Group Training Course Menu

Puppy Development, Training and Socialization is a family friendly (all members including children are welcome) program that will help you get your puppy off to a great start at the most beneficial time. Our curriculum prioritizes socialization, puppy to puppy and puppy to people and bite inhibition, teaching your puppy to control the impulse to bite. The exercises practiced include; "sit", "down", "come", "leave-it", "drop-it" and loose leash walking AKA "lets-go". Common puppy rearing challenges such as; chewing, pulling, jumping up, house soiling and barking are also covered. We provide a safe, our floors are sterilized against infectious agents and temperate environment for you and your puppy to learn in. Vaccination against Bordatella (kennel cough) is recommended but not required. Vaccinations against Distemper and Parvo virus are mandatory. Puppies participating should have received at least ONE set of vaccinations 10 days prior to the start date. Come and learn about body handling exercises you can perform to prevent aggressive behavior, puppy development (did you know that puppies only have 28 teeth and that adult dogs have 42?) and how to read canine body language so that you can socialize your puppy safely. Class size limited to 6 puppies and their people! - Free gift with course - PROGRAM LENGTH - 6 WEEKS - for puppies 8-16 weeks of age.

INSTRUCTOR: Roseann Baars CPDT-KA, CVT, CCRP

- prerequisite for level 3 -
***new exercises ***including clickers ***engaging and interactive

Relating Training To Real-Life; Beginner Obedience and Manners is a training course for, puppy graduates seeking higher education for their beloved canine companion, those with dog friendly adolescents, and congenial young adult dogs that could benefit from a brush-up or need a little more practice to perfect their responses. Fundamental cues, "sit", "down", "stay", "come", "wait" and "heel" covered in the early sessions prepare the dog and handler for their use during the latter sessions during which they will be applied practically to everyday situations. Come and have some fun while you learn how to help your dog sit for petting without jumping, walk on a lead without pulling, go to her bed and lie down, stay and come when called despite distractions. Dogs participating must be vaccinated against Rabies, Parvo and Distemper virus. Vaccination against Bordatella (kennel cough) is recommended but not required. Please deduct 10% from the tuition for this course if you have adopted the dog you are enrolling. Class size limited to 6 dogs and their people. PROGRAM LENGTH - 6 WEEKS - for dogs 4 months of age and up.

INSTRUCTOR: Derek Haight, MS

Advanced Obedience and Manners is a course for people that would like to help their canine best friend reach their full potential. The exercises practiced simulate real-life situations (a la Canine Good Citizen) commonly encountered at home or while out and about. You will learn you how to guide your dog through each one of the complex exercises using a combination of the cues previously practiced. Exercises covered include; Walking On A Loose Leash, Accepting A Friendly Stranger, Reaction To Another Dog, Reaction To Distractions, Come When Called, Staying In Place, etc. This course also prepares the dog and handler for the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen award and therapy work. Interested in therapy work? Come and let us help you to realize your dream of bringing joy to those who are separated from their beloved dog or those who love them but can longer have a dog. Our students have a high pass rate! Check out Stilly (at BTW in the news) our most recent success story. Vaccinations required covered above. For dogs and people who are graduates of our Beginner Obedience and Manners program. Interested in registering but not a graduate of Beginner Obedience and Manners? Don't worry, special permission to attend may be granted if your dog can respond to all the fundamental cues with other dogs nearby. Class size limited to 6. PROGRAM LENGTH - 6 WEEKS

INSTRUCTOR: Derek Haight, MS

CLICKER TRAINING SKILLS 101

Would you like your dog to offer desirable behaviors before you ask for them? Do you want to bring your dog training chops and understanding of how dogs learn to a new and exciting level? Then sign up and come to learn the sophisticated art and science of clicker training! Loaded with the knowledge of how to implement the tools used in clicker training, a technology that pairs a sound (the click) with food (positive reinforcement), you will be able to teach your dog to respond more precisely to your requests in less time. We all want that, don't we? Seriously now, there are few limits to what you can teach your dog to do with clicker training, from sit to surfing (and everything in between), will be at your fingertips, with a simple CLICK-TREAT.

Clicker Training Skills 101 is a mini-course open to all Big Tail Waggin' graduates. It begins with a handler primer (the first meeting/ week one, is an active skill-based orientation without dogs). The curricula for the subsequent weeks covers a progressive series of activities that include using a positive event marker, shaping, tricks and some problem solving. Come and have some fun, fun, fun, with your dog. PROGRAM LENGTH - 4 WEEKS

INSTRUCTOR: Elisa Schmidt, CPDT-KA

JUST FOR FUN AGILITY

- prerequisites for this course - LEVEL 1 or LEVEL 2 -

Just For Fun Agility, is an introductory course that is safe and appropriate for dogs of all ages; energetic puppies, dashing young adults and nimble seniors (dogs 8 and up may require veterinary clearance). This dynamic program begins with teaching your dog the skills required to, truly understand jumping and jump safely. From this important and exciting start, the dogs move on to, whizzing through the weave poles, leaping through the tire jump, racing through the tunnel and a lie down on the pause table. We include some on the flat handling skills as well in this program. What’s that? On the flat maneuvers are directional changes the handler makes that are typically used to shape the dog’s path. This is how the dogs are moved from obstacle to obstacle. Most importantly though, are the benefits gained from agility. Did you know that agility skills training, deepens the bond between dog and handler and improves off leash control? Come and see for yourself! Currently this program is for Big Tail Waggin' grads only (this rule insures there will be no class time wasted on problem behavior. to be eligible, you must participate in just one of any of the other group training classes we offer). This course is taught by Roseann Burrets Baars, CPDT-KA, CVT, CCRP. She has been teaching dogs and their handlers about agility, for well over a decade. She competes periodically with her dog Aoife (her black and tan, bundle of joy, young at heart senior), an adopted mixed breed. 6 dog and handler teams accepted. PROGRAM LENGTH - 4 WEEKS

INSTRUCTOR: Roseann Baars CPDT-KA, CVT, CCRP