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Riverdog Group ClassesTeaching dogs is really about teaching people. At Riverdog, we provide dog parents like you with hands-on coaching in real-world methods for helping your dog become a loving, polite, and safe member of your household. Through our signature C.A.M.P. programs, group classes, and one-on-one instruction, we offer an innovative, practical approach to dog training - based on the concepts of positive rewards, clear communication, and sensible consequences - that is shaped to meet your particular needs. Our methods are insightful, creative, and effective. Eighty-six percent of our students pass their Canine Good Citizen evaluation (think of it as the WASL for dogs) on the first try, at an average age of just 15 months. Puppy 101 Obedience
Designed for puppies between 3 and 5 months of age, this class covers all the components of good manners and starting off right, including the basics (sit, down, stay, off, come), plus walking on a loose leash, sharing, house-training, crate training, working with a clicker, and most importantly - structured socialization! This
is a critical social period for your puppy to learn proper social behavior, how
to tolerate gentle restraint and handling, leadership over food and other
resources, housetraining, and the beginnings of self control. Motivating your dog, playing good-habit-forming games, leadership, and basic communication language are stressed. All students explore appropriate training equipment and usage, which is customized to each pet. Small and toy breed puppies may attend up through
12 months of age. Puppy 102 Obedience
Designed for puppies who have just completed Puppy 101 Obedience. (If you have a 5-9 month old dog who has not been enrolled in our Puppy
101 Class, go directly to 'Basic 101 Obedience' below.) This is a continuation of all the good things your puppy learned in
Puppy 101, plus adding life-like distractions and situations. Stays and lengthening out your pup's ability to maintain commands are emphasized quite a lot, as are things like what to do when the doorbell ring and other household distractions. Your puppy will be entering into the 'teenage' stage, a period in which even the most well-started pups begin pushing and testing their owners, so solid leadership and practice of good behavior is essential to continue your pup's good progress.
All students explore appropriate training equipment and usage, which is
customized to each pet. Puppy PartyOur fun, drop-in socializing class designed for very young puppies, under
four months of age. This is a critical social period for your puppy,
however it is too early to expose your dog to the unpredictable environment of
dog parks. In this class, your puppy will get to practice proper social
behavior with other healthy, vaccinated puppies in a safe, structured
environment. Petite Pooch ObedienceDesigned for any small breed dog of any age, under 25 pounds.
Students will learn training tips and secrets specifically designed for the
pint-sized pooch. Training equipment will be recommended with small breed
sizes and shapes in mind. Class will address the interesting behaviors and
exceptional challenges that go hand in hand with small dogs. Petite Pooch AgilityPetite Pooch Agility provides an exciting and challenging
venue for our companions of small stature. This class is open to all dogs
under 25# and no experience is required. All petite pets will learn to
build their confidence, enjoy constructive play, and try out real agility
obstacles like the A-frame, dog walk, and tunnel. Of course, they will
also have a chance to practice the basics like "sit", "wait", and "come here".
There will even be age-appropriate obstacles for young puppies, too! Basic 101 Obedience
Designed for any non-aggressive dog over 5 months of age that is new to our program. Owners must be able to hang on to the dog on leash, but that's about all. We teach more than a dozen communication words, plus loose leash walking, greeting manners, and several fun tricks designed to help your dog be safe around strangers and children. All students explore appropriate training equipment and usage, which is customized to each pet. Emphasis is placed not only on 'what' the dog is doing, but 'why' dogs do what they do! Understanding dog behavior overall is a key component of this class, as well as how to be a good leader for your canine companion. Beyond Basic 102 Obedience
Designed for dogs over 7 months of age, or that have just completed Basic
101 Obedience or Puppy 102 Obedience. Owners must have basic leash control, and dogs should be able to sit, down, wait, and keep off easily. A continuation of our Basic
101 and Puppy 102 Obedience classes, the number of communication words is increased, as is working at distances and around distractions. Horse 'whispering' concepts are utilized in this class, and the dogs are encouraged to think and problem solve! Advanced 103 Obedience
For dogs and owners who enjoy training and want to solidify their work around distractions, prepare for the Canine Good Citizen test, and work towards off-leash control. Fun and fast-paced, the curriculum is varied and creative! Outdoor Excursion 103
At some point in your dog's training, you might find yourself
thinking "My dog behaves great in class, but no out in the real world!"
This class takes you and your dog all over our beautiful town, where we work on
obedience skills and test them in real life situations. 6-week class that
meets in six different locations each week, including parks, shops, and farms.
Class runs rain or shine, and is completely outdoors. Designed for dogs
over 7 months of age that have completed Beyond Basic 102 Obedience or Puppy 102
Obedience. Owners must have basic leash control, and dogs should be able
to sit, down, wait, and keep off easily. Canine Good Citizen Prep Class
For dogs and owners who wish to prepare for the Canine Good
Citizen Certification, this class includes group and one-on-one work. All
exercises are designed to over-prepare a dog for all 10 exercises necessary to
receive the certification, which is typically held the week following the last
of the 4 classes. Swift Start Obedience
No time to train? If you have limited time to attend training classes, but your wayward adolescent or adult dog needs some obedience *now*, this class might be for you. Designed for dogs of any breed over 6 months of age, this class meets just three times yet covers all Basics of Obedience, including general dog behavior, 13 basic performance requests, and loose leash walking. Some structured socializing is also included. Motivating your dog, playing good-habit-forming games, and basic communication language are stressed. Each class is just under 2 hours long. Agility & Tricks 101
For puppies and dogs of any breed over 5 months of age, this is a wonderful, confidence-building class for any dog. Agility is the fastest growing dog sport in the world, and for good reason - it is a fun way to expand your dog's thinking skills, balance capabilities, and ability to negotiate obstacles in a safe, confident manner. Its also great exercise (for both you and your dog!) The dozens of tricks taught in the class are not only fun, but also serve as helpful ways for your dog and children to safely interact. Recreational Agility 102This class is geared towards people who have fallen in love with the sport of agility through our 101 class and are interested in increasing their skills. Off-leash work is central to this class, because to really enjoy the sport of agility, handlers need to be able to run their dogs off-leash. In addition to working towards off-leash control, key elements of this class include getting your dog to focus on you, improving your timing with commands, getting better contacts, and running simple courses. This class is a great way to exercise and bond with your dog and enjoy special, productive time with each other each week. For dogs of any breed 7 months or older, and owners of any skill level. Ongoing Recreational Agility 103This class is for people who have completed our 101 and 102 classes and wish to continue on to more advanced skills. Taught by our very own agility-titled instructor Kat, in addition to running courses and proper handling, students will have a great time learning and practicing all the really fun and challenging agility skills such as front and rear crosses, traps, and super fast weave poles! These are ongoing class sessions in which all dogs work off leash. Working at this level of agility provides a wonderful outlet for high energy, active dogs and is highly rewarding for their owner partners. Conformation Handling
For puppies and dogs of all ages, all breeds. Unlike most handling classes that focus on the structure of dogs, our class emphasizes the handler's skills - eye contact with the judge, presentation, speed and timing, etc. Stacking, free-baiting, and moving work are done, and hands on work with the dogs is done several times during each class. Great class for beginning handlers and novice dogs. |
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