Intro to K9 Fitness

In this introductory K9 fitness class, handlers will learn about the importance of conditioning, body structure, angulation and appropriate posture.  Dogs will be taught exercises to increase flexibility, strength, endurance, balance and proprioception both with K9 Fitness equipment and identifying things in their own home and/or environment.  Class size limited to 8 dogs.  No human or dog aggressive dogs please.

INTRO TO K9 NOSE WORK,® SNIFF YOUR WAY TO CONFIDENCE

In this class, Angie teaches the initial foundation skills to enable your dog to discover and enhance their natural hunt drive, have fun, play, and build their curiosity and confidence. You and your dog will strengthen your bond utilizing their natural desire to hunt while having fun & burning energy, both mentally and physically. The primary goal is fun! Where dogs get to be dogs! Dogs work independently of each other and with their team handler. This class is for any type of dog, regardless of breed, size or temperament, and is great for dogs that are shy or reactive around other dogs and/or people, dogs with social or situational anxiety preventing them from joining typical training classes, dogs with hearing or sight impairments, or even those who are retired working dogs in need of a "job" to keep them busy and happy.

Advanced K9 Nose Work®: Up & Out.

Advanced K9 Nose Work® continues the foundational concepts learned in Intro to K9 Nose Work® and takes the game to a new and more fun level, increasing dogs' natural scenting abilities and their desire to hunt by increasing the intricacy of the game. It uses problem solving techniques and games by raising the height of the "hide" (treat) and teaching the dogs to hunt with distractions and in new locations. The primary goal is fun! Where dogs get to be dogs! Dogs work independently of each other and with their team handler. Completion of Intro to K9 Nose Work® required.

K9 Nose Work®: Intro to Odor.

This class introduces the essential oil Birch and utilizes the foundation principles of K9 Nose Work® learned in Intro and Advanced K9 Nose Work.® It provides the skills for competition if the owner so chooses or just another avenue of fun for both the dog and handler. Dogs will conduct box drills, indoor searches and introduction to exterior searches on odor while continuing the fun and confidence building the dogs have so enjoyed. Completion of Advanced K9 Nose  Work® required.

K9 Nose Work®: Vehicle & Exteriors

In this class dogs and their handlers are introduced to vehicle searches and exterior searches using the essential oil Birch.  Dogs will learn how to search a vehicle and conduct exterior searches as well as the way odor moves with the wind and on certain materials.  Competition procedures will also be discussed for those who wish to continue in this amazing new urban sport! Completion of Intro to Odor required.

K9 Nose Work®: Continuing Odor I

In this class, dogs and their handlers apply what they learned in Intro to Odor and will do interior searches, threshold work, corners and raised hides.  Dogs will learn how to search a room, problem solve corner hides as well as raised hides and threshold work.  Teams will learn the way odor moves within a room, bounces off walls and objects as well as the intricacy of corners. Completion of Intro to Odor required.

K9 Nose Work®: Continuing Odor II.

In Continuing Odor II dogs and their handlers will be getting ready for trial by applying what they learned in Continuing Odor I and Vehicles & Exteriors. Dogs will do exterior searches, multiple vehicle searches, interior searches, and containers in order to prepare them for competition. Dogs will learn how to search a room more efficiently, work thresholds and corner hides, learn how odor moves with multiple vehicles as well as the challenges of exterior searches.  More detailed competition procedures will be discussed for those who wish to compete in this amazing new urban sport! Completion of Continuing Odor I and Vehicle & Exteriors required.

K9 Nose Work®: Continuing Odor: Fun With Containers

In this class, dogs and their handlers will learn to work various types of containers including boxes, luggage, plastic containers and more both with and without distractions.  Teams will learn to work through lingering odor, pooling odor, how to search various types of containers and the importance of search patterns.

K9 Nose Work®: Interiors/Containers

In this class, dogs and their handlers will increase their searching skills with interior and container searches.  Interiors will consist of working on threshold hides, raised hides and the importance of corners, perimeters, walls and search patterns.  Containers will consist of becoming introduced to containers similar to that in an ORT/Trial and learning to work through pooling odor and other challenges with container searches. Completion of Intro to Odor required.

