Training
Class Descriptions
Puppy Kindergarten Class
Geared toward puppies 9 to 16 weeks of age, this class is designed to give owners a guide to best prepare their dogs for the future as an adult. The focus here is not training of obedience commands – although we introduce a couple of essential ones – but the socialization of the pet to lead to a happy and confident life and to develop into a family partner with the owner. Puppy Kindergarten is designed for continuous enrollment, allowing the puppy to interract with puppies of various ages and play styles.
A well-run Puppy Kindergarten class is an important step in every puppy’s life.
As Dr. Ian Dunbar, world renown animal behaviorist, stated:
“The risks associated with attending puppy classes are minimal to nonexistent and the benefits are positively huge. Puppies learn: 1) bite inhibition through puppy play; and 2) proper interaction with people during off-leash play, while being handled by strangers. And owners learn to train their puppies in a controlled setting in which training is integrated with play. In this setting, a puppy's reward for training is play with other dogs.
“It makes sense that if a pup grows up meeting lots of people and going to lots of different places, and always having fun when it happens, he’ll grow into a confident, secure adult dog who loves to meet people, visit places, and is comfortable in all situations. If a puppy is shielded from new experiences and people, though, he’ll likely grow up to be timid and possibly frightened of new things. Also, an under-socialized dog is more likely to react defensively around new people and in new situations and this is potentially dangerous. It is important to note that most bites occur because a dog is fearful and unsure, not because he is ‘dominant’ or ‘protective.’ A socialized dog with many good experiences under his belt is a confident dog, and a confident dog is always impressive and solid in character.”
​
Puppy Kindergarten - $165
-
6 week course, 1 hour per week
-
Open to puppies 9-16 weeks of age
-
Ongoing class
-
Must show veterinary proof of age-appropriate vaccinations as well as proof of a clear fecal exam on or before the first day of class
-
Saturday - 9:30 am -10:30am
​
Adolescent Puppy Class
This class is for puppies 16 to 20 weeks of age and is designed to give the owner information about adolescent puppies, how upcoming maturation changes will affect their dog’s behavior, and to serve as a guide as to how to best prepare their dog for the future as an adult. The class is designed with continuous enrollment. The adolescent puppy will have the experience of interaction with puppies at various ages and play styles, along with a first acquaintance with a wider set of obedience commands.
​
Adolescent Puppy Class - $175
-
6 week course, 1 hour per week
-
Open to puppies 4 - 6 months of age
-
Ongoing class
-
Must show veterinary proof of age-appropriate vaccinations as well as proof of a clear fecal exam on or before the first day of class
-
Saturday - 11am - noon
​
Basic Obedience
Basic Obedience class is designed for dogs 6 months and older. This class introduces you and your dog to the most common Basic obedience commands, including sit, down, walk nicely on a leash, come, wait, stay etc. We teach the importance of continuing to work with your dog beyond puppy classes. How learning new things staves off senescence, adds enrichment to your dog’s life and deepens your relationship with your dog.
​
Basic Obedience - $175
-
7 week course, 1 hour per week
-
Open to dogs 6 months and above
-
Must show veterinary proof of age appropriate vaccinations on or before the first day of class
-
September 23rd, First Saturday 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Note: No dogs on first day
-
All other classes Saturdays 12:30 pm -1:30 pm
​
Packages
-
Fido's First Steps - Purchase Puppy Kindergarten Class and Adolescent Puppy Class at the same time and receive both classes for $320. Classes purchased separately are $340. Puppy and Adolescent classes must be completed within 8 weeks of starting the class. Each individual class must be completed within 8 weeks of start date. Right now it kind of sounds like both classes have to be done in 8 weeks.
-
Fido's Continuing Education - Purchase the Basic Obedience class and one advanced class at the same time and receive both classes for $335. Regularly priced at $355.
-
All classes must be completed within 6 months of purchase date (package and individual classes)
-
Classes must be purchased for and used by the same dog. Classes are non transferable (package and individual classes).
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Canine Good Citizenship
Canine Good Citizenship class is a great way to proof your pup’s obedience skills. We meet out in the world in a different location each week and put your dog’s basic obedience skills to work in the real world. You may discover fun new places to take your animal during this class. We will encounter joggers, walkers, other dogs, children, squirrels, ducks, geese and other wildlife. This is a fun class that will test you and your pup! In this class, we prepare you and your pet to take the AKC Canine Good Citizenship test, and set up the test for you with a certified evaluator.
​
Canine Good Citizenship - $180
-
6 week course, 1 hour per week
-
Open to dogs who have completed Basic Obedience Class
-
Instructor permission required
-
Saturday - October 4th 8:00 a.m -9:00 a.m
​
Agility Training
Agility class is always a fun time. We introduce you and your pet to new obstacles and teach you how to maneuver through an agility course. This takes good teamwork and a great sense of humor. You and your pet will learn your lefts from your rights, how to tackle new hurdles and increase the trust between the two of you.
