Our classes are designed to incorporate all levels of obedience and issue rehabilitation. Dogs get to practice all the lessons in a "group" setting. If at the end of the 6 week session the dogs can do all of the lesson plans, then the dog is eligible to try for his Canine Good Citizenship title and Therapy Dog title. Dogs get to practice social interaction skills while working in a controlled setting. The program last for 6 weeks and the sessions are 1 hour long.

Your consultation class is free and consists of getting to know the dog, seeing what it's issues are from a different point of view, trainability of dog, explanation of the program to you and we answer any questions you might have. With the consultation class, if you decide to proceed with training, you are given the class workbook and assigned the first lesson. That gives you an additional week of training on me - 7 weeks total of sessions. Cost of 6 sessions is $200.00.

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Overview of Animal Behavior and Leadership
How and why dogs do not think like we do.
How they view "Tug-o-War" games
How they view "Chase the Kid" games
How they view "Chase the Dog" games
How they view "Roughhousing" games
How they view "Dominance & Leadership"
#1 Social Problem of Dogs
Progress Report (Tracks progress over the training period)
Respect for you as the resource provider and leader
Stopping Attention Getting Behavior
Hand Signals
Watch Me
Submission Tricks
Why "we" don’t care what the dog doesn’t like anymore
Building mental "Triggers"

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Lesson 1 - Recall (Come to me my darling fur ball)
Come Front Recalls (Teaches the dog to find your "front")
Hand Signal

Lesson 2 - Sit
Sit in Front of you
Sit by Side of you
Automatic Sits
Correcting Wide and Crooked Sits
Hand Signal

Lesson 3 - Stand - (Why use it and When to use it)
Stand
Hand Signal

Lesson 4 - Down - (Why use it and When to use it)
Down
Hand Signal

Lesson 5 - Stay (the difference between it and Wait Command and when to use each one)
Discusion and demonstration

Lesson 5A - Wait
Sit - Wait
Down - Wait
Stand - Wait
Hand Signal
Release word (O.K.) - what it is and when to use it

Lesson 6 - Enjoying Being Touched
Sitting politely while being petted by stranger
Accepting a friendly stranger
Reacting calmly to another dog
Grooming manners
Accepting a vet exam
Relax
Show Teeth
Clip Nails
Show Ears, Eyes, Paws - Vet Exam

Lesson 7 - Out for a Walk
Walking on Loose Lead
Right Turns and Left Turns
Halti Collar work
Stopping pulling
Heeling on Lead - Workbook Exercise #8
Return to Heel - Workbook Exercise #9
Figure 8 & Obstacle Weaving - Exercise #10

Lesson 8 - Walking Through a Crowd
Manners on Leash with Turns in crowds

Lesson 9 - Walking politely thru a Doorway or Gate
Not Charging the Doors or Gate or Stair steps Manners

Lesson 10 - Remaining Calm around Distractions
Other dogs
Cars
Kids
Skateboard, Roller blades, etc.
Noises
Distraction training techniques
Jolly Routine technique

Lesson 11 - Being Left Without Handler
Handler goes out-of-sight - Dog should not cry, panic, whine, try to follow

Lesson 12 - Calming After Play
Giving up toys or articles
Retrieving toys or articles
Calming Touch - Relaxation technique

Lesson 13 - Road Safety
Wait to get in and out of cars

Lesson 14 - Meal Time Manners
Sit-Wait for food bowl
Wait for treats
Leave-It food exercises
No table begging
Not charging food or trying to steal or take it from someone

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Special Issues Covered              >> Return to top of page
Upper-Level Management
Confidence building exercises
Resource Guarding
Separation Anxiety
Car Sickness
Dog & Cat Issues
Dog-Dog Aggression Issues
Dog-Kid Aggression Issues
Dog-Strangers Aggression Issues
Dog-Territory Issues
Kentucky Canine Laws (very important - learn just one bite by your dog could cost you your home)

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Certification and Testing Opportunities

Pawsibilities Unleashed Course Completion Certificate
AKC Canine Good Citizenship Test and Title
Therapy Dog Certification

 

If you need a Service Dog, please let us match you with the right dog first. Matching a Service Dog with an individual takes professional knowledge of animal behavior specific to this area and requires experience working with Service Dogs and people in need. We strongly recommend that you do not try to choose your own dog for this type of work.

When you choose your Service Dog provider organization, please make sure they are members of either the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) or Assistance Dogs International (ADI).

The type of service training needed will determine the time frame on the training. Below is what appears on your ID Service Dog Badge.

"This person is accompanied by a service dog. This service dog is allowed to accompany this person in ALL places of public accommodation with NO exceptions. You do not have the right to ask questions of this person other than 1) Are you disabled? and 2) Is that a service dog? Once those questions are answered yes, you may not ask any other questions of this person that pertains to their disability and the skills or training of the service dog. Refusal to provide equal access to people with disabilities with service dogs is a federal civil rights violation, provided by the American Disability Act of 1990."

On average, when we test 100 dogs for suitability for service work, only 10 or fewer will pass our basic qualifications test and only one or two is a match for a particular person. For this reason, we generally do not train owner-selected dogs for service work. However, there are exceptions. In order to be considered for service training, a dog must not show any signs of fear or aggression towards adults, children, animals, loud noises, distractions or strange environments. The dog must have a high will to serve and have the appropriate aptitude for the intended job.

If you already have a Service Dog and need help with advanced training or refresher instruction for your needs, we can help you.

We specialize in training the following areas and, yes, we do work with Service Dogs for children.

• Seizure Alert, Diabetic Blood-Sugar Alert
• Autism Assistance and Animal Assisted Therapy
• Hearing Assistance
• Physical Disabilities Assistance
• Depression Alert
• Panic Response
• Psychiatric Service Dog

We do not train guide dogs for the blind as it is a very selective field of service work that takes a long time to complete for both the dogs and handlers.

The Service Dog Instruction Program includes:

Service Lessons - Depending on the needs of the handler (this one is an example)

• ADA rules & regulations
• Pick up objects for handler (keys, articles of clothing, etc.)
• Alert someone that handler needs help
• Dial 911
• Alert to a fire
• Find the phone/bring me phone
• Help handler out of a chair
• Help you undress
• Help you dress
• Help with laundry (pick up clothing or hand them to you for laundry)
• Turn lights off and on
• Open/close doors
• Hold elevator doors open for handler (wheelchair or crutches or other)
• Hold any door open for handler (wheelchair or crutches or other)
• Get cans off shelves (or help at grocery, etc.)

All-Around Lessons on Animal Behavior, Leadership and Lessons 1-14: click here to go to that section

 

Therapy Dogs must be obedience trained and have the proper temperament to do therapy work. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page and our Therapy Dog page for more information.

Basic Therapy Dog Training
Your dog needs to be evaluated for temperament and for obedience. Most dogs end up taking our standard 6 week course in leadership & obedience. Our training methods will help you get the most our of your dog. Several of our students have gone the extra mile and have taught their dogs over 50 tricks and commands.

In order to get certified through PUPT, you and your dog will need to complete 10 volunteer hours in various facilities that we visit, accompanied by a PUPT mentor team. This helps you and your dog learn the ropes.

Pawsibilities Unleashed Therapy Dogs do not use prong collars, shock collars, choke chains or other similar devices during training, during visits, at home or any other time, ever.

We do lots of fun exercises that you can use on therapy visits such as:

Jump through hoops
Jump rope with your dog
Magic Tricks with your dog
Teaching dogs & kids with flash cards
Trick series
Some agility work

Email: [email protected]