obedience classes & puppy kindergarten

Companion Dog I, Companion Dog II, and Puppy Kindergarten
We offer two basic obedience, or basic good manners classes: Companion Dog I and Companion Dog II as well as a puppy kindergarten class.

Companion Dog I will teach the following: sit, down, stay, walk on a loose leash, come (recall), off, etc . Individual problem areas will be covered as needed (barking, jumping, digging, crate and house training, etc.). Games will be used, and there will be an emphasis on fun (both for the dogs and the humans)! Modern, positive training methods will be used (treats, praise, rewards).

Companion Dog II will build on the skills learned in the first class.  There will be longer recalls with distractions, longer stays with additional distractions, more accuracy in heeling, more practice in loose leash walking, more relationship building excercises.  When your dog finishes this class he should be capable of passing the Canine Good Citizen Test.

Puppy Kindergarten will get your new pup started off on the right "paw." Puppy kindergarten classes utilize positive training methods to teach your puppy good behaviors and basic obedience commands such as sit, down, stay and come through "learning games." We also will spend time discussing all the basic puppy issues such housebreaking, biting, chewing, and basic grooming plus anything else that may come up.

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Beginning dates of next classes:

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Age of Dog:

Companion Dog I and II : Puppies must be at least 12 weeks of age and have had at least their second set of puppy shots. No dog is ever too old for obedience training!

Puppy Kindergarten: On the day of the first class the puppy must be between 12 weeks of age and 24 weeks of age, and have had at least their second set of puppy shots.

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Cost:

Companion Dog I and II: $76 for members, $80 for non-members

Puppy Kindergarten: $56 for members, $60 for non-members

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Instructors:

Joanne Turner has been training dogs for over 18 years. She has taught Obedience Courses (Private and Classroom) in CDI and CDII, and Canine Good Citizenship, specializing in Positive Reinforcement Training and Behavior Modification Techniques. She is an ABTA Certified Canine Obedience Trainer, MD/VA. Her dog, Bentley, is a registered Therapy Dog with the Red Cross Human/Animal Bond Program. Joanne also assesses and trains Equines and worked with the National Center for Therapeutic Riding in Maryland. She recently worked at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park creating and implementing Enrichment Exercises/Studies for Pinnipeds and most recently worked as a Keeper in the Reptile House. While at the Reptile House she trained Komodo Dragons in both Target and Desensitization Techniques for husbandry purposes. Joanne has spoken at schools in Virginia and most recently in Florida on conservation efforts and public awareness of exotic species, as well showcasing her dog, Bentley, in proper canine handling.

Cheryl Plantz has been teaching dog obedience for the past 8 years.  She has taught classes in puppy manners and basic obedience, and she administers the Canine Good Citizen test.  She currently works as a veterinary technician with a special emphasis on behavior modification while pursuing her degree in Veterinary Technology.  Cheryl shares her home with six dogs:  Max and Symphony, both Rottweilers, Kylie and Kadenz, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Knight Owl the Greyhound, and Kira, a West Highland Terrier.  In her free time she enjoys competing in agility and participating in pet therapy and humane education programs for the Clay County Humane Society with Kira and Knight, both certified therapy dogs through Therapy Dogs Incorporated. 

Maria Oehler has been teaching agility and obedience since 1995. She also has lots of experience in competition obedience and conformation. She currently lives with two dogs, Zoey the Belgian sheepdog and Macy the Belgian tervuren.

How to enroll in a class: email or call the park (296-3636) to put your name on the list. We require a $20 deposit to hold your place in the class. If you are on our list but do not give us a deposit, you will only be able to enroll in the class if the class still has spaces when it begins.

You can get the deposit to us in 4 different ways: (1) give us a credit card number when you call to reserve a spot; (2) stop by the office during our office hours and give us cash, check or credit card; (3) mail your deposit to our address (below), or (4) send the deposit to us using Paypal (our Paypal address is fido@jaxdogs.com). If instead of giving us a deposit you would like to go ahead and pay the entire class fee in advance (see rates above), you are welcome to do.

You will need to fill out a short information form before the class begins. We strongly prefer that you fill out this form before you come to the park for your first class. You can print off this form by going to the pdf version of the Obedience Class Form.

What to bring to the first class: Do bring your dog to the first class. Your dog should be wearing a flat buckle collar, and you should have with you a regular leash (not a flexi leash). Also bring with you small, bite-size treats--something your dog really loves!