Puppy, Basic, and Advanced obedience
training is offered weekday evenings to make your pet a loving and
well behaved member of your family. Every year, thousands of dogs
are abandoned or euthanized due to behavior problems.
Obedience classes can eliminate most negative behaviors.
We also offer Canine Good Citizen
Testing. This is an AKC recognized test. Those who pass
the test can be eligible to participate in pet therapy at
hospitals.
Detailed information on these
classes and testing is further down this page.
Proof of vaccinations is
required to attend classes.
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Hints: We highly
recommend Gentle Leader Training collars which are available at
Noah's Treasures. They are available in 4 different sizes
that will fit any dog.
Choke Chain Proper Fit
Measure neck; add 2 inches (some breeds may require a larger chain
due to head size). The smallest link size available is
recommended.
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Puppy Manners classes
are highly recommended for new pets between 10 and 16 weeks of age
for socialization skills.
The 3 week course covers:
Common Behavior Problems
- Mouthing
- Chewing
- Jumping Up
Basic Training
- Sit
- Down
- Stay
- Come when it’s called.
- House breaking
Puppy Care
- Grooming
- How to brush your puppy’s
teeth
- Trim it’s toenails
- Clean it’s ears
- Bathing and brushing
- Nutrition and much more
Your puppy is only young once.
Take advantage of this time and start him off on the right
paw.
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Basic Classes
This class is designed to show you how to train your dog.
Using these exercises you will learn how to correct the bad
behaviors and praise the good ones. This will strengthen the bond
between you and your dog. These classes
include:
Heel On Leash:
This teaches your dog not to pull you down the street. He will
learn to walk next to you, sit automatically when you stop, change
speed, and also change direction when you do while staying by your
side.
Figure Eight Heeling
Pattern:
This exercise is used to teach your dog focused
attention.
Stand For
Examination:
Teaching your dog to stand and stay. This will help during bathing,
brushing, all types of grooming, cleaning your dogs paws as they
come in from outside as well as visits to your
veterinarian.
Front And
Finish:
The front command is used to teach your dog to come to you when
called. The finish is used to return your dog to the heel position
to be ready for the next command.
Sit Stay and Down
Stay:
One of the most help full things you can teach your dog to
do.
Length Of
Class:
8 weekly classes lasting one hour each.
Requirements For Class:
Your dog must be 5.5 months of age or older. There is no older age
limit. You must have a metal choke chain that fits correctly and a
6- foot leash (nylon or leather). Your pet must be up to
date on vaccines. If the pet is not a client of All
Creatures Animal Hospital a vaccine record is required, including a
Bordetella vaccine.
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Canine Good Citizen Test
Procedures
The purpose of the Canine Good
Citizen® Program is to ensure that our favorite companion, the dog,
can be a respected member of the community. To receive the CGC
certificate, dogs take the 10 item Canine Good Citizen® Test. Items
on the test include:
Test Item 1: Accepting a
friendly stranger
This test demonstrates that the dog
will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the
handler in a natural, everyday situation. The evaluator walks up to
the dog and handler and greets the handler in a friendly manner,
ignoring the dog.
The evaluator and handler shake
hands and exchange pleasantries. The dog must show no sign of
resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to
the evaluator.
Test Item 2: Sitting
politely for petting
This test demonstrates that the dog
will allow a friendly stranger to touch it while it is out with its
handler. With the dog sitting at the handler's side, to begin the
exercise, the evaluator pets the dog on the head and body. The
handler may talk to his or her dog throughout the exercise. The dog
may stand in place as it is petted. The dog must not show shyness
or resentment.
Test Item 3: Appearance and
grooming
This practical test demonstrates
that the dog will welcome being groomed and examined and will
permit someone, such as a veterinarian, groomer or friend of the
owner, to do so. It also demonstrates the owner's care, concern and
sense of responsibility.
The evaluator inspects the dog to
determine if it is clean and groomed. The dog must appear to be in
healthy condition (i.e., proper weight, clean, healthy and alert).
The handler should supply the comb or brush commonly used on the
dog. The evaluator then softly combs or brushes the dog, and in a
natural manner, lightly examines the ears and gently picks up each
front foot.
It is not necessary for the dog to
hold a specific position during the examination, and the handler
may talk to the dog, praise it and give encouragement
throughout.
Test Item 4: Out for a walk
(walking on a loose lead)
This test demonstrates that the
handler is in control of the dog. The dog may be on either side of
the handler. The dog's position should leave no doubt that the dog
is attentive to the handler and is responding to the handler's
movements and changes of direction. The dog need not be perfectly
aligned with the handler and need not sit when the handler
stops.
