MANNERS

BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH YOUR DOG.

Manners classes are a series of 4-week classes to start building training skills such as attention, sit, down, stay, leave it, loose leash walking, and coming when called. Basic behavior challenges including counter surfing, jumping on guests, and barking for attention can be addressed in Manners classes.

Manners classes teach the foundation of dog training, which makes them great for owners who are new to clicker training (or any training, for that matter!) and for dogs that are getting settled in a new home and could use a refresher on their manners (or who may not have had any training previously). Manners 1 and Manners 2 are perquisites for advanced classes including Canine Good Citizen, Tricks, Control Unleashed, and Agility.

Some dogs should NOT join Manners class:

1. If you have taken the Puppy series (Puppy 1, Puppy 2, and Puppy 3) with Kinship Dog Training, you can skip Manners 1 as it will repeat much of the exercises you have already learned.

2. This class is for dogs over six months old. If your dog is under six months of age, please sign up for Puppy classes.

3. If your dog barks, growls, or is aggressive to people or dogs, your dog is not yet eligible for Manners. Private lessons may be required to prepare your dog for group classes. Dogs who are not appropriate for group classes will be excused and no refund will be given. If you are in doubt, please contact us! Ali@kinshipdogs.com

4. If you have experience using clicker training in classes and have already worked on the topics listed above with this dog, please contact us about whether you can skip Manners 1 and/or Manners 2.

What to bring:

• Your dog! Preferably a little hungry, and having been given a potty break prior to class.

• Flat buckle collar, martingale collar, head halter, front-attaching harness (ex. Freedom or Balance harnesses) or body harness. Please no prong collars or slip/choke collars.

• 6 foot nylon or leather leash. Please no flexi/retractable leashes.

• Treat pouch. A fanny pack, climber’s chalk bag, or hardware apron will work well too!

• Treats! At least two cups (I know, it’s a lot!) of pea-sized delicious treats. Your treats need to outcompete the environment, so hot dogs, ham and cheese will all work well.

• Optional

  • a mat for your dog to rest on between exercises.

  • a chew or stuffed kong for your dog to chew during downtimes.

Manners 1

Manners 1 is for dogs age 6 months of age or older without previous group training, or who need a brush up on skills before joining a more advanced class.

Manners 1 introduces skills attention/eye contact, sit, down, stay, polite greetings, leash manners, coming when called, and leave it. Human students will be coached in foundation training techniques including use of the clicker, reinforcement, and problem solving.

Class size is limited, so each dog/handler team gets lots of one on one coaching, and exercises can be tailored to your dog. For example, if your dog already knows sit, you can use sit training time to work on sitting at your side, at a distance from you, or in response to a hand signal or verbal cue that is new.

Location:

This class is held in the Kinship Studio, at 320 SW Mount Si Blvd Suite 108 North Bend, WA 98045.

Manners 2

Manners 2 is for dogs who have completed Manners 1. Manners 2 Increases the duration and resilience to distractions in the skills attention, sit, down, stay, leash manners, coming when called and leave it. The new skill introduced in Manners 2 is Place (go to crate or mat). Students will receive continued coaching in their timing, reinforcement, cueing and problem solving.

Location:

Kinship Studio, 320 SW Mount Si Blvd Suite 108 North Bend, WA 98045.

Manners 2 requires instructor permission if you are a student new to Kinship. Please schedule an assessment if you feel your dog has the prerequisite skills: Use of the clicker or other marker, effective reinforcement, attention/focus, sit, down, beginning recall, beginning leash manners, beginning leave it, and polite greetings in the presence of a novel dog and human your dog hasn’t met at a distance of 10 feet in the Kinship facility.

manners field trips

PRACTICE MANNERS SKILLS WITH REAL WORLD DISTRACTIONS.

The focus of this class is to utilize skills learned in Manners 2 or Puppy 3 and gain confidence working in new locations. Each week, class will meet in a different location within a 20 minute drive of North Bend. During class, dog/handler teams will practice leash manners, polite greetings, recall, leave it, and focus in the presence of real-life distractions including dogs, people, bicycles and wildlife.

Be sure to bring:

-20-30 foot long line for recall practice.

- Poop bags

- A portable mat for your dog to rest on

-  Absolutely AMAZING Treats! You will be competing with new environments each week so bring very high value treats. Please bring a larger amount than normal.

- Optional: A cross body bag or backpack for your extra items.

- Optional: Water and a bowl for your dog.

Please note: This class is not appropriate for reactive dogs. Dogs showing an intense reaction (barking, lunging, growling or staring) toward dogs or people will be excused from class without a refund. If you are unsure, contact Jeanne at pawshavingfun@gmail.com.