​
Intro to Agility - $180
-
6 week course, 1 hour per week
-
Open to dogs 6 months and above
-
Instructor permission required
-
Saturday - October 14th 2:30 p.m - 3:30 p.m
Tricks
Tricks class is a great class to improve your teamwork skills with your dog. You and your dog learn how to perform new tasks together. Tricks are fun to teach and your dog will love having new skills. This is a fun class where we introduce you to approximately 30 new behaviors…you only have to master 6 to graduate! (LOL.)
​
Tricks Class - $180
-
6 week course, 1 hour per week
-
Open to dogs 4 months and above
-
Instructor permission required
-
Time/date TBD
​
Intermediate Obedience Class
Intermediate Obedience class takes your Obedience work to a whole new level. Intermediate Obedience is geared toward the owner and dog who are looking for the next challenge and wanting to have fun while mastering it. We introduce some distance work and guide you and your pup on your path to off leash control.
​
Intermediate Obedience - $180
-
6 week course, 1 hour per week
-
Open to dogs who have completed Basic Obedience
-
Instructor permission required
-
Time/Date TBD
​
Introductory Nose Work Class
Introductory Nose Work class uses your dog’s strongest sense, his/her NOSE! We teach you how to direct your pup to follow a scent on command, and earn fabulous rewards for doing what comes naturally. Dogs love using their noses and pleasing their owners at the same time.
Supplemental Obedience and Socialization Class (SOS)
Just as the name implies, the Supplemental Obedience and Socialization classes (SOS) are geared toward reenforcing and maintaining the skills and social attitudes we encourage in our puppy and obedience classes. We offer SOS as a safe outlet to help provide busy people the means to maintain the socialization and obedience training they value so much in their pets. Since these are group “play dates” with carefully matched participants, attendance at SOS is restricted to dogs with whom the owners and staff of The Educated Pet have had prior class experience.
Private Training
Some owners find one-on-one training a better fit for them. Private training sessions are dedicated to helping individual owners train their pups at a pace that is comfortable for them. We work on their schedule and target their specific training goals.
​
Behavior Consultations
From time to time, a dog may exhibit behavioral issues that prove to be a social challenge in the home or the outside that are an enigma to even the most experienced owners. Holding certifications from the University of Washington in Applied Animal Behavior (UW-AAB), utilizing the most recent scientific information, mathematical techniques of temperament analysis, and with more than 25 years of experience, the staff of The Educated Pet can help you to understand the fundamental reasons for your dog’s aberrant behavior. Moreover, we will provide you – often in conjunction with your veterinarian – positive reinforcement-based techniques and structured exercises to help correct and manage your dog’s behavior.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Note: Individual classes must be completed within eight weeks of start date; all
classes purchased in advance must be completed within six months of purchase.
Notes:
-
Minimum class size must be met for all classes
-
All dates and times are subject to change
Costs and Paywall (payment information)
-
Payment must be received by the beginning of the first class.
-
We accept cash, checks, Visa and Mastercard.
-
There will be a fee added for the processing of credit cards.
-
There will be a $30 returned item fee assessed for any payment not honored by your bank or credit card company.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Requirements
Vaccination & Health Requirements
-
All dogs and puppies must provide proof of age-appropriate vaccinations prior to, or on, the first day of class.
-
All puppies must have received a well puppy exam from a local veterinarian prior to starting class.
-
All puppies must have a clear fecal exam prior to joining class.
-
The Educated Pet also recommends that you have your dog vaccinated with the H3N8 Canine Influenza vaccine as well as Leptospirosis.
-
If your dog shows any signs of illness, please keep them home from class and contact our staff.
-
The Educated Pet reserves the right to send any dog home if they come to class with any potentially contagious health issues, or dangerous behavior issues.
Required equipment
-
6 foot leather, nylon, or cotton leash
-
Buckle or safety clip collar
-
Appropriate Walking Harness
Accepted Equipment
-
Body Harnesses
-
Head Halters
Equipment that is never allowed
-
Flexi or retractable leashes
-
Choke Chains /Martingale collars
-
Pinch or Prong Collars
-
Chain Leashes
-
Shock Collars
General Information
-
For all classes please arrive on time. We start classes at the time stated, and late arrivals are disruptive to the rest of the class. If you do arrive late, please wait at the entrance to the training room until the instructor reaches a natural stopping point and invites you to join the class.
-
Dates and fees are subject to change without prior notice.
-
Minimum class size must be met or start dates may be postponed.
-
Although most classes are held indoors, they may still be postponed due to extreme weather conditions.
Receipt, Refunds & Discounts
-
Refunds, or discounts minus any convenience fees, will be made only if requested prior to the end of the first class session.
-
If classes were paid for by check, refund will be processed only after funds have been credited by the bank.
-
There will be NO REFUNDS under any other circumstances.