Basic Classes: (6 weeks, $140)
- AKC S.T.A.R Puppy Program
- Family Dog I (basic obedience, recommended for Therapy Dogs)
- AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
Specialty Classes: (6 weeks $150)
- Family Dog II (distance cues and recall)
- Outdoor Adventure (training in the real world)
- Control Unleashed (increase focus and confidence)
- BAT - Behavior Adjustment Training (force free guide to aggression and fear)
Aggression Classes: (6 weeks $180)
focus on the emotional well being of your pet dog
focus on the emotional well being of your pet dog
- Leash Lungers/Frustrated Greeters (poor or rude greeting skills)
- Human Directed Aggression (small class size)
AKC's S.T.A.R. Puppy
(pups up to 5 months and under 25 lbs
As the only Associate Certified Dog Behavior Consultant in the state of Maine, I have the knowledge to set you and your puppy up for success!
Why bring your puppy to Canine Behavior Counseling's AKC STAR Puppy Socialization Class? As a Certified AKC STAR Puppy Evaluator and CGC Evaluator, I will educate you on why your dog does what he does and how changing your behavior will change his behavior and get the results you want in a positive way.
- We have a friendly and welcoming environment with lots of space.
- We’ll cover why Positive Reinforcement is key to your puppy’s success.
- You’ll learn what boundaries to set first.
- You’ll learn how to shape behavior positively to prevent problem behavior in the future.
- We’ll discuss why the formation of habits through conditioning is essential.
- We’ll cover many fundamentals of care, such as housebreaking and properly using a crate.
- You’ll learn how to tell if puppies are simply playing or getting too rough.
- How to help the cautious or aggressive puppy
- How to use Social and Food lures in a positive way
- How to prevent food and object guarding
- And, we’ll teach your puppy basic commands like sit, down, off, leave it, and to come consistently.
The individual fee is $140 which entitles you to 6 classes, and includes the AKC Star Puppy Evaluation on the final class.
Family Dog I
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| Summer in a wonderful sit/stay. |
- Sit to Heel-- At side and Sit Front. Great for putting on the leash, greeting people, giving medication, brushing and other situations.
- Touch -- Teaching our dogs to touch our hand and other objects if fun for everyone and easy to teach.
- Heel -- Most pet owners really appreciate a dog that walks nicely on a leash without pulling. Positive training and proper equipment is key.
- Sit Stay -- Having a dog sit stay while you open the door or cross the street to get the mail is beneficial. Duration up to 1 minute and up to 15 feet distance.
- Wait/Okay -- One of my favorite commands! Don’t move from a specific position for a short time. Okay is used as a release.
- Down/Down Stay -- A submissive position that is also more comfortable for the dog, especially if you want him to stay for more than a minute.
- Off -- Refers to your dogs paws. Off and Down should mean two different things.
- Leave it -- Refers to his muzzle; learn to put his attention back on you and away from something else that he is interested in.
- Come -- Probably the most critical command to teach but can be started at an early age. THis command provides a great opportunity to bond with your dog!
- Take a break or Settle -- A good place to be out of the way but still in the same room while you have company or eat a meal. Can also be used when you are leaving for a short time.
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| These 5 dogs have learned great emotional control in Family Dog |
We really get down to business in this class! This is great fun for all of our Manners I “graduates”! We will cover more advanced topics of dog obedience, encouraging both dog and owner to continue the journey of disciplined learning. Here is a sample of key commands and concepts covered in our Manners II class:
- Distance cues - Helping your dog learn to be on voice control from several feet away.
- The Heel Command Refined -- Right turn, left turn, about turn, and walking through a crowd (loose leash)
- Off Leash Heeling -- learn to motivate your dog to stay with you, in-spite of distractions.
- Sit Stay with Distractions -- Dogs nearby? No problem after learning this!
- Down Stay with distractions (toys or children moving nearby).
- Stand Stay for physical evaluation
- Recall -- in-sight and out of sight with many distractions.
- Politely greet guests and other canines.
- Shaping Behaviors - this is a form of trick training, just for the fun of it! Your dog will learn to hit the easy button among other fun behaviors.
Enjoy the rewarding accomplishment of earning AKC’s Canine Good Citizenship certification! This is a great step in professional training, and lays the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, tracking and performance events.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) offers a certification open to all dogs, both pure bred and mixed breeds with no age limit. The purpose of the CGC program is to ensure that our favorite companion, the dog, can be a respected member of the community because it has been trained to be well behaved in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs. Keep in mind that the CGC test is noncompetitive and dogs are not required to perform with the same precision required in formal obedience.
Therapy Dog International does have their own testing procedures and policies, however, TDI uses the AKC Canine Good Citizen test as a key component of its therapy dog assessment. TDI can be reached at www.tdi-dog.org. If you are interested in the TDI program, I have passed their test with Annie and can give you details as to the expectations.
AKC Canine Good Citizen Certification requirements:
Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger
Test 2: Sitting politely for petting
Test 3: Appearance and grooming
Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
Test 5: Walking through a crowd
Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place
Test 7: Coming when called
Test 8: Reaction to another dog
Test 9: Reaction to distraction
Test 10: Supervised separation
The individual fee is $140 which entitles you to six classes.
