a Master Course without the jump.)

Prerequisites: This class is open to students who have completed Rally Excellent and have at least one Excellent leg or have the instructor’s permission.

The primary purpose of the class is to work on issues unrelated to the performance of the signs, but that result in NQ’s low scores. This class will be run using primarily advanced level courses, however course design will be based on the level of the students in the class. We will be running full courses, but the emphasis will be on distrac ons, start line rou ne, longer heeling pa erns, complex signs and sequences, confusing course pa erns etc. A ques onnaire will be sent to students before class asking for specific issues they would like incorporated into the class.

Prerequisites: This class is open to students who are familiar with the rally novice and advanced exercises. Dogs must be able to work in close proximity to people and other dogs.

Equipment Required: regular collar (no harnesses) and a 4' or 6' leash.

This class will cover targeting, handler focus, baby obstacle familiarization and basic handling skills. Dogs should know a 10 second sit stay and come when called.

Prerequisites: a beginner class such as star puppy, CU, CGC, Tricks, beginner obedience or instructor approval.

This class is designed to follow pre-agility. Having a dog that offers behaviors is an advantage for training in agility. You will learn the technique for using this approach as well as teaching the dog how to jump, increasing focus, and basic handling. You will also learn the techniques for developing drive lines, beginning contact skills on a plank, developing independent object confidence, weave poles, and 2 X 2 entries. Dogs must reliably come when called and must work off leash around other dogs without visiting.

Prerequisites: Pre agility or instructor approval.

This class is intended for teams that have completed "Agility 1 - Groundwork." This class will build upon skills learned in Agility 1 - Groundwork. Focus will be on the dog learning to perform the objects with confidence in short sequences. We will include beginning contacts and weave pole performance. There will be multiple stations working at the same time. Off leash control with a reliable recall is REQUIRED around working dogs. Start line stay of 10 feet and a 5 foot send to obstacle is recommended. Plan to bring visible treats and or toy (with or without food in it) to throw.

This class is intended for teams that have completed "Agility 1 - Groundwork" and "Agility 2 - Obstacle Commitment" already.

This class will introduce handling techniques in short sequences. Focus will be on handler cueing crosses appropriately in flow with independent object commitment. We will also include continued contact and weave pole performance. There will be multiple stations working at the same time. Off leash control with a reliable recall is REQUIRED around working dogs. Start line stay of 10 feet and a 5 foot send to obstacle is recommended. Plan to bring visible treats and or toy (with or without food in it) to throw.

Agility 1-3 is a Prerequisite. This class will build and progress. The skills learned in Agility one through three which includes weaves and plank work. This class will also introduce handler motion with short sequences and beginner handling. Students must have reliable recall of their dog and remain task focused while training around other working dogs.

In this class we will be learning to recognize patterns and how to handle short 6-10 obstacle sequences using Nancy Gyes' Alphabet drills-book. Jumps and tunnels will be used, but we may occasionally also incorporate weaves and a contact.

Prerequisites: Dogs must be able to run short sequences, in flow. Dogs should be able to do contacts and closed weaves unaided. If not yet proficient on a particular obstacle handler will elect not to do that particular part of the exercise, and a modification of the exercise will be offered for the dogs that are not yet fully trained on that piece of equipment.

Whether it’s just-for-fun or with the goal of competing, the foundation is the same. Instruction is tailored to each team’s level. Dogs will work one at a time on competition agility equipment. Teams will learn to safely perform all individual obstacles, then short sequences, then longer sequences. New handlers will learn basic handling concepts and the advantages of different contact criteria.

Prerequisite skills: stay and come when called.

Once a dog can perform all the obstacles, the handler must practice techniques to build dog/handler communication and confidence in navigating a course.

Prerequisite skills: dogs should be able to perform all obstacles in sequences of at least 4 obstacles and have solid stays and recalls.