The evaluator may use a pre-plotted
course or may direct the handler/dog team by issuing instructions
or commands. In either case, there should be a right turn, left
turn, and an about turn with at least one stop in between and
another at the end. The handler may talk to the dog along the way,
praise the dog, or give commands in a normal tone of voice. The
handler may sit the dog at the halts if desired.
Test Item 5: Walking through
a crowd
This test demonstrates that the dog
can move about politely in pedestrian traffic and is under control
in public places. The dog and handler walk around and pass close to
several people (at least three). The dog may show some interest in
the strangers but should continue to walk with the handler, without
evidence of over-exuberance, shyness or resentment. The handler may
talk to the dog and encourage or praise the dog throughout the
test. The dog should not jump on people in the crowd or strain on
the leash.
Test Item 6: Sit and down on
command - staying in place
This test demonstrates that the dog
has training, will respond to the handler's commands to sit and
down and will remain in the place commanded by the handler (sit or
down position, whichever the handler prefers).
Prior to this test, the dog's leash
is replaced with a line 20 feet long. The handler may take a
reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to get the
dog to sit and then down. The evaluator must determine if the dog
has responded to the handler's commands. The handler may not force
the dog into position but may touch the dog to offer gentle
guidance.
When instructed by the evaluator,
the handler tells the dog to stay and walks forward the length of
the line, turns and returns to the dog at a natural pace. The dog
must remain in the place in which it was left (it may change
position) until the evaluator instructs the handler to release the
dog. The dog may be released from the front or the side.
Test Item 7: Coming when
called
This test demonstrates that the dog
will come when called by the handler. The handler will walk 10 feet
from the dog, turn to face the dog, and call the dog. The handler
may use encouragement to get the dog to come. Handlers may choose
to tell dogs to "stay" or "wait" or they may simply walk away,
giving no instructions to the dog.
Test Item 8: Reaction to
another dog
This test demonstrates that the dog
can behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs
approach each other from a distance of 20 to 30 feet, stop, shake
hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 10 feet.
The dogs should show no more than casual interest in each other.
Neither dog should go to the other dog or its handler.
Test Item 9: Reaction to
distraction
This test demonstrates that the dog
is confident at all times when faced with common distracting
situations. The evaluator will select and present two distractions.
Examples of distractions include dropping a chair, rolling a crate
dolly past the dog, having a jogger run in front of the dog, or
dropping a crutch or cane.
The dog may express natural interest
and curiosity and/or may appear slightly startled but should not
panic, try to run away, show aggressiveness, or bark. The handler
may talk to the dog and encourage or praise it throughout the
exercise.
Test Item 10: Supervised
separation
This test demonstrates that a dog
can be left with a trusted person, if necessary, and will maintain
training and good manners. Evaluators are encouraged to say
something like, "Would you like me to watch your dog?" and then
take hold of the dog's leash. The owner will go out of sight for
three minutes. The dog does not have to stay in position but should
not continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show
anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness.
Equipment
All tests must be performed on
leash. Dogs should wear well-fitting buckle or slip collars made of
leather, fabric, or chain. Special training collars such as pinch
collars, head halters, etc. are not permitted in the CGC test. We
recognize that special training collars may be very useful tools
for beginning dog trainers, however, we feel that dogs are ready to
take the CGC test at the point at which they are transitioned to
regular collars.
The evaluator supplies a 20-foot
lead for the test. The owner/handler should bring written proof of
rabies vaccines and the dog's brush or comb to the test.
Encouragement
Owners/handlers may use praise and
encouragement throughout the test. The owner may pet the dog
between exercises. Food and treats are not permitted during
testing, nor is the use of toys, squeaky toys, etc. to get the dog
to do something. We recognize that food and toys may provide
valuable reinforcement or encouragement during the training process
but these items should not be used during the test.
Failures -
Dismissals
Any dog that eliminates during
testing must be marked failed. The only exception to this rule is
that elimination is allowable in test Item 10, but only when test
Item 10 is held outdoors.
Any dog that growls, snaps, bites,
attacks, or attempts to attack a person or another dog is not a
good citizen and must be dismissed from the test.
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Our Trainer, Karen
Pilis, has many pets and has been successfully training dogs for
several years. To sign up for classes, call Karen Pilis at
1-513-404-PAWS. You can also leave a message at that number.
Private lessons are available on request.
