Group Classes & Client Workshops
Welcome to our classes and workshops list. We offer a variety of class types for puppies, adults, and special needs pets. Please feel free to browse or use the links on the right to jump to the class of your choice. If you have any questions about content, expectations, etc. please feel free to contact us.
Quick Links
Group Classes
Workshops
Separation Anxiety Series:
Group Classes
Puppy Socialization Class - Zoom
$160.00
4 Weekly Sessions
Puppy socialization is like "vaccinating" your puppy for behavior problems. The socialization window for dogs only lasts from about 3 - 12 weeks of age. It is during this time that puppies learn what is normal in their world and what is not. Anything not experienced during this time frame can elicit a fear and even an aggressive response in adulthood.
Puppy classes will focus on bringing up a healthy puppy, exposing them to a variety of novel items and situations, plus give them the opportunity to play with puppies their own age! With rolling enrollment, never wait for a class. You can get started right away.
Lead Instructor: Christine Michaud
Puppy Life Skills Class - Zoom
$195.00
6 Weekly Sessions
Join us online for a fun, 6-week Zoom Puppy Skills class. This is something the two of you can do together, along with the whole family — and it’s even more important than ever, during this period of “self-isolation.” Here's some of what we’ll cover:
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Your puppy will come to realize that you are the most fun and exciting thing in his world!
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You’ll learn problem-solving strategies to help your pup when things get tough.
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We’ll incorporate games that teach your pup some basic skills, such as attention, polite walking, sit and wait, “come!", trade, and more.
If you’ve got a puppy, ages 12-20 weeks old, time is of the essence!
Lead Instructor: Susan Sanderson
Adolescent Skills Class - In Person
$215.00
7 Weekly Sessions
Puppies older than 16 weeks to 18 months. During adolescence puppies begin to become interested in the wider world. They stop listening, become easily distracted, their energy and endurance increases, and you become a satellite rather than the center of their world. To help your adolescent puppy become a great family dog we teach your adolescent dog to be calm in the house, stay, pay attention to us on walks, leave it, and much more. Our small classes include lots of one-on-one attention.
Lead Instructor: Jennifer Pennington
Puppy Play Group - In Person
$18.50 per session
Our team has developed a play group for puppies 8-14 weeks of age to achieve just that. Unfortunately, family members will be asked to stay outside, but our team of highly trained, certified pet professionals will guide play, provide support for your puppy, all while you watch with our Zoom link.
PLEASE NOTE - We organize our puppies into play groups based on their age, personality, and play style. Because families can register up until Thursday night, we won't know which puppy would play best with who until Friday morning. Therefore, Christine will send our the "Puppy Play Schedule" to our families on Fridays. This will indicate in which time slot your puppy will be participating.
Lead Instructor: Christine Michaud
Chill Out! - Zoom
$65.00
4 Weekly Sessions
Imagine it: your dog is starting to get wound up, agitated, and doesn’t know what to do with herself. You say “Bailey, go settle” and she find her mat, lie down, and take a deep breath. Sounds like a pipe dream doesn’t?
It doesn’t have to be. One of the foundation skills for our dogs, whether they’re just a silly puppy, highly anxious, or even aggressive, a settle and relax opens the door for a variety of other trained behaviors.
In this supportive, group environment, learn from the comfort and calm of your own home, but get professional coaching and troubleshooting on a weekly basis. Come with us to take the first step to teaching your dog to be calm.
Lead Instructor: Courtney Moyer
Muzzle Madness! - Zoom
$65.00
4 Weekly Sessions
Teach your dog to want to wear a muzzle.
The number one reason families come to see our practice is because of aggression. If you've met with us, you know that aggression is based out of fear. Your pet isn't giving you a hard time, she's having a hard time. Responsible pet owners know that muzzle training can be integral part of their pet's behavioral rehabilitation. Muzzles prevent "accidents," they advertise the need for personal space, and it can give everyone piece of mind.
