Dog Training Specialty Classes & New Workshops Special Summer Obedience Offerings Especially for Pets is pleased to offer a variety of classes and services to suit the varying needs and wants of our clients. If you have recently welcomed a new puppy into your family, adopted an adult dog from a shelter, or have had your dog for years, our Dog Training Program offers a wide variety of options from which to choose. The curriculum includes introductory classes, sport classes and competition classes. In addition to an ongoing multi-session course list, we offer specialty workshops on a variety of topics. We offer quality classes and workshops at all seven Especially for Pets locations. Our new Dog Training Academy in Sudbury is the hub of all things related to training.  Anti-fatigue, one half-inch thick matting covers the entire 2200 square foot Academy space and reduces the amount of stress on a dog's joints, back and muscles, as well as protects the joints of their human caretakers. The Academy boasts a completely enclosed space to provide a safe environment for off-leash training. Also included is a wide expanse of floor-to-ceiling mirrors—a necessity for competition training. Our Dog Training Academy is staffed by experienced instructors who are well respected in their field and the classes they teach reflect their specific areas of expertise. To provide convenience for all of our clients, the other six Especially for Pets locations serve as satellite facilities. These locations offer Puppy Kindergarten, Graduate Puppy, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced classes. A number of specialty workshops and seminars are offered as well. Our satellite locations also staff experienced instructors who are well respected in their field. Classes at these locations provide the same, high-quality instruction offered at our Dog Training Academy, while servicing the local communities. Every Especially for Pets has designated training spaces with matted flooring; Medway, Newton, and Westborough locations have separate Training rooms. The obedience instructors at Especially for Pets base their classes on positive reinforcement and motivational techniques which makes training fun for both you and your dog. This creates a much happier and more willing dog who will bond more easily with his family. The goal of our instructors is to enable owners to develop a deeper understanding and stronger relationship with their dog. They emphasize communication as the key to successful training. Their training methods along with their vast experience will provide you and your dog with a rewarding learning experience. Check out all of the new training possibilities for the months of July and August. New classes are forming all the time! If you don’t see something you want, please call our Sudbury location to make your request. See schedule for updated class offerings at http://www.especiallyforpets.com/obedsched.htm. Pre-registration is required for all classes and workshops. Class Offerings below are at noted locations. Especially for Puppies Puppy Kindergarten Primer & Beginner Primer These one session workshops will give you an opportunity to address your questions regarding your young puppy (up to five months) or adolescent/teen dog (six to 14 months). This fast paced, educational hour is a terrific opportunity to get some immediate training and feedback before joining one of our full sessions. Participants will receive an overview of training theory, which can be applied to multiple behavioral questions. Puppy Kindergarten Primer Offered - Tuesday, August 3 at 9:30am or 6:00pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Tuesday, August 17 at 5:30pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Saturday, August 21 at 9:30am in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Thursday, August 26 at 3pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Saturday, August 28 at 10:30am in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Beginner Primer Offered - Thursday, August 26 at 4:00pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Details - Fee is $25 for a one-hour session - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 Puppy 911 This private, at-home service will help you and your new puppy get off to a great start. One of our professional trainers will visit you in your home and help produce a customized plan for your family and new puppy. We will help you assimilate your puppy into your unique lifestyle and make your puppy’s transition easier. During an in-depth discussion regarding young puppy behavior, you will learn how your actions can influence your puppy’s success. Puppy 911 is especially beneficial for the client who wants or needs more guidance in their home environment. Topics include teaching owners how to shape wanted behaviors such as coming when called, proper play, proper interaction with children and housebreaking. We will also discuss housebreaking, crate training, fair pack leadership and more.  