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Group Dog Classes

Image of owners completing adult dog training.

Good Dog 101

For: Puppies and Dogs 5 months and older
Length: 6 one-hour sessions (weekly)
Prerequisites: Adult/adolescent dogs who have graduated from Puppy Kindergarten or dogs that are new to Wholistic Hound Academy.

Good manners and basic life skills make living with our dogs easier, safer, and much more fun. Whether your dog is new to training, needs some refreshing, or you have a new dog, this class teaches you how to train the basics that all dogs need, like sit, down, stay, come when called, leash manners, impulse control, and more. By teaching you how to integrate training into your everyday life, busy schedules won't keep you from training your dog. We will also teach you how to get (and keep) your dog’s attention on you, build solid name recognition, polite greetings, and how to avoid or stop jumping, pulling, barking, chewing on your stuff, and other very normal dog behaviors that are inappropriate in the human home and in the neighborhood.

Attendance required at the first class and dogs DO NOT attend. This is an orientation class. You will receive reading material and easy, but important training exercises to take home and start right away with your dog.

 

Good Dog 102

For: Adult/Adolescent Dogs 
Length: 6 one-hour sessions (weekly)
Prerequisite: Good Dog 101, private lessons with Wholistic Hound, or permission from the instructor. If you have not completed a Good Dog 101 class at the Academy, please contact our office at 703-962-6335 or email us at info@wholistichound.com before registering for Good Dog 102 class.
 
Good Dog 102 will take your dog training to the next level, by building on the foundation behaviors and training skills you learned in Good Dog 101.  

This class will emphasize the following areas:
Focus — you will learn how to build your dog’s focus commitment in difficult environments.

Stays — you will help develop your dog’s ability to stay at a distance and amidst surrounding distractions, such as other dogs and people.

Loose Leash Walking — you will learn how to work through those pesky issues that prevent our walks from being unalloyed pleasures.  You will deal with such issues as pulling, frequent sniffing, over arousal, and lack of connection.

Recall — a life-saving behavior, which deserves a prominent place in your training.  Emphasis will be placed on learning to recall your dog from competing distractions.

Polite Greeting — your dog was introduced in Good Dog 101 to the concept of four feet on the floor around other people, and this skill will be strengthened with proofing and novel situations.

Mat Work/ Boundary Games — Your dog has gotten used to the concept of lying calmly on his mat in a classroom setting.  Now you will learn how to send him to his mat, how to play games on and off his mat to modulate arousal levels, and how to help him
respect the mat boundaries even if other dogs are working or playing nearby.

Handler Skills — the extent of your dog’s learning is principally the product of your own skills as a trainer.  This class will add to the foundation skills learned in Good Dog 101 so that you will develop the clarity, confidence, and understanding to train your dog at home without constant guidance from a professional.

Relationship Building — Learn how play, concept training, and maintaining a healthy emotional bank account will vastly contribute to your dog’s overall well-being and further strengthen the bond between you. 
 
This program will improve skills needed to do more with your dog and help your dog to build the necessary life skills for navigating successfully in the human home and in the neighborhood. This class will also prepare your dog for the skills needed to pass the Canine Good Citizen Test.
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