In this four week course, we'll teach families how to train their pet not just to tolerate wearing a muzzle, but how to truly love when it comes out of the drawer. Though this course is designed with our current clients in mind, it's open to anyone who wants to better learn how to train muzzles.
Lead Instructions: Kayla Frazier
Reactivity Class: Training Both Ends of the Leash
$275.00
6 Weekly Sessions
Does your dog bark, lung, snarl, or growl at others dogs while out on walks? What starts as a relaxing walk to get some exercise and fresh air turns into a disaster. This class was made for you!
The goal of this course is to help families understand why their dogs do these behaviors how they can change their own behavior to help their dogs, and teach their dogs simple skills and techniques. We want to teach both of you how to stay calm in the presence of these triggers.
This 6-week course will be completed in-person at our Fairfax office location. We will only be accepting 4 participants per course to ensure proper safety and management of all participants. The first week will be an orientation week with just the clients - no dogs allowed. The remaining 5 weeks will be in-person with dogs present to begin to work through their individual reactivity in a group setting.
Instructors: Kayla Frazier and Courtney Moyer
Client Workshops
New Puppy Workshop
Available Times:
Every other Saturday at 12:00pm
In this 60-minute workshop, we will take you on the whirlwind tour of new puppy ownership. It's so much easier to prevent problems rather than dealing with them once they're bad habits. We'll talk about house training, feeding habits, play behaviors, and so much more. This discussion is available as both in person or remotely, via Zoom. No puppies in this session please.
P.S. - This is also great for any new dog owner, young or old.
Instructor: Christine Michaud
Practical Dog Training - Zoom
$35.00 per family
Available Times:
Saturdays at 8:00am
Register
This workshop takes place via ZOOM. In this workshop we will teach you the basics of positive reinforcement training. Learn about how you can use marker training, luring, shaping, and capturing to teach your dog new things! We will learn three cues that every dog should know: a hand target,"look", and "place". Improve your communication with your dog so that you can better understand each other. This workshop is great whether your dog is brand new to your home or if you have a not-so-new dog that needs a refresher on training.
Instructor: Courtney Moyer
Prepping for Baby
It's hard enough trying to figure out what equipment you need, how many diapers, how you're possibly going to get enough sleep... but now you also have to worry about ensuring your fur-babies are going to get along with the furless-baby. In this 90 minute session, we'll teach you how to do just that. Learn about some of the common pitfalls, what you can be doing now to help with the transition, and ways to ensure everyone stays safe and happy in the years to come.
Instructor: Christine Michaud
Workshop Series
Separation Anxiety Series
Detaching Your Velcro Dog
$35.00 per family
Available Times:
July 25th at 1:30pm
Does your dog follow you around from room to room?
Has this “velcro” behavior started or possibly increased in intensity since becoming stuck in the house 24/7? This 1 hour class will discuss tips and tricks that we can utilize to help improve the ability for your dog to be comfortable with independence.
Instructor: Kayla Frazier
Separation Anxiety Series
Graduating Departure Class of 2020
$35.00 per family
Available Times:
August 1st at 1:30pm
Do you have a dog with mild to severe separation anxiety? Have you had a full-time life that has never allowed you to focus on the training to help your dog through departures? Well, quarantine is the BEST time to
focus on your dog’s graduated departure plan, as we do not have any time constraints when we leave the house! This 1 hour long class will break down how to devise a successful and easy to follow departure plan for you and your dog!
Instructor: Kayla Frazier
Separation Anxiety Series
The Role of Products & Medications
$18.50 per family
Available Times:
August 8th at 1:30pm
A lot of families will have heard conflicting information about the use of products to manage separation anxiety. In this 30 minute session, Kayla will go through how supplements can fit into your program, when medication might be warranted, and what to look out for if you're using them.
Instructor: Kayla Frazier
Register for the Entire Series
If you think all three of those workshops sound good, we have a deal for you!
Register for all three at once and get them at a discounted rate plus a one-on-one training session with Kayla.