K9 Nose Work®: Skill Building

In this class specific exercises are designed to improve handler skills including leash handling, search patterns and spatial considerations and reading your dog’s body language. Also, work on exercises for your dog to improve odor obedience, efficiency in working scent cones, sourcing odor with accessible and inaccessible hides, low and raised hides in all four elements: interiors, containers, exteriors and vehicles.

K9 Nose Work®: Skill Building - NW1

In this class specific exercises are designed to improve handler skills including leash handling, beginning search patterns, spatial considerations and reading your dog's body language. Also, work on exercises for your dog to improve odor obedience, efficiency in working scent cones, sourcing odor with accessible, low and raised hides in all four elements: interiors, containers, exteriors and vehicles.

K9 Nose Work®: Skill Building - NW3/Elite

In this class specific exercises are designed to improve search plans, improved use of time in search area, better recognition of change of behavior, multiple hides in an area and complex search areas and hide locations.

Basic Obedience.

In this class you and your dog will learn not only the basics of obedience but also good manners.  Through positive reinforcement, shaping behaviors, using multiple ways of rewarding and teaching dogs to make good choices, you and your dog will learn the basics such as heel, sit, wait, down, and come as well as additional training/rehabilitation measures, specific to your dog and family dynamics.

Advanced Obedience.

In advanced obedience class you and your dog will take what was learned in Basic Obedience to the next level. You will learn more refined skills, including long distance sit/down stays, increased stay times, heeling from a sit/down, solid come command and off leash come command. Completion of a basic obedience class required.

Pawsitive Puppy! Elementary

In this class, puppies ages 15 -24 weeks will continue with the socialization and learning from Pawsitive Puppy! Puppies will work on more focused behaviors, impulse control games, appropriate door manners, loose leash heeling games, longer sits, stays, downs, recalls, more focus/engagement as well as increasing good manners.  We will also discuss how to deal with the ever changing stages your puppy is going through and how to keep bad habits from forming. Pre-Requisite: Pawsitive Puppy! or similar class. Bring a lot of  very small, soft easy to swallow high value food/treats and your dog’s favorite toy. (Roasted chicken, beef, turkey, cheese work great! Please bring more than one kind for picky puppies).  6-10 foot leashes (no flexis)

Love & Rehab for the Reactive Dog (Control Unleashed!)

Does your dog lunge, retreat, bark, growl or show fear/aggression towards other dogs, people or environmental situations?  This intro class is for dogs who have minor to mild reactive issues (fear or aggression).  In this class you will learn how to read your dog's body language, anticipate behavior and learn how to redirect and defer reactive outbursts. You and your dog will utilize exercises to reduce stress, anxiety and build confidence in order for your dog to handle situations better. Through games, exercises and threshold boundaries, your dog will begin to desensitize and feel safer and more comfortable in high stress situations.

Fun Brain Games for Puppies (3-8 months old)

Want to have a fun way for your puppy to learn basic obedience and appropriate behaviors? This class will utilize games and tricks to help teach your puppy the basics as well as other fun learning activities and will help shape good behaviors and provide mental and physical stimulation.

Fun With Tricks and Games (9 months and up)

Looking for a change in how your dog learns basic obedience?  Want to have with your dog while he/she learns new behaviors, fun tricks and provide mental stimulation?  Through fun games and tricks this class will provide a fun and unique way for your dog to learn and enhance the relationship you both have and strengthen your bond!

Tracking

In this class, you and your dog will learn the early foundation skills needing for tracking, including scent pads, beginning footsteps, and how scent moves.  This fun activity which will provide both mental and physical challenges and stimulation for you and your dog!  Bring small, soft, smelly, high value, easy to swallow food/treats.  Please wear closed toe shoes. This class will meet at off site locations to be announced each week.

Kids & K9s

Do you want your child to be more dog savvy? Do you want your child to be more involved with the family dog?  Don't have a family dog but want to teach your child how to be safe around dogs and how to approach a strange dog?  This workshop will engage young handlers in the training and activities of the family dog as well as teach them basic dog language and when and how it is safe to approach a new/strange dog. Whether you have a dog to bring to class or not, you are welcome! Through fun and games along with take home materials, Angie teaches young handlers how to be more proactive with the family dog and to learn what is inviting, play body language and what is potentially unacceptable behavior in a strange or new dog. This class is not appropriate for reactive dogs.