Does your dog have some “basic” foundation skills at home but needs to build their skills in a group setting? Join us for Starting Out, where owners and their dog will develop solid foundation skills in this fun group class! Skills/concepts taught in this course include: Name game, Sit, Down, Stay, Meeting Strangers, & Confidence Building.
Adult & Adolescence Courses
Adult & Adolescence Courses
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: Varies
Class Price: $140.00
Level 2 – Basic Manners
Does your dog sit calmly when meeting people? Come when called? Walk politely on a loose leash? Level 2 training classes will give you, the dog owner, all the skills you need to train your dog to have great manners. Skills/Class sessions are 45 minutes long.
Recommended for dogs who have previously completed Level 1 Training.
Class sessions are 45 minutes long.
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: Varies
Class Price: $140.00
Level 3 – Intermediate Skills
Are you ready to take your dog’s basic skills to the next level? Adding distance, duration and distraction to loose leash walking, come, leave it, sit, stay, and down is the focus of this Level 3 class. This is a great class for dogs who have basic skills but need practice in a group setting.
Recommended for dogs who have previously completed Level 2 Training.
Class sessions are 45 minutes long.
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: Varies
Class Price: $150.00
Level 4 – Advanced Skills/AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Prep
Level 4 – Advanced Skills/AKC Canine Good Citizen Prep class takes all the skills you and your dog have worked on and continues to practice the 4 D’s of dog training. These are distance, distraction, duration and difficulty. Upon completion of this class your dog should have a solid sit, down, recall (come), wait/stay, and be able to walk politely on lead around distractions. This is an excellent class to prepare your dog for competitive events such as agility, obedience, and rally. Enrollment in this class includes an opportunity to take the AKC Canine Good Citizen test during the sixth week of class. Passing the Canine Good Citizen test is a great start for training to become a therapy dog.
Recommended for dogs who have previously completed Level 3 Training.
Class Length: 5 weeks
Class Price: $150.00
Adolescent Manners
You survived the puppy stage. Now your dog is between 7 – 18 months old. Suddenly, your pup has turned into a wild and crazy stranger. Jumping on visitors, no longer waits politely for the food bowl, chewing up household items, and their recall has just about disappeared. With additional training, good management and relationship-building you will be able to negotiate some of the most frequent adolescent-dog behavior challenges!
This class is recommended for dogs 7 – 18 months old.
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: 6
Class Price: $140.00
Focus and Impulse Control
Do you have difficulty getting your dog to focus on you when in a new environment? Does your dog grab at things without permission? Does your dog mind you at home but nowhere else? Attention is eye contact, but we want FOCUS. Once you are able to get your dog’s attention, it will make all of your other training easier. You will learn how to foster better attention from your dog and help your dog develop basic impulse-control skills.
If you answered “YES!” to any of these questions, then this is the class for you and your dog! This is a great class for adolescent and adult dogs with attention and impulse control issues and for most dogs looking for a “first group class”.
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: 6
Class Price: $130.00
Confident Canines
Is your dog reactive toward other dogs, pulling and barking at the end of his leash when you take him out for walks? Is your dog fearful when going to new places and meeting new people or dogs? Do you need more confidence as an owner to help your dog calm down when out and about? Learn how to build your dog’s confidence in new situations and help him learn appropriate behavior on leash when walking by other dogs, in this class.
Training is accomplished with positive methods, and classes are arranged as private and semi-private sessions to allow for plenty of one-on-one attention. You and your dog will have ample room and a relaxed environment to train in! Our new four-week format allows teams to progress while welcoming new teams into the sessions on a regular basis.
The instructor of this class will coordinate the privates/semi-privates each week to allow for the best progression and/or introduction of each team. “Class time” will encompass a set one to two hour block of time at BDA, and individual team training will be scheduled in smaller increments during this block.
Requirements: Dog must be at least 6 months old, and the owner must have owned the dog for at least 3 months
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: Varies
Class Price: $170.00
Therapy Dog Training
Dogs that visit hospitals, schools, and libraries to share comfort and affection are called “therapy dogs.” This class is geared for those who would like hands-on training to prepare to become a registered animal-assisted therapy team with a local or national organization. You and your dog will work on the skills you need to be a successful therapy team. There will be off-site training during this 5 week class.
Requirements:
- Dogs must be people and dog friendly.
