Dog and Puppy Training

We provide canine training in three different ways - Private Training, Day School and Group Classes. Clients have the option of choosing the approach that works the best for them. However, in consultation with our trainers, most of our clients develop a customized Behavior Modification Plan (BMP) employing two, or even three, of the approaches. Each approach has its strengths and weaknesses, depending upon your objectives.

We have our own private dog training space inside our shop on Linden Street. This is where we conduct Day School and all Group Classes. It also is available for Private Sessions.

We are thrilled to offer the services of outstanding and certified dog trainers. Our trainers have years of experience and have worked with hundreds (if not thousands) of dogs. For those of you with new puppies, Elise Minkler runs all of our Training Programs. Contact us today to set up a free consultation!

Monday - Thursday:
130pm - 230pm
300pm - 400pm
430pm - 530pm

Rate:        $125 per hour

DAY SCHOOL is one of our most popular training services! School starts at 800am and runs until 1200pm, Monday through Thursday. Class is strictly limited to six (6) puppies per day, and is booked in advance as space permits. Owners do not attend. Lessons are tailored to the day's attendees, and the classes are facilitated by one of our certified trainers.

General outline of activities for the day:
- Individual Obedience Drills
- Group Obedience Drills
- Basic Agility Drills
- Leash Walking
- Proper Puppy Etiquette

We believe clarity, consistency, repetition and reward are necessary to get a well-trained puppy. Day school can be your sole source of training, or can be used to augment other training methods you may already be providing your pup. Depending on your needs, puppies can attend everyday for a set period, attend certain days on a desired weekly schedule, or attend on an ad hoc basis. You may be wanting your puppy to develop new skills, or just fine tune or review already known skills. The beauty of the program is that it is flexible and can be tailored to your needs. With that said, if this is your primary source of training, you should attend 3-5 days per week for 6-8 weeks for best results.

How ever we design your puppy's program, we would suggest you schedule a 1-hour private training session, at least once every two (2) weeks, to discuss your puppy's progress and make sure you consistently apply the lessons learned at school.

Prerequisites: None
Fee: $125 per day
Class Size: 6 maximum, puppies/dogs must be less than 40lbs

PUPPY FOUNDATIONS is designed to teach you as a pet parent, as well as your new puppy, the important skills needed to happily interact with each other. This course will introduce everything from basic commands like "sit", "down", "stay", "come", "leave it", etc. to tips and tricks on how to encourage proper walking manners, good potty habits, and best crate training practices. At the end of this course you will feel more confident being able to command and care for your new puppy in most situations, and your pup will be prepared to take the AKC S.T.A.R. (Socialization, Training, Activity, Responsibility) test, which we can administer for you, if you choose to get your pup certified.

Prerequisites: None
Fee: $295 for six (6) 1-hour classes
Class Size: 3 minimum, 6 maximum

ELEMENTARY TRAINING picks up where PUPPY FOUNDATIONS leaves off and focuses on three core skills: greeting and being handled by strangers politely, managing nervousness and arousal when without their owner, and calming a highly aroused puppy appropriately. One of the most common struggles with a young dog is calming them in exciting situations and teaching the dog how to appropriately manage their arousal without becoming destructive. In this course, we will introduce the “wait,” “settle,” and “place” commands, and explain how to use them to gain control of your puppy when highly aroused. Once this course is completed, you should have an all-around well-mannered puppy who is prepared to take the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, which we can administer on site. The CGC is a nationally recognized title for your dog, and we encourage you to take the test. The distractions encountered in this evaluation include dropping a chair, rolling a crate dolly past the dog, having a jogger run in front of the dog, and dropping a crutch or cane; all dogs are expected to be free of nervousness and fear.

Prerequisites: Puppy Foundations or Equivalent
Fee: $295 for six (6) 1-hour classes
Class Size: 3 minimum, 6 maximum

ADVANCED TRAINING is for dogs that have learned the basics, and owners who are looking to go the extra mile for that well-mannered dog. In addition to honing your dog's recall ability and learning the command "touch", this course works to establish a strong sense of self-confidence within your dog. There will be no other commands introduced in this course; instead, the focus will be on precision, speed, and mastery of skills. This will foster a calm dog who is not adversely responsive to situations they encounter which could be potentially startling for some dogs. Another objective of this course is to achieve confident off-leash walking. Although this is not a requirement for CGC certification, it is a common skill many of our more advanced pet parents that like to hike with their dogs are interested in learning.

Prerequisites: Elementary Training or CGC Certification
Fee: $295 for six (6) 1-hour classes
Class Size: 3 minimum, 6 maximum