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SERVICES

ABOUT CLICKER TRAINING

Clicker training involves the use of a small noisemaker to tell the dog what he’s done right; because it speeds learning, it enables owners to teach everything at an incredibly fast rate. This makes it perfect for those with busy lives and hectic schedules, because less is truly more!

The basic concept of clicker training involves focusing on what the dog is doing correctly; by doing this, the dog learns what the owner wants, and repeats it again and again because it’s rewarding for him. Because the sound of the click is not a command but a “marker” (sort of like taking a picture), the clicker is only needed in the short term and is then phased out (clickers are phased out by the fifth week of our Beginning Obedience classes). Owners still give commands to the dog to tell him what they want him to do. Because clicker training doesn’t employ leash corrections or any type of force, it’s perfect for dogs of all ages and temperaments and owners of all abilities.

GROUP CLASSES

We offer a variety of small, semi-private group classes. Whenever possible, we encourage the entire family to attend classes, since everyone has to live with the dog, and the dog needs to respond to each person who lives in the house. Prospective students are always welcome to observe our classes and talk to currently-enrolled students without making any prior arrangements; please leave Fido at home when you come to observe.

Beginning Obedience (6 weeks)

Open to dogs ages 16 weeks to adult. Teach your dog to respond to a variety of commands in household situations, such as sit, lie down, come when called both indoors and outdoors, sit for petting instead of jumping up, walking politely on a leash, settle, off, leave it and attention. Individual behavior issues like barking, digging, chewing and mouthing are also addressed. The instructor is available for assistance via phone or email between classes to guide students and answer questions.

Advanced Obedience (6 weeks)

A continuation of the Beginning class, Advanced Obedience works to generalize dogs to distractions such as people, places, other dogs and animals and more. Students move to off-leash work in this class, and continue working on earlier goals such as greeting strangers politely without jumping and loose-leash walking. Dogs are introduced to the formal stay in this class. In addition, dogs and owners are prepared for AKC’s Canine Good Citizen test, a ten-part manners exam open to all breeds and mixed breeds.

Taking It To The Streets (4 weeks)

Offered spring through fall, this class meets in public places such as coffee shops and pet stores to work on dog manners in the real world. This class is individualized to the needs of the students in the group. Some of the major goals for this class include paying attention around distractions, loose-leash walking, and greeting strangers politely.

Fun and Games (5 weeks)

This class, offered fall through spring, is open to all dogs who’ve taken the Beginning class. Teach your dog fun tricks such as roll over, crawl, balance a biscuit on the nose, take a bow, spin, wave and more. Keep your dog occupied during the winter by teaching mind-stimulating tricks, and keep yourself entertained!

Rally Obedience and Competitive Obedience

These classes are open to those interested in competing as well as serious handlers; admittance is by evaluation only. Please contact us for more information.

IN-HOME LESSONS

Ideal for those who have busy schedules or prefer the convenience of learning at home, in-home lessons are tailored to your needs. Some of the more common problems we deal with in the home include housetraining, jumping up, not coming when called, stealing food or objects from counters and pulling on the leash. Owners select the behaviors that the dog will learn with the guidance of the trainer. Contact us for more information on in-home lessons.

Our service area for in-home lessons and behavior consultations includes: Upper Arlington, Hilliard, Worthington, Clintonville, Galloway, Grove City, Obetz, Grandview, Dublin, German Village, the Short North/Victorian Village, West Jefferson, Plain City, Clintonville, Bexley and Groveport. If you have any questions about our service area, please call us at (614) 853-3967.

*We DO NOT service the following areas:* New Albany, Lewis Center, Pickerington, Blacklick, Gahanna, Reynoldsburg, Westerville, Delaware, or Whitehall. For referrals to service in these areas, please call the Franklin County Dog Shelter behavior help line at (614) 462-3488.

PLEASE NOTE: We do service /some/ of these areas with a referral from a veterinarian. Please call us at (614) 853-3967 for more information, and mention your veterinarian's name when calling.

BEHAVIOR CONSULTATIONS

For behavior problems like aggression, fear or shyness and separation anxiety, the guidance of a professional is often required. We can set up a plan to help your dog be a polite and relaxed member of your household through behavior modification and prevention. Please contact us via phone if your dog has growled at or bitten you, growled at or bitten someone else (regardless of the severity), or if you have any questions regarding your dog’s behavior.

LOCATIONS

Clintonville location:
Beechwold Veterinary Hospital
4590 Indianola Ave.
Columbus, OH 43214

Dublin location:
Riverside Drive Animal Care Center
6924 Riverside Dr.
Dublin, OH 43017