- We strongly recommend completing an intermediate level class – like the Canine Good Citizen Prep (CGC Prep) – before taking this class. They should be able to focus on you around distractions and other dogs.
- Dogs must be at least six months of age.
- Dogs must be up-to-date on vaccinations.
Class Length: 5 weeks
Class Size: Varies
Class Price: $135.00
Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Prep
The American Kennel Club’s CGC Program is a wonderful way to showcase your dog’s good manners so he can be distinguished as a “Canine Good Citizen.” Prepare for the 10-step CGC test that covers basic skills such as loose-leash walking, sitting politely for petting, coming when called, and more.
A great follow-up class to Canine Cornerstones or one of our breed-specific classes, this four-week class helps dog and handler prepare for the CGC test, which is routinely given at BonaFide. The CGC distinction is also a great departure point for other canine activities, such as obedience, agility, therapy work, and more! The Canine Good Citizen Program is open to all dogs, both purepred and mixed- breed. For more information on the Canine Good Citizen Program, please visit http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/index.cfm.
Enrollment in this class includes an opportunity to take the CGC test during the fifth week of class.
Class Requirements:
- Dog and handler must have completed at MINIMUM one basic teen or adult obedience class (puppy classes do not count) – PLEASE consult your current BonaFide instructor or contact us to see if your dog is ready for this class. The instructor has the right to excuse any dog that comes into class with insufficient skills to participate (no refunds or class credits).
- Dogs should have a solid sit, down, recall (come), wait/stay, and be able to walk politely on lead around distractions before enrolling in this class. This class is a review and refining of basic skills, NOT an introduction to basic manners.
- Harnesses, haltis, correction collars, and treats are not allowed during CGC testing. If your dog is still dependent on these kinds of aids to perform the behaviors listed above, he is NOT ready for the CGC class.
Class Length: 5 weeks
Class Size: Varies
Class Price: $135.00
AKC Community Canine (CGCA Test Prep)
This class starts where the Canine Good Citizen ends and takes the basic good manners all dogs should have out into the public for testing. The goal of AKC Community Canine is to test the dog’s skills in a natural setting. NOTE: Dogs must have earned the Canine Good Citizen.
Class is 6 weeks in length with the last week the Canine Community test. The class will meet off site several weeks in preparation for the test.
Class Length: 6 weeks
Class Size: 6
Class Price: $155.00
Bully Breed Basics
Bulldogs (of all kinds), Mastiffs, Boxers, Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog breeds are a favorite among many dog lovers. They are smart, strong, full of personality and very loveable! But the very traits that make them so appealing also means they need a lot of mental stimulation, regular exercise and good basic training to be healthy, happy members of the family!
Come learn more about why these dogs behave as they do and how to deal with them in this class designed specifically for bully breeds and mixes. We will discuss the history and development of the bully breeds, the drives behind their behaviors and how to deal with specific problem behaviors that are most common.
Each week we will practice basic obedience skills (sit, down, come, walk on leash) as well as introduce you and your dog to a fun activity you two can enjoy together!
This class is great for Pitbull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Great Danes, Boxers, Bulldogs, English Mastiffs, American Bulldog, Boston Terrier and other bully breeds and mixes.
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: 6
Class Price: $120.00
Nose Work and Scent Games
In this class, we will introduce you and your dog to fun and easy games allowing your dog to sniff out treats and toys. Scent training provides mental stimulation which is another great way to burn your dog’s energy indoors. We will be using simple objects that can be found around your home such as empty boxes, cups, flower pots, and muffin tins. These games are perfect for dogs of all breeds and ages, dogs with shy or nervous temperaments, and especially dogs who always have their nose to the ground.
What do you need for class?
- A rug or mat for your dog to relax on
- High value treats that can be easily broken up to hide
- A water bowl, water provided
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: 6
Price: $120.00
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: 6
Class Price: $120.00
Recalls & Distractions - Relationship Building
Does your dog come when called, only when they want to? Does your dog have trouble coming away from distractions such as other dogs or something on the ground? Learn games to play that will increase your dog’s motivation and drive to race to you when you called. The class focus is on building a strong relationship with your dog while developing amazing recalls. We will work on impulse control, retrieving, toy play and shaping.
Open to dogs of any age.
Class Length: 4 weeks
Class Size: 6
Class Price: $120.00