Dog training

Obedience training

Leave a comment
Flier advertising a dog training class. Flier is designed to resemble a bulletin board with three items on it: a Polaroid photo of a woman and two dogs; a yellow Post-It note that reads, "TRAIN YOUR DOG! April 6-May 11, 2024. Six-week class costs just $50! Proceeds benefit Paws & Claws. Learn basic commands. Solve common behavior problems. ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Sign up at: tucumcaridogtraining.com/obedience-lessons"; and a black rectangle featuring the logos for the class sponsors, Tucumcari Dog Training and Tucumcari Main Street.

It’s that time again! I am offering a group obedience class again this spring in Tucumcari.

Class will meet at 10 a.m. on Saturdays from April 6 through May 11 at the Tucumcari Railroad Museum. The cost is $50 for the entire six-week class, with proceeds split between the museum and Paws and Claws animal rescue. As always, I will waive the course fee for shelter volunteers and for dogs adopted from Paws and Claws or the Tucumcari city animal shelter.

I regard group classes as the gold standard for obedience training, because they provide opportunities for socialization that you just don’t get with private lessons. In a basic obedience class, you will learn:

  • Safety tips, including what to do if a loose dog approaches you and your dog.
  • Strategies to manage or eliminate common canine behavior issues such as reactivity, jumping, or nuisance barking.
  • The “instead of” principle for eliminating undesirable behaviors.
  • How and when to scaffold instruction to help your dog master difficult concepts.
  • Eight essential commands: heel, sit, stay, wait, mine, place, recall, and kennel.

Depending on the personality and skills of a given class, you also might swap dogs with another student to give your dog practice working with an unfamiliar handler; turn obstacles in the immediate environment into an impromptu agility course; take a field trip to a dog-friendly business; or participate in a “barkcuterie” party to test your dog’s impulse control while rewarding you and your dog for a job well done.

If you live in the Tucumcari area and want to join the class, click here to sign up. Advance registration is required, and I’m capping the class at 10 dog/handler teams to ensure that everybody gets adequate attention. If you can spare 15 minutes a day to practice the skills you learn in class, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your dog learns.

(Cross-posted from tucumcaridogtraining.com.)

Leave a comment