Register For the Basic Obedience Workshop

Basic Obedience focuses on five essential skills that form the foundation of good manners and clear communication:

Sit • Down • Stay • Come • Heel

These are the skills that make everyday life with your dog easier — at home, on walks, and around distractions. Whether your dog already knows some of these cues or you’re starting from scratch, this class helps you build reliability and understanding.

Classes begin with 4 chairs.

Each class begins the same way to help dogs settle into the environment.

There will be four chairs set up in the training space. You’ll choose a chair and sit with your dog calmly at your side.

If your dog is barking, jumping, or whining, that’s okay — this is part of the learning process. Simply remain seated, keep your dog from pulling you around the room, and give them as little attention as possible until they settle. This teaches dogs how to regulate themselves in a new environment rather than relying on constant correction or reassurance

DISCLAIMER/RULES:

This is not a dog social group.

This is not doggy play time.

This is an obedience class.

All dogs must remain on leash.

Dogs must not meet face-to-face during class.

You will see progress if you continuously work with your dog outside of class time.

You will not see progress if you don’t work with your dog outside of class time.

All owners must pick up after their dogs. Poop bags/scoops provided.

Don’t touch my demo dog Zelda without permission.

Don’t touch any of the other dogs without permission of the owner.

EMAILS & ONGOING SUPPORT

You will receive five emails from the time you register until after the final class.

Welcome Email
Sent 1–5 days after registration (depending on how early you register). This email includes:

• Class location, dates, and times
• Class rules and expectations
• The full class schedule
• What to bring to class
• Welcome Package containing all of this information in one place

If you have already paid, your receipt will be attached. The most important document to review at this stage is the Waiver and Release which you will find in the Welcome Package. You do not need to sign it ahead of time — a copy will be available for you to sign on the first day of class.

Weekly Follow-Up Emails
After each class, you’ll receive an automated email the following day reviewing what was covered and what to work on at home.

Final Personalized Email
The last email is written personally and includes notes about you and your dog from each week. These notes are meant to help you reflect on your progress — and often capture some of the fun or silly moments along the way.

Because these emails are sent through an automated system, there is an unsubscribe button at the bottom of each one (this is required by law). It is not recommended to unsubscribe, as you will miss the weekly class emails and your final personalized notes.
You will not receive additional emails after the workshop ends unless you choose to subscribe to the Seasonal Newsletter.

Week one is all about building strong foundations.

You’ll Learn:

• How dogs learn and respond to training
• Common dog training terminology, such as marker and cue
• The differences between collars and leashes, and which options are best suited for different dogs, handlers, and training goals

The primary obedience focus for this class is Sit and Down.

Most dogs know at least one of these cues already. If your dog does, this class helps you strengthen and proof those skills in a distraction-filled environment. If your dog doesn’t know them yet, you’ll learn how to teach them clearly and effectively so your dog understands what you’re asking and can respond more reliably.

Week two focuses on impulse control and how it shows up in everyday life with your dog.

You’ll learn:

• what impulse control really is
• how building impulse control into regular training creates a calmer, more thoughtful dog
• how to train and use stay as a practical impulse control skill

The primary obedience focus for this class is Stay.

Stay is about more than asking your dog to remain in one spot while you walk away and return. In this class, you’ll learn the different elements involved in teaching a solid stay, including how to build duration, distance, and reliability without overwhelming your dog

Week three is often one of the most anticipated classes. This week focuses on recall — teaching your dog to come when called.

You’ll Learn:

• the foundations that create a sold recall
• how to sequence automatic behaviors, such as an automatic sit
• how to get your dogs attention before giving the cue
• how to build reliable recall by gradually adding distractions and challenges

The primary obedience focus for this class is Come (Recall).

Come is not standing outside calling your dog over and over until they eventually respond. A reliable recall means you should be able to call your dog once, and they come to you promptly — even with distractions present. In this class, you’ll learn how to build that reliability step by step in a way your dog can truly understand.

Week four wraps up the workshop with a focus on real-world obedience you can use in public.

You’ll Learn:

• how to phase out treats so you don’t have to rely on them
• the key elements that create solid, reliable obedience
• how to train a heel with an automatic sit
• how to teach loose-leash walking, whether in a heel position or not

The primary obedience focus for this class is Heel & Automatic Sit and Loose-Leash Walking.

Whether you want a clean, close heel with an automatic sit, or you simply want to take your dog for a walk without being pulled down the street, this class brings everything together and shows you how to apply your training in everyday situations.