Dog and Puppy Training

We provide private and customized training programs to dogs of all ages based on your needs. We also offer standardized group classes that follow a set syllabus on a recurring weekly schedule throughout the year. These classes typically last an hour and run for 6 weeks on Tue, Wed or Thu evenings.

Clients have the option of choosing an approach that works the best for them based on what they are trying to accomplish. However, in consultation with our trainers, most of our clients develop a customized Behavior Modification Plan (BMP) employing private training and group socialization through daycare.

We are thrilled to two outstanding and certified dog trainers. They have years of experience and have worked with hundreds (if not thousands) of dogs. For those of you with new puppies, please feel free to contact Elise Minkler, our Head Trainer. She is a great place to start. Our second trainer is Omar Williams. Omar focuses on some of our canine clients with a little more difficult behavioral challenges.

We have our own private dog training studio inside our shop on Linden Street. We're happy to train on-site or off-site, eg your home, a shopping center, or even the Brook Path. Contact us today to set up a free consultation!

Elise Minkler ($165/hour)

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

Friday:
   800am - 900am
   930am - 1030am
   1100am - 1200pm

Omar Williams ($125/hour)

Monday - Thursday:
   800am - 900am
   930am - 1030am
   1100am - 1200pm

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