Life Skills

Basic life skills are essential for many reasons: They boost your dog’s confidence, encourage good behavior, ensure their safety, prevent bad habits, and promote socialization. Most importantly, these skills strengthen the bond between you and your dog.

In the Paws 4 Fun Life Skills class, you'll learn key aspects of obedience, manners, and safety while focusing on maintaining your dog’s attention during loose-leash walking. Our comprehensive behavioral training includes: Recalls (Come, Sit, Front), Sit/Down/Stays, Stand & Stay, Touch, Leave It, Get It, and Check It/Find It. We also cover Heeling with turns, halts, and changes of pace, as well as Wait and Come commands.

We employ no shock or prong collars. Positive reinforcement ONLY.

Additionally, we address handler safety protocols and techniques for greeting people and dogs during walks. For dogs that are nervous around visitors, we can guide you through an at-home protocol to make those interactions more amicable.

Upon successful completion of our 8-week course, participants will receive a certificate recognizing their Basic Life Skills work.  

Your instructor: Susan Bernhart, 16 years Life Skills training experience and CCPDT-Certified, AKC Sanctioned and continuously Knowledge Assessed. More than 3,000 dogs trained.

Course Options:

• Group: $225 for 8 sessions (60 minutes each)
• Private: $260 for 8 sessions (30 minutes each)