SUN-11AM-Basic Manners Dog Training Classes

Basic Manners is a semi-private group dog training class. It is for those who: 1) have completed a ForceFreePets Puppy and Rescue Headstart-ONLINE class and 2) those who have NOT completed our Puppy and Rescue Headstart-ONLINE class but who have a dog and want to learn more about integrating them into their family. Classes are held at Green Acres Kennel Shop.

At ForceFreePets, we recognize that each dog is an amazing sentient being with physical and emotional needs very different from a person’s. We will teach you how to train your dog to sit and come when called, but we will also show you how to meet their needs and to live with them in harmony. Additionally, we will help you understand how your dog communicates and how you can best “speak” to them, which often does not involve your voice.

Our goal is for you and your dog to become and remain best friends for life.

In Basic Manners, we will teach you how your dog learns, how they will communicate with you, and how you can best communicate with them. We will teach you to train your dog to respond to visual and audible cues for attention, sit, down, come, heel, give, and leave it. If you need assistance with typical puppy behaviors like play biting, housetraining, jumping on people, and chewing, we suggest you take Puppy and Rescue Headstart-ONLINE first or concurrently with Basic Manners.

This semi-private class consists of two teams of one to two students with their dogs and one instructor. Classes may be held indoors and outdoors in our upstairs training room, depending on the weather and what is taught in a particular week. Each session is approximately 40 minutes long, and will meet at the same time and day for six weeks. The cost of the class is $236.

We offer a wide selection of class starting dates and times. However, once you have started a class, you cannot switch to a different date or time.

Approximately two weeks before attending the first class with your dog, you will be sent an email containing links to view our orientation videos. You will require access to the internet and a desktop computer or tablet to watch these videos. While you can watch them on a smartphone, we do NOT recommend it. You will be given an option to elect to be sent these online materials immediately; however, if you choose to do so, you waive your right to a refund.

To get the most benefit from your class, we encourage you to watch these videos before the first in-person class.  They cover information on canine behavior, training, and human and canine communication. They are the foundation of what we will be teaching you in person. Therefore, viewing them will be critical to implementing what we teach you. You will have access to the videos until the final class.

All students will receive the following at their first in-person class: A copy of our book, Best Friends for Life, homework sheets, two clickers, and twelve ForceFreePets/Green Acres Kennel Shop coupons worth up to $54.

Green Acres Kennel Shop/ForceFreePets has been voted the Bangor region’s Best Dog Trainer every year since 2011. The program is under the direction of Don Hanson, a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB). Don’s accreditation requires ForceFreePets programs to follow strict ethical guidelines, which you can review at https://forcefreepets.com/ethics-policies/.

The ForceFreePets team is committed to the Pet Professional Guilds (PPG) Guiding Principles, which state: “No shock, No prong, No choke and No Pain, No fear, No Force are ever employed in the training, behavior modification, care, or management of any pet. “. ( https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/PPGs-Guiding-Principles )

We reserve the right to postpone or reschedule classes for the following reasons:

• Inclement weather.
• Instructor or facility availability.
• Public health emergencies.
• Other unforeseen circumstances.