This is a handling class for dogs performing at the novice and open level. We set up a course with appropriate challenges for this level and work on how to best run it. Dogs should be able to perform all obstacles and have solid stays, off lead control, and consistent recalls. Dogs that meet most of the criteria can participate with instructor approval.

To increase dog's commitment to obstacles, develop distance skills. Equipment used is jumps, tunnels and weaves. Jump chutes are taught using targets to increase distance and independence.

How, when, and where, to cue turns and side changes, while maintaining connection to navigate agility sequences. With a side of weaves, cause who doesn’t need to improve their weaves? We will use jumps, tunnels and of course weaves. We will work toward/ maintain 10 to 20 ft send to obstacles to boost handling skills. This class is open to all levels. Dogs must have a reliable recall and be able to work off leash.

To safely perform agility contact equipment a dog must know where its body parts are and have the strength to power over the equipment. This course will cover conditioning exercises to increase body awareness and prepare the dog’s shoulders, core and hips for the unique challenges contact equipment requires, and exercises for approach, execution and end behaviors- stopped or running contacts. We will not be using full height equipment. The focus will be on mastering the smaller skills that create safe, powerful contact performance.

Dogs must be able to work around other working dogs, have a very reliable recall and work off lead. Doing the homework 3x a week between classes will ensure maximum benefit for this class.

This class is for dogs and handlers competing at the advanced Open or Excellent/Masters Levels. The goal is to get teams already competing thinking about the skills they need to develop and apply to have success in competition at higher levels. Prerequisite: Dogs must be competing at the Novice level

An introduction to the sport of Scent Work. This class uses food (primary reinforcement) to build a dog’s search drive and to teach a dog to solve a scent work puzzle. Handlers will work on learning to read their dog’s changes of behavior.

This class is a continuation of Intro to Scent Work 1. This class continues the use of food (primary reinforcement) to build the dog’s search drive. The dogs will work more complex scent puzzles in a variety of elements. Handlers will continue to work on handling skills and learning to read their dog’s changes of behavior.

Prerequisite: Intro to Scent Work 1 AND Instructor Approval

This class introduces dogs to target oil through paired hides. Dogs will continue building search drive and work on odor obedience. Handlers will continue working on handling skills, reading their dog, as well as learn the proper way to handle odor, and scent theory.

Prerequisite: Intro to Scent Work 2 AND Instructor Approval

This class is a continuation of Intro To Odor 1. Dogs will work with both paired and unpaired hides. Dogs will continue to work on odor obedience as well as work on more complex scent puzzles in varying elements. Handlers will continue working on handling skills, reading their dogs, and scent theory.

Prerequisite: Intro to Odor 1 AND Instructor Approval

In this class, dogs and handlers will work with more complex scent puzzles in a variety of elements at the Novice and Advanced level. This class will also work on more advanced handling skills and more advanced scent theory and learning to set hides.

Prerequisite: Intro to Odor 2 AND Instructor Approval

In this class, dogs and handlers continue to work on more complex scent puzzles in a variety of elements at the Excellent and Master level. This class will also work on more advanced handling skills and more advanced scent theory and setting hides.

Prerequisite: Scent Work Intermediate AND Instructor Approval

This is a trial preparation run through class for teams trialing at Novice/NW1 or Advanced/NW2 level. This is a “run through” class (No individual instruction).

Prerequisite: Dog on Birch, Anise. Completed Intro to Odor 2 AND Instructor Approval

This is a trial preparation run through class for teams trialing at Excellent, Master, NW3, or higher. This is a “run through” class (No individual instruction). PRQ: Dog on Birch, Anise, Clove, Cypress. AKC Advanced/NW2 Titled AND Instructor approval Class Size: 8

This is a class in which each week tackles a different scent work skill. Each session will offer different skills. 4 Week Session.

Prerequisite will vary depending on what skills will be offered in that session.

No instruction. Four searches, some searches monitored and some not monitored if no assistant. Intended for all levels, the searches will be a varying amount of hides and odors, but all will contain at least one birch hide for more novice dogs.