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Classes
Most of our courses include six class sessions, meeting once a week for one hour. Price for most courses is $125, however, a few of our courses will have a different
number of meetings and cost - please see below for details.
Scroll down the page or click on the following links to see a description of each course, as well as location and upcoming dates. To register for a course,
call Judy Archer-Dick at (260) 238-3073. Click here to see a list of discounts we offer.
8Puppy I
8Tweens Time (4-12 months)
8Puppy II
8Dog I
8Dog II
8Skills, Drills and Thrills!
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8Tracking
8Therapy and Visiting Dog
Training
8Rally Obedience
8Canine Good Citizen
8Pet Agility
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Private Sessions
We offer private training sessions for basic training or for working on a behavior problem. The cost for basic training is $40 for the
first 60 minutes (minimum). After the first 60 minutes, time will accrue in quarter-hour increments at $10.00 per quarter-hour or part thereof. The cost for consulting
and working with problem behaviors is $50 for the first 60 minutes (minimum). After the first 60 minutes, time will accrue in quarter-hour increments at $12.50 per
quarter-hour or part thereof. Driving distance will be charged at $1.00 per mile from Consultant's home.
Email us, or call Judy at (260) 238-3073 or Margery at
(260) 456-5255 for more details or to schedule a session (we are located in the northeast Indiana area).
Course Information and Schedule
Tracking
Tracking with your dog is a magical experience, a great way to strengthen your relationship with your dog, as well as work
with your dog's innate ability to see the world with their noses. Tracking is a purely positive activity, where the dog gets to lead us on an incredible journey.
Dogs interpret the world based on what they smell. Tracking involves the dog processing all the smells in their environment, distinguishing the tracklayer's
scent, and following it to the glove (or other article on the track laid by the tracklayer). How many of you have observed your dog, nose to the ground, happily
following some scent to and fro across a field, lawn, or parking lot? Dogs naturally have this wonderful ability to distinguish and follow one scent over all the
millions of smells around them. This is the essence of tracking.
Upcoming Tracking course
Day: TBA
Time: TBA
Dates: TBA
Location: TBA
Cost: $125 (Regular My Best Friend discounts apply - see below.)
Therapy and Visiting Dog Training
Do you have a dog that enjoys visiting with people? Would you like to help a child gain confidence in his reading, inspire a
recovering patient to make the extra effort of walking down the hall because he has a dog to walk with, or bring the gentle touch of warm fur to residents of a
retirement home? Have you ever thought that you and your dog might make a good visiting dog team?
Therapy Dog teams are community assets which add immeasurably to the quality of life of those with whom they interact. Many people find
that the most rewarding work they have ever experienced has involved Therapy Dog activities.
Because we feel that temperament, training and proper placement of the Therapy Dog teams are crucial to success and satisfaction, My Best Friend Dog Training
and P.A.W.S. (Pets Assisting Well-being and Success) will be contributing their respective experience to these fields during this upcoming Therapy Dog course.
During the course you will be given a chance to talk with a P.A.W.S. representative about your interests, your dog's unique qualities, and which Therapy Dog
situations you would both be most comfortable in.
We require that you and your dog have already earned a C.G.C. (Canine Good Citizen)
designation before
entering the Therapy Dog class. If your dog has not already earned his C.G.C., he can be tested for $20.00. Please contact Judy at
gooseberrypie@lightningnet.net
or (260) 238-2073 for more information.
Therapy Dog certification through Therapy Dogs, Inc. requires that dogs pass their evaluation before visiting in the community. Therefore, you will see that the first night
of the course will be the evaluation, and you will pay for the course only after you have passed this evaluation. The three observations will take place during our
class meetings at various community settings.
In order for you to have a chance to practice the exercises necessary for the evaluation, we will offer two
optional pre-evaluation sessions.
Optional Pre-Evaluation Practice:
Dates: TBA
Time: TBA
Location: Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control, 3020 Hillegas Rd., Fort Wayne
Cost: $20.00 per session
Evaluation: TBA
Therapy Dog I - Upcoming Classes and Observations
Dates: TBA
Time: One hour each week, with meeting time somewhat dependent on the facility to be visited. Expect to meet for most visitations between 6:00 and 7:00 pm.
