Classes for every dog.
CLASS LOCATION
Please check before attending to ensure you know the location of your class.
PLEASE NOTE:
Classes are limited in size and can fill quickly, with a waiting list. Please pay online when you register. If you have trouble getting payment to go through, you must call 919-864-0229 to make alternate payment arrangements. Failure to follow these instructions will result in your name being dropped from the roster before the first day of class so another student can attend.
KinderPuppy
Cost: $195 (PLEASE DO NOT PAY ONLINE. COMPLETE REGISTRATION, CHOOSE START DATE & PAY AT 1ST CLASS.)
Class size: 3-6 (Please contact us if class is full. We may be able to start a new section.)
Class length: 6 weeks with rolling enrollment (Start when your puppy is ready and enroll for 6 consecutive weeks.)
For: 8 weeks-4.5 months when starting class
KinderPuppy helps you start your young puppy (8wks-4.5mos) on the road to being a well-adjusted, well-mannered adult dog. I strongly encourage you to enroll as soon after 8 weeks as possible, to ensure your puppy gets those crucial early experiences. There is a critical socialization period that closes around 16 weeks. Having a variety of safe, novel experiences during this period increases your puppy’s ability to handle new people, vet visits, and other life events. Isolating your puppy from dogs, people, and the outdoors contributes to behavior problems that may never resolve.
Combining positive reinforcement training with play, Puppy PE, and socialization exercises, you and your puppy will develop a lasting bond, making subsequent classes (and life in general) easier and more fun for both of you.
Puppies must have been in the home for at least a week, received their first puppy shots (not the whole series, just one!), be free of parasites, and be declared healthy by YOUR veterinarian (Not the rescue’s or breeder’s).
The Dog Lady follows the guidelines from the Position Statement of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. The AVSAB states:
“…the combination of maternal immunity, primary vaccination, and appropriate care makes the risk of infection relatively small compared to the chance of death from a behavior problem… Enrolling in puppy classes prior to three months of age can be an excellent means of improving training, strengthening the human-animal bond, and socializing puppies in an environment where the risk of illness can be minimized.”
Better Than Obedience 1 Online Better Than Obedience 1 In-Person
Cost: $195
Class size: 3-6
Class length: 6 weeks
For: 5+ months through adulthood. Ideal for all dogs, including reactive/fearful dogs (online version only)!
Ever struggled in a class to get your dog’s attention, missing the instruction and getting more and more frustrated? DOGS LEARN BEST WHEN TRAINING STARTS WITH NO DISTRACTIONS! By starting with BTO1 Online, you are setting your dog (and you!) up for success, without having to fight the traffic to get to class. Professional dog trainers know that efficient training involves teaching the dog a behavior and THEN adding distractions. Take BTO1 Online and then move forward to the challenge of an in-person class such as BTO1 In-Person, A Walk In The Park or Training Games.
Both BTO1 Online and BTO1 In-Person cover basic training such as sit/stay, down/stay, go to place, loose leash walking, leave it, drop it, and even relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.
The online class is great for any dog, but especially for those who are TOO FEARFUL, ANXIOUS, OR REACTIVE to be in a class setting. Some students with reactive dogs have remarked that taking BTO1 Online has reduced their dog’s leash reactivity and improved the ability of their dog to rely on them in difficult situations when they might otherwise over-react.
BTO1 Online is also ideal if your dog is being treated for parasites or another medical condition such as heartworms that requires they be kept away from other dogs or kept from over-exertion.
Even if your dog is fine with other dogs and people, adolescents (5mos-2yrs), may seem to suddenly ‘forget’ everything they learned in a puppy class. I can help you advance their training during this challenging period. And if you just adopted an adult dog, I can help you teach them the basics required to live successfully in a human world.
Take It On the Road
Cost: $195
Class size: 3-6
Class length: 6 weeks
For: Dogs who have taken 1-2 training classes such as KinderPuppy plus BTO1, or BTO1
PLEASE NOTE: THIS CLASS IS NOT SUITABLE FOR FEARFUL OR REACTIVE DOGS.
If it has been a year or more since your last class, please schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation before enrolling by calling (919)864-0229.
Having trouble with training in the real world outside your house and classes? In real-life settings, you will learn to get and keep your dog’s attention, and teach them to respond to cues even if that pesky squirrel is calling their name!
Learn not only how to improve your dog’s training, but how to identify whether they are in the, “Think And Learn Zone,” and how to get them to orient their attention to you, even with distractions. We utilize Training Games, Pattern Games, and other fun modalities to increase your observation and training skills and your dog’s level of reliability (ability to follow your cues regardless of environmental factors). By meeting in various locations in Durham, you increase your dog’s reliability even more.
By learning more advanced training skills and increasing your dog’s reliability, you help them live more easily in the human world with fewer behavior problems.
Reactive Dog
Cost: $195/person or $275/couple from the same household
Class size: 4-10 people
Class length: 6 weeks
For: Anyone with a Leash Reactive dog
Does your dog overreact when out for a walk? Do they seem frustrated, overly excited, or even aggressive toward other dogs or people while on a leash? In this class, you will learn effective training and management skills to make daily life with your Leash Reactive dog easier and more peaceful.
Since this is a no-dogs class, you will be able to relax and focus on learning, then practice the techniques at home.
You will leave your dog at home for this class. Each session is a combination of a lecture, videos, demonstrations, and student practice using the instructor’s dogs. Homework involves practicing with your own dog at home.
NOTE: This class is not suitable if you have a dog with a history of biting people or attacking and biting another dog. If you are unsure, please contact Joanne for a free 15-minute phone consultation to determine if private sessions are a better fit.
A Walk In The Park (Loose Leash Walking)
Cost: $195
Class size: 3-6
Class length: 6 weeks
For: Students who have taken at least one training class such as Better Than Obedience 1
Please Note: This is NOT a class for leash reactive dogs.
A 6-week class focusing exclusively on Loose Leash Walking! You will learn multiple techniques that train your dog to focus on you on walks, to walk with you without pulling, and to be able to relax if you stop to chat while out on a walk.
Class meets at a variety of park and urban locations so student/dog teams can practice in real-life settings.
Emotional Support Dog
Cost: $195
Class size: 3-6
Class length: 6 weeks
For: Dogs who have taken a basic training class
Although a Service Dog must be trained to do specific tasks, there are no laws governing training for Emotional Support Dogs (ESDs). Many landlords resist accepting ESDs due to bad experiences with untrained or poorly trained dogs. I want to change that! By taking the Emotional Support Dog course, you will be training your dog to be an example of what a great ESD can be. Training focuses on teaching your dog calm behavior, dealing with distractions, walking past other dogs, and skills that make apartment living easier for you, your dog, and your landlord and neighbors.
