Private vs. Group

Our class time is limited and we assign ourselves no more than six dogs in any given beginner or puppy class. Given that amount of time and the material we wish to cover, we have little extra time to go into detail concerning one person's unique situation.
Instructors are fortunate that most eight to fourteen week old puppies exhibit typical puppy behavior, which is usually addressed within the class itself.
However, adolescent dogs and some puppies offer behavioral dilemmas that need individual discussion and attention to solve. That must be done outside of a group setting.
A disadvantage of group classes is the instructor is not able to devote enough personal attention to each team’s individual needs. Often they are forced to work on those issues the majority needs help on.
If a dog was placed in group classes, was unable to handle the stimulation and was not able to learn in that environment, the dog would make little or no progress in terms of learning how to pay attention to its owner or calm behavior in the face of distractions. Private lessons would be indicated.
For older dogs, adolescent dogs or young puppies with behavioral issues outside the norm, I believe private lessons are more beneficial when starting to teach these dogs basic obedience concepts.
For young puppies we do believe there is benefit to small group lessons and accompanying puppy play activities.
In a private series you can progress at the individual dog and handler’s pace. There are run-throughs (practice matches) available to work on distractions.
Foundation skills are not worked on enough. Some teams are held back because other teams are not progressing quickly enough to move everyone along.
Private lessons or semi-private lessons are extremely beneficial for the adolescent or adult dog and it's human. These dogs often times need a quieter environment and fewer distractions, in order to begin to learn a behavior.
The dog's owner wants to spend time teaching and learning, not trying to hang on as their dog searches out reinforcement from other dogs or people.
The instructor can spend the needed amount of time to ask questions, discuss situations and explain why learning a new behavior is more difficult to learn for a dog that has already practiced inappropriate behavior or exhibits an undesirable habit. The instructor's attention can be directed to the very specific and individual needs of both the dogs and their owners.
You can work on the things the individual team needs. "Team" meaning dog and handler.

You are invited to observe a class prior to registering, to feel if our methods and unique trainer are right for you and your dog. It is always a good idea to observe a trainer "in action" before making a financial investment.This will set you and your dog up for success. Email for observation guidelines and pre-registration papers. To prevent frustration, please understand a group environment may not be what is best for you and your puppy or older dog to learn new behaviors, every dog and human are unique and individual. Please review the pros and cons of group vs. private lessons.

Group Class Schedule is subject to change due to demand. You must present a Bill of Health before attending a group class series.

Schedule is subject to change due to demand. Please email gina@unleashyourself.biz for pre-registration papers.

Classes are held in NE Portland at Dog Gone Happy Dog Day Care.

PUPPY SCHOOL: Puppy pounce, each series is 8 weeks.

• Pups ages 8 to 14 weeks
• Limited to six pups per class
• each lesson up to 2 hours
• Class meets once a week
• Includes THE THIRD WAY Getting Started Booklet, by Chris Bach

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Learn how breeder interference may lead to behavioral problems.

PREVENTION! This is the most important course you'll ever take. Your puppy's brain is like a sponge soaking up everything and learning every moment they are awake! You'll learn basic foundation skills: eye contact, sit/maintain, and relinquishing distractions in the environment on cue. Play-behavior education-development, proper management and proper exposure to their environment.

You will also be prepared for the adolescent phase, when young dogs may temporarily forget the good manners you've taught them! Your pup will also interact with other pups and an older dog to rehearse the skills they have learned from mommy milk bags in the litter setting. We will teach you about all aspects of socialization, bite inhibition, house training and desensitization. It is never too early to start teaching your pup what to do!

By the end of a Puppy program, people who do their homework, know how to help their dogs reach maturity without feeling hopelessly frustrated or resorting to corrections and aversive methods. We teach you what a dog is and why it acts the way it does. Then teach you how to manage your dog while you teach the behaviors you want the dog to learn. People do not have to turn their adolescent dogs over to humane societies or rescue groups, if they themselves are willing to learn and to teach their puppies.

The majority of dogs relinquished for adoption are adolescent, ages 6 months to 2 years.

Puppies are perfect at acting like dogs, which can, at times, be pretty irritating to us human beings. Each puppy is different than the next. They are unique individuals. Yet, we have never met a puppy that could not have its behavior modified using THE THIRD WAY philosophy and techniques. People who are willing to learn and take the time and energy to teach their puppies are, in the end, very grateful. Former students tell us how wonderful their unique puppies are all the time ...

"Hey gina,

I wanted to give you a little update. Although Bocce is still adolescent, there has definitely been a shift in his responsiveness to us. Every single day we see changes in him. It's like he is remembering the things that were taught and wants to do them, at the park, he comes when called 100% of the time. I just say his name and he come flying. We exercise him for at least 1 hr everyday and on the weekends he usually gets 3-4 hours between walks, park, and playing with the neighbor's dog.

Nothing magic about what he's doing...it's all stuff that you taught us to work on. It's just that he's really doing it. Your system works! It's fantastic.