Location: Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control, 3020 Hillegas Rd., Fort Wayne, and other various community facilities.
Cost: $210 which includes all evaluations/observations and text (Delta Society: Pet Partners® Team Training Course Manual, 2005).
If you have a recent copy of this text that you wish to use, $30 will be deducted from your cost. Regular My Best Friend Dog Training discounts apply
(see below for details).
Registration: Call Judy Archer-Dick at (260) 238-3073
Miscellaneous:
Testing will be done by a Therapy Dogs, Inc. certified evaluator (www.therapydogs.com),
and final registration will be through Therapy Dogs, Inc.
Placement services will be through P.A.W.S. unless a team prefers to find their own placement. Contact Kay Anderson at (260) 625-4520
for more information about the P.A.W.S. organization.
Evaluations/observations must be done with the dog on a four foot leash and flat (or Martingale) collar or head halter. Exceptions can be
made if Therapy Dog, Inc. is contacted ahead of time.
Rally Obedience
Rally obedience is a fun and exciting team sport for you and your dog. You will learn and practice some formal obedience exercises
such as “Heel” and “Figure 8” without many of the communication restrictions of traditional training. The goal is to enjoy learning and working with your dog.
Rally obedience trials are also offered by the AKC and APDT if you would like to compete in the future!
Upcoming Rally Obedience course
Beginning
Day: TBA
Time: TBA
Dates: TBA
Location: Northeast Fort Wayne (outdoors) |
Puppy I
This course is designed for the puppy that is seven weeks to five months old, and has never taken a training class before.
The pup will have the opportunity to socialize with both humans and other dogs, engage in off-leash playtime, and learn some obedience fundamentals
such as sit, down, stand, short stays, walking on leash without pulling, and polite greetings. Owners will learn how to approach training and discipline in a positive manner,
how to properly and thoroughly socialize their puppy, and how to introduce the puppy to new or scary experiences during the most crucial social growth stage
in their dog’s development.
Upcoming Puppy I courses
Puppy I/Tweens Time - younger and older pups will be separated during playtime
Day: Tuesday
Time: 7:00-8:00 pm
Dates: January 6, 13, 20 & 27, February 3 & 10 (2009)
Location: Animal Care & Control, 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
Tweens Time
This is a class specifically designed for older puppies who have not been to puppy class before.
It is open to pups 4 months to 1 year of age who are dog and people friendly. Combining socialization, manners training, and basic obedience,
Tweens Time will help you guide your adolescent pup on his road to maturity. We will work on proper greeting behaviors (without that pesky jumping up!), basic sit, down,
stand and stay, walking without pulling on the leash, and the Really Reliable Recall (for emergencies). Attention and leave-it will be introduced
and practiced. There will also be off-leash socialization time so that the pups can practice proper conduct with other dogs...and have fun!
Upcoming Tweens Time courses
Tweens Time/Puppy I - younger and older pups will be separated during playtime
Day: Tuesday
Time: 7:00-8:00 pm
Dates: January 6, 13, 20 & 27, February 3 & 10 (2009)
Location: Animal Care & Control, 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808 |
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Puppy II
This course is available to puppies who, within the past six months, have successfully participated in a positive-reinforcement puppy class
that included off-leash socialization, and are under one year of age. During this course the pup will practice strengthening his basic obedience behaviors and attention
to the owner, proper greeting behaviors to both dogs and humans, walking on leash without pulling, stays, “leave-it”, and a recall that is
truly reliable. Because the pup has a proven history of good play behavior in a class setting, there will be off-leash playtime to keep these skills fresh and the
experience positive.
Upcoming Puppy II courses
Day: Thursday
Time: 7:30-8:30 pm
Dates: January 8, 15, 22 & 29, February 5 & 12 (2009)
Location: Animal Care & Control, 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
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Dog I
This course is for dogs who are six months or older, and have never taken a training class before. Obedience exercises such as sit,
stand, down, and stay are introduced, as are walking on leash without pulling, polite greetings, “leave-it”, attention, and the Really Reliable Recall – skills that
are crucial to a pet dog living in our society. Owners will gain a better understanding of how to teach their dogs specific behaviors, and how to get their dogs to
respond reliably. Owners will also learn what dogs need to be at their best, and how to achieve their goals through discussions of how to positively approach problems
that arise with dogs in the household.
