General Information
We offer private lessons to help with a wide variety of issues (see below).
The average private lesson lasts approximately one hour. This fee includes email follow-up after the private lesson, to make sure your homework and training are going as expected, to answer questions and offer additional guidance.
In order to help you and your dog accomplish your goals, we need to have a thorough understanding of your dog’s behavior, exercise, nutrition, health problems and your family’s lifestyle. We believe there are many factors that can influence a dog’s behavior so the more information you can supply, the better. If possible, the entire family should attend the private lesson and assist with the completion of the private lesson questionnaire. When that is not possible, let us know and we may be able to video tape the lesson (you are welcome to bring your own video camera).
After the private lesson you will be given homework. Your instructor will follow up with you via email after he or she receives your homework. This follow-up will make sure you’re on track and seeing the progress that your instructor anticipated.
Please be prepared to take notes during your lesson. Your instructor will provide printed reference material and handouts, but most people find it helpful to take additional notes. A lot of information will be covered in a relatively short period of time.
A private lesson is similar to a doctor’s prescription. Your instructor will give you specific instructions to achieve your goals; however, it is up to you and your family to follow through with any prescribed training, behavior modification, exercise and lifestyle changes.
Obedience or Behavioral Private Lessons
Group Class or Private Lesson?
Most basic obedience and household manners are covered in our small group classes. Puppy Manners and Beginning Home Obedience classes discuss everything from housebreaking to crate training, mouthing, jumping up, stealing, barking, digging, mouthing and more. Some dogs who demonstrate behaviors that might be considered “aggressive” (or reactive) can be mainstreamed into our group classes. Many fear, mouthing, barking and growling issues can often be resolved in a Puppy Manners or Beginning Home Obedience class. If you’re unsure of what is appropriate for your dog, contact us.
Private Lesson
Private lessons can be appropriate for many reasons:
- Some dogs benefit from additional training outside of the group class with individual instruction.
- Some families prefer one-on-one coaching, where specific issues can be thoroughly addressed.
- If you have a hectic schedule, need a jump-start on your training or have unique challenges, a private lesson can be extremely beneficial.
There are also some dogs who may not be ready for a group environment. If a dog starts in a group class, but is unable to settle within 15-20 minutes, a private lesson may be necessary. We can help you understand and deal with reactivity or dog aggression and human aggression, as well as extreme anxiety issues. In these cases, we often request a veterinary visit to rule out any underlying health issues prior to meeting with the family and the dog.
The cost for in-facility Obedience, Manners, Behavior Problem, Aggression and Anxiety Private Lessons is $135 for the first hour plus $25 for each additional 15 minutes.
Private Lesson Form for Basic Obedience, Behavior Problems, Aggression & Anxiety
Performance or Skill-Specific Private Lessons
Our instructors are available to assist you with additional coaching outside of classes. Students enrolled in competition obedience, agility, breed ring, therapy dog, canine good citizen and other classes often benefit from individual training outside of their regular group class. This is a great option for students who are coming to us from other programs and joining us in our higher-level classes. These private lessons can be tailored to your specific needs. The cost for this type of lesson ranges from $75 to $95. Contact us for more information.
Private Lesson Form for Performance Students, Class-Specific and Skill-Specific Coaching
Scheduling a Private Lesson
If you would like to schedule a private lesson, please use one of these links to complete the appropriate form. The Private Lesson Questionnaire is very detailed, so plan to spend a bit of time answering the questions. After you have completed your form, please save it to your computer. You can email it to us as an attachment or print it and drop off a hard copy. We’ll review your form and your availability and get back to you with some scheduling options and the name of your instructor.
Note: Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (versions from 2015 or later) allows you to complete the form on your computer using the “Fill & Sign” button. Click here to download the latest (and free) version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC: https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/pdf-reader.html