Catch you later,

Robert"

Dogs in our program have performed simple as well as highly complex skills to earn an Advanced class certificate. One fun fact remains a constant. If you manage and teach your dog using THE THIRD WAY, the dog will want to learn new behaviors as long as you are willing and able to teach them. Participating in the advanced puppy class (second part - 8 week series) increases your dog's reliability with distractions and minimizes undesired behaviors. You'll reinforce previously learned skills by challenging your dog to respond reliably in even the most distracting situations, such as walking in a busy park or being in the presence of food. It Is very important for you and your dogs training to continue, as learning is always diminishing. Dogs are opportunist and habitual creatures.

Puppy Pounce Kindergarten
Tue., Jun. 19, 7:30PM
Thu., Jul. 26, 7:30PM
Mon., Aug. 6, 7:30PM

THE FOUNDATION class series

• Adolescents (beginning at 4 months of age or older)
• Limited to six dogs
• 8 sessions, up to 2 hours each lesson
• Class meets once a week
• Includes THE THIRD WAY Getting Started Booklet, by Chris Bach
• Optional private session for $65.00 (normally $90.00) plus many other private program options to choose from)

In this class we are dealing with the Adolescent Dog, if your dog is past the age of 16 weeks, you no longer have a puppy. You are now dealing with an adolescent dog and all that comes with it including puberty. This is an exciting, challenging and sometimes frustrating time in your relationship with your dog. It's imperative that you continue your dog's education and social structure. We focus on teaching you building blocks (eye contact, sit/maintain, and relinquishing distractions in the environment on cue). You'll learn how to teach your dog using management devices and habit-solving tools. The foundation games introduced in this class will prepare you and your dog better than any other beginner's program for whatever role you want your dog to fulfill in life. We train to maintain!

Depending on your individual situation it would be best to consider private training; there are many pros and cons to group classes for older dogs. Private lessons or semi-private lessons are extremely beneficial for the adolescent or adult dog and it's human. These dogs often times need a quieter environment and fewer distractions, in order to begin to learn a behavior. The dog's owner wants to spend time teaching and learning, not trying to hang on as their dog searches out reinforcement from other dogs or people.

The Dance Intermediate class series

• Prerequisite: Puppy Pounce Kindergarten or Foundation class adolescents (pup's and or foundation students come together, to continue their education).
• Eight sessions, 90 minutes each lesson
• Class meets once a week
This course is designed for students who have successfully completed Puppy Pounce Kindergarten or the Foundation class series. This class increases your dog's reliability with distractions and minimizes undesired behaviors. You'll reinforce previously learned skills by challenging your dog to respond reliably in even the most distracting situations, such as walking in a busy park or being in the presence of food. It is very important for you and your dogs training to continue, as learning is always diminishing. Dogs are opportunist and habitual creatures.

Maintenance Plan

• Prerequisite: Completion of any of the classes above or Private Teaching Series.

young adult advancing their ability to maintain learned behaviors no matter what is going on in the environment

• Six sessions, 90-minutes each
• Once a month for six months
Exclusively for clients who have completed a class or private training series. For a significantly reduced fee, I will meet with you for a 90 minute session each month and work with you and your dog. In these monthly sessions, we will work to keep your training on track, help you overcome hurdles, and prevent getting stuck in bad habits. The monthly fee is $50.00, and in order to participate in this program you will need to make a minimum six-month commitment.

What is our background in dog training?

Based on our belief system, we teach class participants why dogs do what they do as well as carefully explaining what we can or cannot do about that activity. We demonstrate, as well as help dog owners practice techniques that can be used to teach a puppy or dog the behaviors humans deem appropriate. As a result, we find ourselves offering people a great deal of valuable information verbally as well as helping them, in a "hands on" manner, teaching their canine companions the behaviors most of us humans want our dogs to exhibit.

In terms of teaching the dogs themselves, we believe in teaching a dog a behavior by giving the dog a visual cue and setting the dog up to volunteer the desired behavior. We use gentle management to stop the dog from leaving or exhibiting undesirable behaviors while it is deciding what to do. Once the dog performs the desired behavior voluntarily, the dog is reinforced with something it considers rewarding. Never is the dog physically pushed, manipulated by force or bribed. We expect the dog to think about its situation and offer the behavior on a volunteer basis. Only then will it be offered the reward it has earned. Once a dog offers a behavior voluntarily and learns that there is value in doing so, it will repeat that behavior, voluntarily. Those desirable behaviors will become habits for the dog if repeated often enough.

Group classes work best for young puppies and for maturing puppies that have been started in group classes at a younger age. Puppies that are 8 to 14 weeks of age are ready and able to begin to learn a great deal of appropriate dog behavior. Their quick progress is enjoyable to watch. The puppies' ability to learn in the presence of other puppies teaches the puppies that they can interact with other puppies when allowed to do so and ignore a distraction as powerful as another puppy as needed. Group dynamics are also very exciting in that people can watch each other, share their experiences and help one another understand that they often are contending with similar behaviors from their puppies. The owners come to realize that they are not alone. In a group setting, participants stimulate each other to do their homework and help their own individual puppies learn.

Group classes offer distractions and the dog and handler learn how to perform when other people are watching.

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