Upcoming Dog I courses
Day: Thursday
Time: 6:15-7:15 pm
Dates: January 8, 15, 22 & 29, February 5 & 12 (2009)
Location: Animal Care & Control, 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
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Dog II
This course follows Dog I and Puppy II. (Puppies who have participated in Puppy II do not need to attend Dog I).
In Dog II, we will help the dog gain much more self-control and confidence by working through a variety of distractions, thereby strengthening the behaviors he has already
learned. He will learn to focus on his owner even when food, a favorite toy, or other interesting object is on the floor beside him, and then “leave it” to follow the owner
when asked. He will practice proper greeting behavior under a variety of circumstances, progress to longer sit- and down-stays, and he will continue to succeed in reliably
coming when called - even when the environment beckons. Owners help shape this course by suggesting specific behaviors that they would like to work on during their set of
classes.
Upcoming Dog II courses
Dog II & Canine Good Citizen Combo
Day: Thursday
Time: 6:15-7:15 pm
Dates: October 9, 16, 23 & 30, November 6 & 13
Location: Animal Care & Control, 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808 |
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Canine Good Citizen
Started in 1989, CGC is a certification program that is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen® Program is a
two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the CGC test receive a certificate from the American
Kennel Club and as of January 1, 1999, they are automatically recorded in the AKC's Canine Good Citizen® Archive.
All dogs, including both purebred and mixed breed dogs are welcome to participate in the CGC program. Dogs must be old enough to have received necessary
immunizations such as rabies vaccines, and there is no age limit on the test. A dog is never too old to be a good citizen. If dogs have been coached at home or with other
trainers and are well-mannered, owners can have their dogs tested.
We will periodically provide a CGC training course to owners and dogs who have already learned the basics of positive reinforcement training and would like help with
gradually improving their skills before taking the test. You may take the CGC test without the course if you feel that your dog might qualify for this certification
without additional classes.
Upcoming Canine Good Citizen Course
Canine Good Citizen & Dog II Combo
Day: Thursday
Time: 6:15-7:15 pm
Dates: October 9, 16, 23 & 30, November 6 & 13
Location: Animal Care & Control, 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
Upcoming Canine Good Citizen Test
Day: Thursday
Time: Evening - by appointment
Date: November 20
Location: Animal Care & Control, 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
The cost of the test alone is $20 if a $10 deposit is received prior to the test, and $25 if no deposit is received.
Skills, Drills and Thrills!
If you feel that you and your dog would benefit from a chance to practice and strengthen many of the skills acquired in Puppy II
or Dog I before advancing to Dog II, this four-week course is the one for you! We will practice and add more challenges to polite greetings,
walking on leash without pulling, leave-it, the Really Reliable Recall, and stay. But since drill can be dull, we will spice it up with games that are
fun - and educational - for canines and humans alike!
Upcoming Skills course
Day: Wednesday
Time: 7:30-8:30
Dates: January 7, 14, 21 & 28
Location: Animal Care & Control, 3020 Hillegas Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
Cost: $85 |
Pet Agility
A wonderful way to enhance your relationship with your dog, agility for the pet dog stresses safety while building
confidence. You will learn how to guide your dog through tunnels, over jumps, the dog-walk, teeter and more, in a positive manner that will minimize stress and maximize fun.
Simple sequences will be introduced.
Upcoming Pet Agility course
Beginning Course
Day: TBA
Time: TBA
Dates: TBA
Location: Northeast Fort Wayne (outdoors)
Discounts
- $20 off if you register and pay for two consecutive courses
at once (examples: Puppy I & Puppy II; Dog I & Dog II; Puppy II & Dog II, etc.). *Adding on the returning client discount below, a new client will actually
save a total of $30 and a returning client will save $40 by signing up for two classes at once. Please be aware that the total fee for both
classes must be paid in advance for this discount to be effective.*
- $10 off if you bring your dog to a second course at a later date.
- $10 off if you have already attended one of our courses and bring a different dog
to a course.
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