Our puppy classes are a blend of beginning training exercises with healthy socialization opportunities to provide puppies with the best possible start. Our goal is to help you guide your puppy into being a happy, obedient, well-rounded dog that you can take anywhere.
We will cover beginning exercises like sit, come, leave it, and loose leash walking, and also discuss topics such as developing a soft mouth and proper socialization. We use positive training methods, which involves lots of praise and treats. New exercises are taught with treats, and then slowly the treats are removed. This ensures the puppy will listen without needing to ‘bribe’ them.
There will be class time each week dedicated to socializing the puppies to dogs and people. They will learn good ‘dog language’ by playing with other puppies and well-mannered adult dogs. Puppies will also have the opportunity to meet a few strangers each week to practice manners for greeting people.
We play games most weeks that reinforce a skill that was taught previously. The winners bring home a ribbon! In Level 2, we introduce a couple dog sports at a very simplified level and provide information about how to get involved in dog sports.
We offer 2 levels of puppy classes. Dogs must complete our Level 1 in order to enroll in Level 2, as Level 2 builds on the methods we used in Level 1. Graduates of Level 2 are invited to attend our Canine Social Club. This is a monthly session that involves lots of playtime, review of exercises, and lots of games.
Exercises covered in Level 1: watch, sit, down, follow, polite greeting of a stranger, leave it, and the beginning of come, stay, and loose leash walking.
Exercises covered in Level 2: the main focus is come, stay, and loose leash walking but we also learn give, other basic manners, and try out a couple dog sports.
Level 1 is for puppies 12 weeks – 18 weeks. Puppies who have completed Level 1 may enroll in Level 2. No more than 8 puppies will be in a class. Puppies must have at least 2 sets of vaccinations.
Classes are taught by Kim Young. Classes are Wednesday nights in Saskatoon, SK.
To register for classes, email austinkimyoung@gmail.com or call (306) 221-8104.
Each puppy will receive a copy of Dog Behavior and Training by Kim Young. This will be the manual for the class.
About the Instructor
Kim grew up with dogs and enjoyed training Flicka, their family’s golden retriever, to do tricks. Flicka was taught how to crawl through a tunnel, run a barrel racing pattern like a horse, and do obstacle courses in the backyard.
After high school, Kim completed her veterinary technology diploma. Kim has worked at a regular vet clinic as well as a 24 hour emergency and referral hospital. Through her work, Kim has had an increased opportunity to observe dog behavior and which handling techniques work and which techniques don’t work.
Kim has trained her golden retriever Annie to earning 6 CKC obedience and rally obedience titles all before Annie’s 2nd birthday. Kim has also started Annie in agility and retriever training.
Kim has a keen interest in wild dog behavior and how it can be applied to our interactions with our pet dogs, providing them with the best chance to understand our expectations of them.
