TRAINING, EDUCATION & WORKSHOPS

​Pet Connections utilizes science-based, force-free methods to help you best reach your goals in a family & dog-friendly environment. ​We’ve built our program from the ground-up and have several training options whether you’re just getting involved in therapy dog volunteering or just want to have more confidence working with your dog in a variety of environments; we’ve got the training courses for you!

* Pet Connections is proud to offer a 10% discount for veterans
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Dog Training

​Pet Connections is a leader in the education of dogs and their handlers. Whether your goal is to have a great family dog or a highly-trained therapy dog to work in the community or in your therapy practice, we will provide you and your dog with the tools to achieve your training goals.

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​LEVEL ONE: Connecting with Your Pet and Family
For dogs of all ages, this 6-week course is designed to help your dog develop their manners around the house. We work together to improve skills such as sit, down, and coming when called while also strengthening the relationship that you and your dog have. Impulse control development is a heavy focus of this class to help your dog continue to grow and become a model member of your family. 

Topics and Skills covered include:
  • Using Food & Other Rewards Properly
  • Strengthen Ability to Work Around Household Distractions
  • Relationship Develop for Optimal Success
  • Foundations of Loose Leash Walking
  • Leashing up and Manners at the Door

Throughout the course, dogs and their handlers will be coached & observed on success of skills as well as other class content. Individualized recommendations for moving forward will be provided and based on each team’s progress and personal goals. 
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LEVEL TWO: Connecting with Your Pet & Others 
This course will focus on the application of skills from Level One, using real life scenarios to progress your training, as well as the addition of more advanced behaviors. Using games, mock set-ups, and practical scenarios, you will learn to better apply the tools that you and your dog have previously developed. Coupled with the introduction of advanced skills, you and your dog will work together to improve manners and interactions with guests as well as behavior while out and about. 

Topics and skills covered include:
  • Developing a reliable “leave-it” and recall
  • Politely Greeting People and Other Dogs
  • Identifying Signs of Stress in Your Dog & Solutions
  • Continued Development of Calmness Around Distractions
  • Improving Loose Leash Walking

Throughout the course, dogs and their handlers will be coached & observed on success of skills as well as other class content. Individualized recommendations for moving forward will be provided and based on each team’s progress and personal goals. The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) will be offered following successful completion of this course to interested teams. 


LEVEL THREE: Connecting with Your Pet in a Community Setting
This course will build on skills acquired in previous coursework and prepares handler-dog teams to work together in animal assisted interventions. Handlers will learn how to empower other individuals with different levels of abilities to interact with & direct their dog, resulting in a deeper human-animal bond. We will develop your skills as a team so that you and your dog may confidently and comfortably provide services to others. You and your dog will become more proficient and acquire the ability to perform under different circumstances and in different environments. 

Dogs and their handlers will gain more complex, advanced skills & knowledge including: 
  • Animal Welfare and the 5 Freedoms
  • Introduction to Working with Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
  • Working in Partnership with Other Dogs and Animals
  • Advocating for Your Dog and Handling Stress
  • Continuing to Increase Comfort & Confidence Around Environmental Distractions

Upon completion, dogs and their handlers will be provided individualized recommendations for moving forward based on each team’s progress and personal goals. Teams will also be offered the opportunity to partake in the Pet Connections Certification evaluation and begin the process of becoming a Certified Pet Connections Team.
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