Basic Skills Obedience courses

Completing levels 1–5 in our program will give you practical skills for training your dog to be a well-mannered member of your household. Before enrolling, we ask that you watch our Introduction to Dog Training video, where you'll learn more about our program.

Children are allowed to attend as long they're accompanied by an adult.

Pricing structure

Course descriptions and schedules

Level 1 teaches your dog how fun it can be to follow cues and lays the groundwork for skills that are key in developing a well-mannered canine companion. You may be surprised at how readily your dog will learn new things — it’s all about consistency! Basic skills taught in Level 1 training include:

• Stationary attention and name recognition
• Sit (verbal and hand signals)
• Polite greeting of people who approach you and your dog
• Intro to loose-leash walking

Prerequisites

Owners must watch the short Introduction to Dog Training video to learn what to bring to class and what to expect from our program.

You’ll continue developing the skills you learned in Level 1 and begin introducing training exercises that are more challenging and useful in the real world. In Level 2, we’ll work on:

• Automatically sitting when you stop walking (great for icy sidewalks)
• Going to a mat
• Laying down
• Coming when called

Prerequisites

Dogs must complete Level 1 training before advancing to Level 2.

Now that you’ve established a solid foundation, the skills your dog learned in previous classes will really start to shine in Level 3! At this level, we’ll start reinforcing reliability and working on more complex behaviors. Upon graduating Level 3, you will also be able to enroll in specialty classes. This class works on:

• Settling on a mat
• Walking on a loose leash past an easy distraction
• Introducing real life situations during "Come"
• Leave it

Prerequisites

Dogs must complete Level 2 training before advancing to Level 3.

As you begin Level 4 training, you should feel excited about all you and your dog have accomplished together. It’s time to show off! During Level 4 training, you and your dog will work on polishing the skills learned in prior classes, and start practicing more challenging tasks, such as:

• Settling and remaining on a mat for longer periods of time
• Walking on a loose leash past a difficult distraction (like other people or dogs)
• Responding to "Come" despite distraction (a toy, other dog or person)
• Waiting at a door

Prerequisites

Dogs must complete Level 3 training before advancing to Level 4.

Dogs that pass Level 5 training exhibit exceptional control and behavior. In this final course, we’ll work on more advanced skills. Dogs that pass Level 5 have mastered:

• Settling and remaining on mat until release
• Moving to a new position (at the vet or groomer)
• Staying in a sitting or “down” position for extended periods of time

Prerequisites

Dogs must complete Level 4 training before advancing to Level 5.

Not all dogs benefit from group training classes

Your dog may not be appropriate for group class if they:

• Are excessively shy of new people or situations
• Are easy overstimulated by new situations
• Bark, snark, or snarl at other dogs or people
• Have a bite history of either people or other animals

Dogs who exhibit behaviors incompatible with a group training setting will be dismissed from class without refund. If you have questions about your dog's eligibility, please contact the training school prior to registering for class at 763-489-2217.

Depending on your dog's behavior, we may be able to help you through private training sessions, specially designed classes for reactive dogs, or referrals to specialists. Learn more about what training class is right for your dog.

Purchase a membership

We offer two- or four-month memberships for our basic skills classes (including Puppy Kindergarten and Levels 1-5), providing you more flexibility with your schedule. Our memberships work similarly to a gym membership ― you're paying for time, not courses.

Most dogs are able to pass a level after attending class for three to five weeks. We recommend a four-month membership to see notable changes in behavior.