Life Skills

GROUP CLASSES

Start your dog training with a solid foundation of Basic Obedience Skills for appropriate social interaction at home or in public.

Each of the four Life Skills programs utilizes science-based and humane techniques and continues to increase the reliability of responses to skills taught in the previous program. An instructor evaluation determines progression to the next level.

LEVEL 1

This program introduces you and your dog to basic obedience cues in a variety of everyday situations in your environment. You will better understand your dog’s body language and improve communication with your dog so it will learn faster.

Exercises include:

  • Focus techniques to improve your dog’s impulse control and quick response to its name
  • How to use both visual and verbal cues for Sit, Down and Stand
  • Fun ways to establish a reliable Recall
  • Effective leash walking skills for a more enjoyable social outing with your dog
  • How to teach your dog appropriate manners when meeting and greeting people or other dogs

LEVEL 2

The hard part is over! We utilize a wide variety of fun drills and new experiences to enhance the learning for you and your dog.

You will enjoy watching and interacting with your dog as it learns:

  • Quick responses to Body Position cues
  • Moving away from an object
  • Go To a place or a person
  • New Body Positions such as a ‘Return to Heel’
  • To keep attention and focus in a more difficult or active environment.

  • Prerequisite successful completion of Life Skills 1 or equivalent

LEVEL 3

This class ups the ante for advanced skills in:

  • Leash walking (on and off-leash)
  • Increased duration of Sit, Down and Stand while ignoring major attractions in the environment
  • A prompt response to a Recall in a variety of life situations is central to this level of
  • Yes, your dog will be able to successfully run past and ignore a cheeseburger!!

  • Prerequisite successful completion of Life Skills 2 or equivalent

LEVEL 4

As this class is conducted completely off-leash, dogs must be sociable and able to ignore other dogs while they work in proximity to each other.

Exercises will include:

  • Precision walking on both the left and right side
  • Prompt response to cues from a distance
  • Individual and Group routines to increase difficulty

  • Prerequisite successful completion of Life Skills 3 or equivalent