Participants will also learn how to prevent undesirable behaviors such as nipping, jumping, destructive behavior, fussing and barking at night. Details - Fee is $85 for a one-hour session - To schedule an appointment, email Leslie Zelamsky, Obedience Manager at    smidgenofsam@comcast.net Family Night: New Puppy Workshop Exclusively For Families with New Puppies Join us for an informative 90-minute session that will get you, your puppy and your children off to a great start. We will be specifically addressing relationship and family dynamics, safe handling, and appropriate interactions, as well as house rules and teaching your puppy to understand and accept his place in the family. If time permits, we will touch on some of the general puppy issues such as housebreaking, teething and chewing. With hands-on training for puppies and children, we will practice appropriate play and handling, the exercises that should be part of everyday life, and what type of activities should be avoided. Your family will leave with a better understanding of how your puppy develops and learns and with some actual tools that you have practiced so that you can implement change right away at home. This workshop is limited to five families, based on size, to ensure everyone is able to fully participate and benefit from the training. A minimum of three families is required to run the class. Offered - Thursday, July 1 at 6:00pm in Acton with Kate Horgan-Burke - Monday, July 7 at 4:00pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Wednesday, July 14 at 5:00pm in Newton with Elaine Stern - Thursday, July 29 at 7:00pm in Medway with Sheila Kamath - Tuesday, August 3 at 7:00pm in Canton with Robin Fiore - Saturday, August 14 at 1:30pm in Westborough with Christine Macdonald - Wednesday, August 18 at 6:00pm in Acton with Christine Macdonald - Wednesday, August 25 at 6:00pm in Newton with Elaine Stern Details - Fee is $45 per family for a 90-minute session - Puppy must have his second set of vaccines - Pre-registration required by calling the appropriate store Puppy Kindergarten: Children's Supplement If you are currently enrolled in one of our Puppy Kindergarten classes and have children, they are welcome to join our supplemental children’s sessions. These workshops are exclusively designed for younger family members and their puppies.  In addition to being able to practice the hands-on training we are doing during Puppy Kindergarten class, we will also introduce additional handling that is targeted just for kids. This will help support their efforts in becoming a leader rather than a "sibling.” Your children will feel more in control; which will result in increased comfort level, as they are able to better communicate with and understand their puppies. Having more control and some basic techniques will help prevent jumping, mouthing, and other unwanted behaviors. Offered - Thursday, July 1 at 5:00pm in Acton with Kate Horgan-Burke - Saturday, July 10 at 2:30pm in Westborough with Christine Macdonald - Tuesday, July 13 at 6:00pm in Newton with Elaine Stern - Thursday, July 29 at 6:00pm in Medway with Sheila Kamath - Tuesday, August 3 at 6:00pm in Canton with Robin Fiore - Wednesday, August 18 at 5:00pm in Acton with Christine Macdonald - Saturday, August 21 at 1:30pm in Westborough with Christine Macdonald - Wednesday, August 25 at 5:00pm in Newton with Elaine Stern    Details - Fee is $25 for a one-hour session for the first child and puppy - Additional children are welcome to attend for $10 each - Pre-registration required by calling the appropriate store Puppy Play Groups Early socialization is key to a well mannered and appropriate puppy. These fun and educational playgroups will allow your dog to socialize in a safe and structured environment. Participants will learn about interpreting canine body language, adapting behavior, engaging in appropriate energy levels and play styles. In addition to promoting positive and controlled interactions, handlers will be practicing clear communication with their dogs in name recognition, disengagement, and recalls. Offered - Thursday, July 8 at 3:00pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson   Details     - $85 for four one-hour sessions Social & Obstacle Course for Your Puppy & Teen with Angela Nickerson in Sudbury location These sessions are all about having fun! We will give you and your dog the opportunity to interact with other people and their dogs who are at similar stages. Your dog will get to play, socialize, share toys and engage in building good interactive and social skills. Then we will introduce age and size appropriate obstacles for your dog to learn to maneuver over, through and around with your guidance. This is a great way to build confidence and promote teamwork. Puppy Social/Obstacle Course Offered - Thursday, August 5 at 3:00pm with Angela Nickerson in Sudbury - Thursday, August 26 at 5:00pm with Angela Nickerson in Sudbury Teen Social/Obstacle Course Offered - Tuesday, August 24 at 5:30pm with Angela Nickerson in Sudbury Adult Social/Obstacle Course Offered - Thursday, August 5 at 4:30pm with Angela Nickerson in Sudbury Small Breed Social/Obstacle Course Offered - Thursday, August 19 at 3:30pm with Angela Nickerson in Sudbury - Tuesday, August 24 at 7:00pm with Angela Nickerson in Sudbury Details - Fee is $45 for 90-minute session - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 Fun Nose Work (formerly Focused Nose Work) Focused Nose Work classes are a great new way to work with your dog. You will learn how to access your dog’s natural desire to hunt through positive reinforcement. We will use a reward system that your particular dog loves such as a highly-valued toy, special food and sincere praise. Focused Nose Work classes are exhilarating for both dog and handler. They can help develop confidence even in the most timid of dogs.  