Click here to view the test online: CGC Evaluation Video
Outdoor Adventures
Leaving Tracks All Over Town
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| Training in Freeport |
This class will focus on how your dog "feels" in new environments and teaches reliability in real life situations by using the skills previously learned wherever you go with your dog. Putting classroom exercises to practical application while proofing with a wide variety of distractions. Not all dogs can focus in public, however we use positive methods to keep your dog using his thinking brain even in public.
This is a 6 week course for $150. (bandana and clicker included)
Limit 6 dogs per class, but expect many Alumni to join us!As a prerequisite participating dogs must be dog friendly and have successfully completed at least one Manners/obedience training class or a one-on-one training evaluation.
Control Unleashed based on Leslie McDevitt ProgramForce Free Training to Create Better Focus and Confidence
This class was designed to help performance dogs learn how to relax after being aroused, focus with many distractions nearby and work off leash reliably in either stimulating or stressful situations. Building upon basic manners your dog already knows class exercises will teach you how to help your dog relax and not be anxious or stressed out all while improving his behavior.
Because relaxation is practiced each week, please bring a mat that you and your dog can fit on.
This class will help you read your dogs body language better so you can set your dog up for success when in different environments. Many adolescence dogs lack emotional control, unfortunately many people want to punish or correct the barking and reactive behavior which only makes the dogs nervous system become more shattered. Helping your dog learn that he is safe in different environments will build his confidence, reduce his fears and his stressed out behaviors.
This is a great class for the dog who has Graduated from an obedience class or Frustrated Greeters Class, and want to build upon the relationship you have begun with your dog.
This is a 6 week course, and the fee is $150.
Required – Completion of Manners I or a one-on-one evaluation.
Leash Lungers/Feisty Fido Assessing the emotional side of your dogs behavior (Dog to Dog Aggression using Counter Conditioning, Operant Conditioning and some Behavioral Adjustment Training, $180) A Private Aggression Evaluation is recommended: Privates sessions for dog aggression are $110, a complete history document will be needed from you prior to your appointment to better help me help you!
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| Aggression or frustration Display? |
Many of us have seen or owned a dog that is barking and lunging at other dogs when out on a walk. Many of these dogs appear to be aggressive, yet have never bitten or done damage to another dog, many are simply
displaying frustration on the other end of the leash.
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| This doodle is teaching the GS better social skills. |
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| Leash lunger dogs, often have poor social skills, but can learn when socialized with good dogs in controlled environments. |
This is not an obedience class rather a Behavioral Program where you learn to set your dog up for success through management, Counter conditioning, Operant Conditioning, Desensitization as well some BAT techniques.
This is a 6 week course, and the fee is $180.
Limit 5 dogs per class.
Required – Completion of a Private one-on-one evaluation.
Limit 5 dogs per class.
Required – Completion of a Private one-on-one evaluation.
BAT - Behavior Adjustment Training
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| Grisha and Judy Association of Pet Dog Trainers Sept. 2011 |
This technique was created by Grisha Stewart, combines both Classical and Operant behaviors and now a Final Stage of Behavior Adjustment Technique. Overall, it allows your dog to be more in control of his environment which reduces stress and fear!
I love this additional technique as it is all positive and gives you such joy in watching your dog make good choices!
Again, I teach this concept in all my Leash Lunger classes, my goal is to help the fearful, reactive, territorial or overly excited dog feel he has a choice in controlling his environment.
Human Directed/Territorial Aggression
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| Muzzled Territorial Rescue Scottie at age 5. This dog was not dominate aggressive as many thought |
I know as I have owned both fear aggressive dogs as well as highly territorial dogs. Owning a dog that displays aggression towards people and or children is not for everyone, however you should know their is specific training for you and your dog!
Your success depends on going at your dogs pace, staying at or below his threshold for success and allowing your dog to learn that he CAN be more in control of his own consequences.
Before you contact me or another certified trainer, please avoid having people approach and toss treats. While this technique may work for some dogs, for many dogs, the idea of a person approaching them when they are confined by a tight leash is way over the dogs threshold, you may actually see your dog become worse rather than better.
The scottie you see in these photos is my very own Sophie, she had been through 3 homes before I worked with her and ultimately adopted her at age 5. She had a long bite history and had 2 police reports. Her destiny was bleak to say the least. I began a long process of Counter Conditioning her association to people and kids. Sophie became a thinking dog rather than a reacting dog when in public. I also changed her food and increased her physical and mental exercise. After 18 months of training, Sophie passed the Canine Good Citizen Certification. Quite an accomplishment for a dog at age 7!
So, I understand where you are and how to help you and your furry friend.
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| Same Scottie as above, 18 months later. |
This is a 6 week course, and the fee is $180.
Limit 4 dogs per class and is only taught at Poetic Gold Farm, Falmouth me.
Required – completion of a one-on-one evaluation.
Personalized Private Consultation
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| Working with Barb and Jacque |
Contact me to schedule personalized dog training sessions at your home. These sessions are tailored to the unique needs of you and your dog. Problems such as incessant barking, door charging, and other more complex problems are best handled in one-to-one training sessions. We specialize in helping dogs that are anxious, fearful, aggressive, dominant or simply undisciplined. We can best manage these problems at your home, during times that are convenient for you. As we progress together, the content, duration and frequency of the training will adjust accordingly.
The fee for Personalized One-to-one training regularly $85; the fee for aggression cases is $110 per one-hour session (plus a travel premium if outside the greater Portland area).
