Our team provides a number of services that support, and align with the Thinking Dog System and Philosophy. Namely, one-on-one working consultations, Early Puppy Development, behavioral rehabilitation classes, and group classes, as well as a number of convenient ancillary services such as boarding and social skills building events for your companion.
One-on-one Working Consultations
The Training and Behavior Consult is the first step in training process. Whether it’s for your new puppy or existing/new rescue dog. it brings together all family members living with the dog or pup for the purpose of functioning as a team. Family members must be on the same page in order for our dogs to efficiently learn. Helping educate owners on understanding the dogs “needs” becomes essential so he can meet yours for an enjoyable partnership.
This in home training and behavior session works as a platform for needed education, exercises and techniques that will begin to connect or reconnect owners with their pups adult dogs through proven concepts and applications.
Some of the topics we cover include:
• Canine System of Communication: preventing mixed messages so that learning for both dog and owner can be maximized.
• Understanding current behaviors: how to foster desirable behavior and how to prevent undesirable behavior from being learned
• Structured management program: we provide you with the tools to make training easier
• Coaching of specific exercises and techniques: designed to improve your skills, and build confidence in training your dog(s)
• Vocabulary application and techniques: building your vocabulary for improved communication, and preparation
Behavioral Rehabilitation
Dealing with behavior and rehabilitating it properly requires in depth knowledge and skills in the trainer, owner and dog. Many conventional dog training approaches make undesirable behaviors more severe or simply mask them, as they do not address the root cause of the problem. In turn, the dog is often unintentionally made more mentally and physically resistant or unstable, remanding the owner to a lifetime of micro management and avoidance techniques. Most dog owners are told this isolation and avoidance is as good as it will get. Not being dog experts, owners take this at face value from the “professional” and seldom make further attempts to truly resolve these behaviors to achieve a true level of dependability and freedom with their dog.
Without a proven system on which to build a foundation, owners do more experimenting with little to no positive results, only to further the dog’s behavioral issues. Without re-tooling daily living practices/interactions and educating owners on the dog’s system of communication, we cannot teach you how to meet their needs for a successful relationship. Understanding this process is learning for BOTH dog and owner is key.
At Club Canine, the first step in our rehabilitation process is an in-home training and behavior session that includes all family members living with the dog. Bringing the family together is critical to the process, as all family members must be on the same page in order for the dog to effectively learn. During this visit, we’ll observe the owner and dog and provide insight into why the dog is exhibiting certain undesirable behaviors.
We’ll also discuss our teaching process and how we will help foster desirable behaviors and prevent undesirable behaviors from forming. This is the first step towards a balanced relationship between owner and dog. In addition, owners are provided with an overall structured management program to follow which includes specific exercises, techniques, tools, vocabulary, and a preliminary training and rehabilitation progression to begin practicing.
This in-home behavior and training consult is a prerequisite for establishing a foundation on which to build future training.
Group Training Classes
FOUNDATION OBEDIENCE
Every dog will start in our Foundation Obedience Class, it is literally the bed rock for building life skills. In this class, dogs and owners will learn leash manners and handling techniques, concepts of attention under high distraction, proofing of boundaries and thresholds, and the foundation of formal focused heeling. This class concludes with the dog/owner testing and earning their AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title.
INTERMEDIATE/Advanced OBEDIENCE(CGC Adv./Urban Dog)
This is for dogs/owners who have completed the Foundation Obedience class and obtained their CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title. Course includes: all manners exercises for Advanced CGC and Urban Dog titles, outdoor and in public work, focused heeling with about turns, auto sits, extended stays under distraction, recall under distraction, work around food, intro to off leash and more. These courses prepare the dog/owner to earn their Advanced and Urban CGC titles and concludes with these tests in public. It’s also preparatory for Rally Obedience as well as Novice, Open and Utility obedience levels.
INTRODUCTION TO RALY
Rally is an obedience based training sport in which dog and handler complete a course based on 12-20 signs designed by a judge. Any dog of any breed is eligible to participate provided they have passed ALL the CGC levels through Urban Dog.
Though many of our clients have no intention of being competitive, many continue into this course to have something fun to do with their dog and use the teamwork they built through our Obedience courses. In Intro to Rally we do not run full courses, instead, handlers first learn the signs in a progression that build upon one another. We will cover all signs for Novice Rally. In order to participate in Intro to Rally classes, the dog/owner must have completed both Foundations and Intermediate Obedience(GGC Adv.) You may take the Intro to Rally along with your Urban Dog course if you choose.
Rally Coursing, Competition Rally and Obedience PrepARATION
Rally Coursing & Competition Prep takes the foundation of the exercises/handling learned in our obedience courses and Intro to Rally class and mocks full trial courses for fun.
We also prepare dogs/handlers for formal competitive Rally and competitive Obedience at the Beginner Novice and Novice levels all the way through to the top levels of competition in both.
Competing in Rally and Obedience is a great way to keep your dog mentally and physically active and continue to enjoy the bond and teamwork and trust you have built through our training curriculum. In order to participate in Rally Coursing & Competition Prep classes, the dog/owner must have completed Intro to Rally.
Ancillary Services
PACK SOCIAL/Puppy partners
Pack Social is the Club Canine approach to doggy daycare. It allows your dog to safely socialize, exercise and stay mentally challenged without practicing out of control behaviors. Attending regular Pack Socials builds confidence and self-control through a daily protocol that emphasizes safety, manners and cooperation.
Our Puppy Partners program, pairs those young pups with trained adult dogs, to teach and model appropriate social protocol and etiquette. Along with handler intervention, exposing the youngsters to ideal models is crucial to preparing them for higher levels of social engagement as they progress in their skills and maturity. As well, early development to sights, sounds and experiences is crucial in those younger months for building confidence and stability.
Check out our videos, which show a glimpse at puppy partners and pack social activities
PACK THERAPY
Many dogs need social activity but don't possess the skills and emotional stability to safely participate. Pack Therapy utilizes highly skilled and stable trained dogs to teach those how to socially engage with control. Paired with The Thinking Dog Training system, Pack Therapy will help the dog develop self control and confidence for building appropriate social skills.
The video below shows a great example of how Tom, a dog brought in with aggressive behavior, was completely rehabilitated through pack therapy, and social activities.
Overnights
Our home style overnights are designed to provide your dog with the feel of home. The living environment possesses a living room, kitchen area, bath rooms and both indoor and outdoor areas for play, training games and exercise.
Your companion dog will have the same rules and structure as is being taught in your home so the consistency of The Thinking Dog system maintained. They will also be submerged in learning as part of a larger group. This is a great advantage for those dogs that don’t have other dogs at home and learn how to be part of a canine team as well as a partner with their owner.
If you’re looking for a more personalized setting for your dog as opposed to the traditional housing of dogs, this might be for you. No excessive, stressful barking, one on one handling if needed and regular social interaction with other dogs if qualified. In addition, we keep those active dogs, busy with activities and exercise.
In addition, we maintain small group settings. Typical numbers range between 3 and 12. This allows us to provide more personalized one on one attention where needed and minimize stress.
Grooming, Swimming & More
Club Canine offers many additional services for clients including:
Grooming
Swim lessons & group swim opportunities
Behavioral Evaluation, Expert Witness, Dog Bite Prevention and Seminars
Please contact us for more information.