Performance Art and Canine Education

ALL ROLLED INTO ONE CLASS!

Our Pierce County, Tacoma group Dog Training Classes are different than those you'l find anywhere else in the area or anywhere else, for that matter. We believe it's important to help educate you but we also want to entertain you at the same time. If you enjoy the learning process you will be more inclined to follow-through with the training outside of class. Good CitiZEN Dog Training’s philosophy is simple: We use fun, positive, reward-based methods and techniques to help train you and your dog. Unlike many trainers, we enjoy working with both people and their dogs. And, we educate you, so you become well-versed in the science of canine behavior.

We use gentle encouragement and confidence building techniques to help you create the most positive relationship with your pet. We teach you the science that drives canine behavior coupled together with awesome techniques. You become extremely good dog handlers while you learn the important facts about your dog so you are able to resolve problems even when we’re not around.

With great patience, we take the time to help you understand why dogs behave the way they do and demonstrate how to get them to behave in ways that you prefer. Using exercises that are fun for both you and your favorite canine companion, you will see changes in your pet’s behavior from one week to the next. You and your pet will look forward to your daily training routine. Training does not need to be an unpleasant experience or a chore!

Through group classes you will come to understand how your dog thinks, what motivates him or her, and learn to communicate effectively with each other. Using these training methods will help you to appreciate your pet’s potential and enable you to have a pet that is a pleasant and well-behaved companion.

class schedule

Puppy Kindergarten

This is a 6-week class designed to cover the basics of puppy training and care. (Puppies are between 8 weeks and 6 months old). The initial focus of these classes is to provide intensive socializing opportunities and exercises for the puppies to encourage a sense of confidence, and to reduce fear. In addition, during this class we begin basic obedience training. Our Puppy Training Classes are serious fun!

Puppy II Class

This class is designed for older puppies, generally between 6 and 12 months. This is a 6-week class with a greater focus on basic obedience skills, but still with plenty of on and off-leash play and interaction with other dogs and people. This is the time to manage fear and aggression before it becomes a problem.

Advanced Obedience

This class is designed for older puppies and young adult dogs between 8 and 24 months with good prior training experience and skill level. This challenging 6-week class focuses on advanced obedience skills for our furry companions throughout the Treasure Valley. There will still be plenty of on and off-leash socializing and supervised playtime with the other puppies and their owners, but we will spend more time working in this class building a more reliable “recall” from a distance and with distractions.

Advanced Meet & Greet

Advanced Meet & Greet Class is specifically for dogs that have difficulty and/or elicit inappropriate behavior toward other dogs. Whether they come on with too much enthusiasm or actually do something “unseemly” this is a great class for any dog owner. It is also our most popular class which means there are a great many dog owners who have this sort of difficulty.

FOR DOGS OF ALL SIZES AND AGES

Every dog should have a few tricks up his or her sleeve! Have a great time with your dog while teaching a variety of tricks chosen with your dog’s particular personality and physique in mind.

We cover a wide variety of fun tricks including (but, not limited to): spin, paw, take a bow, sit pretty, wave, hi five, rollover, jumps, weaving between your legs, and we take requests for additional tricks best suited to your dog!

We use positive reinforcement utilizing luring and free shaping techniques. This course is a great precursor to agility, therapy dog certification, and a potential career as a dog star! Teaching tricks is a great way to enhance your relationship with your dog, to improve overall canine manners and your skills as a trainer while having a blast!

Brain Work

The number one problem with most pet and companion dogs is that they have too much time and not enough to challenge their very good minds. Dogs are filled with energy and enthusiasm for life and if not given enough to do, they will simply find something to do – like get into trouble chewing, barking, digging or will develop neurotic behaviors. Our Brain Work class is designed to take the dog’s innate intelligence and put it to work solving problems. The result is amazing and even the owners are shocked and thrilled with the results. Let us help you unlock your dog’s brain and put it to work!