***Our All-Breed Basic Obedience/Good Manners group classes are for dogs and puppies, four months of age and older, that are healthy and updated on their vaccines. We have mixed-breeds and purebreds, all shapes, sizes, and ages come to class; no dog is ever too old to benefit from this training, we get lots of rescued and adopted dogs that are adults and seniors, and they do great!
(Please note- these are group classes with a maximum of eight dogs with their owners; if your dog has severe aggression issues where it may be unsafe in a group setting, I am able to help you with a private lesson. Please see my page “Individual Dog Training- Evaluation/Consultations” for more info about how we can safely assist you and your doggo- Thanks!)
Our Basic Obedience/Good Manners group sessions run year ’round at the Des Moines Field House. Our classes are once a week, for an hour, for six weeks- we train the dogs in class, and then DAILY training by the dogs’ families at home and out-and-about is essential to having a well-behaved and well-trained dog!
We do balanced, positive-focused, instinctual-based training; you may use positioning and/or food treats, I will show you both styles plus a combination of the two. I have been a trainer and instructor since the 1970’s and have learned a lot over the years myself, and am happy to pass that on to my clients and their doggos!
We cover all the basics like Sit-Stay, Down-Stay, Stand-Stay, Heeling-walking nicely on leash, Recalls-coming when called, plus we discuss good manners like No Bark, No Bite, No Chew, No Jump, and more, including Q and A’s of any additional dog related questions!
As far as training equipment, you may use whatever you want as long as it is good quality, humane, and effective. I like best the Starmark Pro-Training “Good Dog” Collars- see our link on our Recommended page- plus 6′ web or leather leashes, and high-quality treats (if desired). You can get the “Good Dog” Collars at Paws in the Park or Soggy Doggy, both are small family businesses in Normandy Park- see links on our Recommended page- or you can get them online. We also like Bitter Apple spray- see our link on our Recommended page- which you can also get locally or online. I will show you the training equipment we recommend and like best at our first class, however, if what you are already using fits the above criteria, that is fine with me! (Please note- we do not allow retractable “Flexi-type” leashes for training.)
We encourage the entire family to join in on the training, as it is a fun activity for everyone, and to make certain that all are ~on the same page~ with the dog’s training! We like to say “It is called Dog Training, but should also be called Dog OWNER training”! 🙂
At the final class of the session, we will discuss future training such as more advanced Obedience, Canine Good Citizen, Therapy Dog certification, Agility, and more, as I do those activities with my dogs!
—Our Basic Obedience/Good Manners classes are at the Des Moines Park and Recreation Field House 1000 S 220 St, Des Moines, WA 98198 (206) 870 6527. The classes are on Wednesdays 6 PM-7 PM and run year ’round. Cost for the full six-week session is $120 Des Moines resident/$129 non-Des Moines resident, class size is limited to eight dogs and pre-registration is required. Please contact the Field House staff to register and for more info- you may call (206) 870 6527 or online to see upcoming class dates and to register- Level – DaySmart Recreation
You will be happily amazed at how far you and your doggo will advance in these fun training sessions!
Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions about your dog, our training, or anything dog-related, as I am happy to help! SunstarAmericanBulldogs@msn.com – Thanks! Jan~