Classes

Our fun, drop-in socializing class designed for older puppies, from 4-9 months of age. Still too early to expose your dog to the unpredictable environment of dog parks, this is a nice way for older pups to continue to socialize in a supervised environment, with you present. No prior training is necessary; all puppies be current on their DHLPP vaccinations and be enrolled in a Riverdog Puppy 101 or 102 Obedience class to participate.

For puppies 3 - 5 months of age, this class starts every puppy off right, including the basics (sit, down, stay, off, come), plus walking on a loose leash, sharing, house-training, crate training, positive reinforcement, and most importantly - structured socialization! This is a critical time for your puppy to learn proper social behavior, how to tolerate gentle handling, how to share food and other resources, and the beginnings of self control. Motivating your dog, playing good-habit-forming games, training equipment, leadership, and basic communication language are stressed. Small and toy breed puppies may attend up through 12 months of age.

At some point in your dog's training, you might find yourself thinking "My dog behaves great in class, but not 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 pups of any age that have completed a Basic/Puppy 101 class. Owners must have good leash control, and dogs should be able to sit, down, wait, and keep off easily.

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 5 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 may also be included. Motivating your dog, playing good-habit-forming games, and basic communication language are stressed. Each class is just under 2 hours long.

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!

This six week class will introduce your dog to the exciting game of K9 Nose Work®. The primary goal of this class is to have fun by allowing your dog to connect with his/her “inner hunter.” Each week you will see your dog’s confidence and enthusiasm increase as various challenges are added to the searches. You will have fun getting to know the other students in the class and cheering each other on as the dogs become more and more engaged in the game.

Got a clever dog? Looking for ways to add more fun to your obedience? The dozens of tricks taught in this class are not only fun, but are also super practical. We teach self control tricks, such as Play Dead and Shake, that serve as helpful ways for your dog to safely interact with all kinds of people, especially children. There will also be Commando tricks, Oldies But Goodies, and Movie Star tricks to spice up your life with your pet!

This 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.

Petite Pooch Agility provides an exciting and challenging venue for our companions of small stature. This class is open to all dogs under 25 pounds, 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!

This class is designed to teach you how to best interact with your own dog that is overly reactive to other dogs, people and in novel circumstances (a motor cycle speeds by unexpectedly, a trash can is left on the sidewalk, etc.). We use progressive positive behavior conditioning to develop new responses to situations that prompt your dog to over-react. This class will accommodate only 6 dogs to ensure effective learning and practice. All participants must complete a questionnaire that will be submitted at the first class meeting. The first week of class is a required orientation for people only. Dogs do not attend the first week so participants can focus on information without managing their reactive dogs. You may also be contacted by one of our experienced instructors prior to the first class to discuss specific issues/needs. Be prepared to learn new ways of relating to your dog that will increase their ability to handle challenging situations.

For dogs and handlers new to training, and those wanting better attention from their teammate. We use a clicker in this class. Human exercises for learning clicker timing, and exercises for the dog to get a good start on attention. Stationary exercises, short heeling segments, changes of pace and direction in this class. Attention & Focus is a 4 week class, and a good pre-class before Rally or starting any obedience class."

A wonderful way to invest in your dog and your community is by doing pet "therapy" as a team. You volunteer to visit people in places where the presence of a loving dog can provide much needed support and comfort, such as hospitals and court rooms. This program provides a new level of training, support, assessment and deployment of canine-human teams, focusing on canine behavior and handling skills. We will work towards mastering the K9to5 National Therapy Dog standards such as displaying an appropriate temperament, interacting safely and predictable with people of all ages & abilities, demonstrating both dog and human friendliness, and responding obediently in a variety of environments. Certification testing is offered at the conclusion of the class. All dogs must attain their Canine Good Citizen certification prior to becoming certified.

AKC Rally is the new fun dog sport that introduces canine teams to the world of judged obedience or agility. The main objective of Rally is to give dogs that have been trained to behave in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs, the opportunity to learn and showcase more advanced skills in a fun environment. Designed with the traditional pet owner in mind, a rally course includes 10 to 20 stations at which a particular skill is to be demonstrated. All the Novice exercises are covered and coursework is practiced. While this class is ‘aimed’ at those wanting to compete, it is a fun class for anyone wanting to do ‘more’ with their dog.

Classes are held in modular format; if you miss a class, pick up the same module in the next session, or attend a practice as make-up!

Rally Freestyle Elements takes the creative and fun tricks of Freestyle, and the coursework of Rally, to create unique Rally Freestyle Elements courses. This class works on the basics - mastering positions, behaviors, and transitions needed to compete in Rally Freestyle Elements. Students will be working towards fading food lures and increasing voice control of the behaviors, using props, clickers, and other techniques. Limit: 10 per class or drop in. Check the Class Schedule for class / practice dates!

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.