Additionally, the mental exercise of searching and problem-solving is great for calming down energetic or reactive dogs. Another huge benefit of the Focused Nose Work classes is the positive working relationship that develops between you and your dog when you both are hunting together as a team.    Focused Nose Work is quickly becoming the newest, fun sport in the world of canine training and competition. Check out the official Fun Nosework website at www.funnosework.com to learn all about it. Rules and regulations can be found at the National Association of Canine Scent Work website at www.nacsw.net. Level I:  Focused Hunting  Level I is where we build the dog’s desire to hunt using modern methods of positive reinforcement while simultaneously training the handler how to read their dog’s unique hunting behaviors and to pick up on those subtle signals that communicate to the handler that the dog is “working scent”. Level II-A:  Scent Discrimination-A Level II-A is where we not only strengthen the dog’s natural hunting abilities and the working relationship developing between you and your canine partner but we also communicate to the dog that one of the three specific target odors is what we want the dog to hunt for. As many of the handlers participating in our “Focused Nose Work” classes will want to go on to compete with their dogs, the three target odors that we will be using are the essential oils of anise, clove and birch. Dog teams enrolled in Level II-A must have completed Level I. Level II-B:  Scent Discrimination-B Level II-B is where we introduce the dog to the remaining two target odors.  Additionally, we will continue to work on your handling skills and the dog’s ability to independently and reliability hunt for all three target odors. Dog teams enrolled in Level II-B must have completed Level II-A and must pass a minimum proficiency test in finding the initial target odor. Level III:  Problem-Solving Level III is where we continue to increase both the dog’s dedication to hunting for the target odors and the handler’s and the dog’s ability to work together as a team in solving progressively more challenging search problems. Dog handling techniques for on and off-leash work as well as search strategies will be discussed in these classes. Dog teams enrolled in Level III must have completed Level II-B and must pass a minimum proficiency test in finding the remaining two target odors. Level IV:  Final Indication Level IV is where we teach the dog to offer an independent indication which the dog will use to communicate to the handler that it has found the target odor. Our goal is to have a dog that intensely hunts and automatically indicates when it pinpoints the target odor. Dog teams enrolled in Level IV must have completed Level III. Offered Level I classes Friday, July 16 at 5:00pm & 7:00pm Level II-A class Friday, July 16 at 8:00pm Level III class Friday, July 16 at 4:00pm Level IV class Friday, July 16 at 6:00pm Note: Classes starting on July 16 have no classes on August 6 & 13 Level I class Friday, September 10 at 6:00pm Level II-A classes Friday, September 10 at 5:00pm & 7:00pm Level II-B classes Friday, September 10 at 8:00pm Level IV class Friday, September 10 at 4:00pm Note: Classes starting on September 10 have no class on September 24 Details - Fee is $180 per dog for six one-hour weekly group sessions - Space is limited to six to eight dogs per class - Please reserve your time early as these classes sell out quickly—waiting lists are typical - All dogs participating must be at least six months old and be able to walk on a leash and come when called - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 “Puppouri”—A Fun & Games Class Our Puppourri workshops are designed with fun in mind. These workshops showcase some of today’s popular sports and activities you can enjoy with your canine companion. We will introduce and explore the worlds of Agility, Fly ball, Rally, Tricks and more.  Find out what activities you and your dog enjoy the most and perhaps want to further pursue. This class is based on positive reinforcement and the goal is to enhance the communication between dog and handler and to enjoy the time spent together. Puppourri is appropriate for any age dog that is well socialized, responsive to his handler and controllable around other dogs. Offered - Puppouri Introduction Saturday, August 21 at 1:30pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson. Class is one hour and the cost is $25. - Puppouri Refresher Saturday, August 28 at 1:30pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson. Class is one hour and the cost is $25. - Puppouri/Agility Wednesday, July 7 at 2:00pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson. Class is four weeks and the cost is $85. Details - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 Adult Educational Play Groups These fun and educational playgroups will allow your dog to socialize in a safe and structured environment. Participants will learn about interpreting canine body language, adapting behavior, engaging in appropriate energy levels and play styles. In addition to promoting positive and controlled interactions, handlers will be practicing clear communication with their dogs in name recognition, disengagement, and recalls. Groups will be organized primarily by maturity and activity levels with consideration given to size and comfort levels. Offered - Thursday, July 8 at 3:00pm with Angela Nickerson in Sudbury Details - Fee is $85 for four one-hour sessions Social & Obstacle Course for Your Adult & Small Breed Dog This session is all about having fun!  