____________________
Obedience Classes starting this Saturday, September 22nd with Instructor Trish Swinney
Whether you just want your dog to be a great companion or hope to start him on the road to competitive dog sports, you’ll need the Basics & more. Six 1-hour weekly sessions, $110 Encourage your friends and neighbors to train their dogs. It makes for a nice canine community as well as enriching the lives of both human & canine.
Shaping involves guiding your dog into performing a behavior by selectively marking and rewarding small approximations of said behavior. It allows the animal to explore and experiment with different behaviors and alternatives without any pressure from the trainer. Because of this, it is a very powerful tool for socializing and for overcoming and preventing fears and phobias. Free shaping (marking and rewarding behaviors without a final goal other than the offering of behaviors) with an object allows dogs to interact with the object of their fears on their own terms and at their own pace thereby gaining some powerful positive associations. Since there is little distraction from the trainer during the shaping process, dogs learn to figure things out themselves and to have the initiative to offer behaviors rather than passively wait to be “told” what to do. It is a very powerful skill, that can be used to teach some complicated behaviors, but requires a certain amount of patience and skill from the trainer as well. One of the major concerns in agility and obedience training and trialing is noise sensitivity and motion sensitivity, not to mention a dog that lacks the courage or initiative to work away from its handler. Through shaping, you can help your dog cope with these fears or hopefully avoid them altogether, as well as gain the confidence to try new things.
In this class you will learn the basics of positive reinforcement, including proper reward placement, when to add cues, how to shape behaviors and use targets, behavior chains and other training shortcuts appropriately. We will also work on using these skills to help dogs with motion and noise sensitivity, teaching a retrieve and building toy drive. A major class assignment throughout the course will be working on a complicated trick of your choice.
Week 1: Basics of Clicker Training and Shaping;
Week 2: Targets & Shortcuts
Week 3: Motion Sensitivity
Week 4: Sound Sensitivity
Week 5: Toy and Retrieving
Week 6: Polishing Final Trick
$125 for the six-weeks or $25 per class on a drop-in basis (subject to space in the class and you must attend the first class.)
Head Start Puppy class starting Wednesday, September 26th 7:15-8:15 pm, cost is $115 for six sessions or $20 per night. Help your pup develop into a calm, capable adult through training in self-control, drive-building, basic obedience and exposure to new things, people and dogs. Best for dogs under 6 months that have had their first two puppy shots. First class is an orientation for the humans (no dogs)! Next 5 classes are for humans & dogs. Household members are welcome as well. Orientation session is scheduled for September 26th. Instructor: Sheyla Gutierrez, CPDT-KA & Tracy Hanna
_______________________
_______________________
Do you have a dog that lacks confidence?
Do you want to deepen the bond between you & your four-legged best friend?
Not sure if you or your dog will like a particular sport?
If so, we have a fun class planned that might interest you…. a Canine Sports Sampler!
A six week class that introduces your dog to a different sport each week — Agility, Rally, Retrieving (for flyball or frisbee), Scent work, Treiball & Tricks.
Cost would be $115 for the 6 weeks or if the class isn’t full, you can come by-the-week for $22.
Spaces will only be held if payment is received prior to class start dates. Refunds for cancellations less than 1 week prior to class start date are only available if your space can be filled off a waiting list.
Paws In Motion - Indoor Air Conditioned Dog Training Facility - Miami, Florida 