February is Dog Training Education Month!

Having a furry friend in your life provides a great amount of happiness! Making sure your dog is a well-respected canine citizen is arguably one of the most important things you do as a responsible pet parent.

A trained dog is a fully participating member of the family—what a gift for all of you!

• Puppy classes provide the opportunity for getting your new family member started off right. Puppy classes provide the experiences and opportunities for your puppy to develop interaction skills with other puppies, with people, and in new environments.
• Puppy socialization has been found to be critical to the psychological health of adult dogs. Puppy classes provide the opportunity for this important facet of your puppy’s upbringing.
• Training classes provide dog owners the skills and knowledge for dealing with common, normal dog behaviors—starting with puppy behaviors such as housetraining and chewing.
• No matter what age you start training your dog, foundation training provides the basis for any activity, and behavior or job you want your dog to do.
• Training provides dogs with the basic good manners we all want—from polite greeting when guests arrive, to walking nicely on the leash, to coming when called.
• A trained dog is a fully participating member of the family—what a gift for all of you!
• A trained dog joins in the fun when company comes, accompanies the family to the kids’ sports games, goes with you to visit friends and relatives, goes for hikes, swims, and everything else the family does together.
• Training enables you to choose from among a broad range of activities and dog sports to participate in and enjoy with your dog • Training has been shown to be the single most important thing that keeps a dog in his or her “forever” home.
• Training builds your mutual bond, enhances the partnership and enriches the relationship you share with your dog.
• Positive reinforcement is key, especially rewarding for the right behavior. Don’t forget to reward your favorite pooch with treats for good behavior!