We will give you and your dog the opportunity to interact with other people and their dogs who are at similar stages. Your dog will get to play, socialize, share toys and engage in building good interactive and social skills. Then we will introduce age and size appropriate obstacles for your dog to learn to maneuver over, through and around with your guidance.  This is a great way to build confidence and promote teamwork. Adult Social/Obstacle Course Offered - Thursday, August 5 at 4:30pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Small Breed Social/Obstacle Course Offered - Thursday, August 19 at 3:30pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Tuesday, August 24 at 7:00pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Details - Fee is $45 for one 90-minute session - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 SPECIAL SESSIONS ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS! Kid’s Summer Workshop- Agility & Tricks Looking for something fun to do over the summer? Kids, ask your parents if you can join us for this agility and tricks class designed especially for kids, eight and older, and their dogs! The class includes instruction and guidance; encouraging participants to work cooperatively over low jumps, agility obstacles as they respond to basic commands. We will use only positive, motivational training methods. The goal of the class is to encourage handlers and dogs to interact in a fun activity and enjoy the bond that develops when working together. Offered - Tuesday, July 6 at 12:30pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Details - Fee is $85 for four sessions - No previous obedience training experience necessary - Dogs must be friendly with children and other dogs - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 Kids & Puppies/ Kids & Dogs These two-hour sessions are specifically designed for your child and his puppy or adult dog. We will discuss responsible pet ownership, danger signals and how to practice safe behavior around all dogs.  We will also lead the group in discussion of positive training techniques and then apply them in obedience training, tricks and obstacles. Fee is $55 for this two-hour class. Offered - Kids & Puppies Wednesday, August 18 at 2:00pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Kids & Dogs Wednesday, August 25 at 2:00pm Details - Fee is $55 for one two-hour session - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 Loose Leash Walking Workshop Do you walk your dog or does your dog walk you? Does your dog lunge and pull toward every interesting dog, person, cat, and bush? This common and annoying problem takes its toll on you, your dog and your relationship. This two-part workshop will include hands-on work with your dog. You will be shown a variety of techniques to teach your dog to respect the length of his leash and walk politely on a plain flat collar.  Offered - Tuesday, August 17 at 9:30am in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Details - Fee is $50 for two one-hour sessions - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 Coming When Called Do you take a deep breath when you let your dog off leash and hope for the best? Can you take Rover to a park or the woods and be confident he will come when you call? Do you worry that he will run off with his playmates, or will disappear after that squirrel? Training a dog to come when called will not only make the relationship with your dog more pleasurable, it could possibly save his life. This workshop will help you reprogram your dog to have positive associations with the “come” command, while teaching you the tools to get your dog to come reliably. Offered - Tuesday, August 17 at 11:30am in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Details - Fee is $50 for two one-hour sessions - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 Good Manners Does your dog jump on people, pull you towards other dogs on a walk or rush the door when someone is visiting? Is he pushy with house-guests? This workshop will help overly exuberant dogs learn good manners around greetings and visiting guests.  Prevention, control, and handling strategies will be discussed. Offered - Tuesday, August 17 at 10:30am in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Details - Fee is $50 for two one-hour sessions - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682 Obedience Refresher & Problem Solver Class Do you and your dog need a boost in communication skills, a reminder of how to work cooperatively or simply an excuse to have an hour out together? This four-week session will have you working and playing with your dog while communicating clearly and positively. We willl run a refresher of all the basic obedience commands and increase the effectiveness of your handling skills. We will also engage in hands-on problem-solving of basic behavior issues and work on interactive and appropriate social behaviors. Taught exclusively at the Especially for Pets Dog Training Academy in Sudbury. Obedience Refresher Offered - Tuesday, August 3 at 5:00pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Saturday, August 21 at 10:30am in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson - Saturday, August 28 at 12:30pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Problem Solving Class Offered - Thursday, August 19 at 5:00 pm in Sudbury with Angela Nickerson Details - Fee is $85 for four sessions - Pre-registration required by calling 978.443.7682

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