What are your classes like?
Well, lets start with what our classes are NOT like. They are not like any training classes you have ever been to! First, no guilt trips here. If you are not getting anywhere with your dog, we will not make you feel guilty about it nor give up on you! We’ll help you! (Unless guilt works for you—then we can do that.) We consider ourselves your canine or puppy coaches. We will also be your biggest cheerleaders and support team. Many clients take our classes three times—the same class! Why is that? We think it’s because we try to not cookie-cut our classes. So each session is different and that keeps learning and working with your dog more interesting. Of course you and your dog will learn the basics like sit, down, stay. But in our classes, you will learn about your dog! What floats his boat! You will teach your dog how to lie down while you are sitting down having a cup of java, reading a book, and living your life! That’s what you want isn’t it? You will learn to communicate in a way that your dog will understand. You will have a better relationship with your dog when your dog is well trained and we know that, so that is our goal. We help you and your dog develop a healthy relationship. Dogs that have good relationships with their families get to do more things with their families like field trips, little league games, and lets not forget soccer! You may not have a show dog but you certainly can have a show off dog! And that’s the dog you see in front of all the coffee shops in Seattle—the dog that just lies there, waits patiently for his best friend to finish his latte’, excepts petting without embarrassing his owner by jumping all around. He’s the cool dog that everyone wants and the best part is…he’s your dog! Hey, here’s a perk! At the end of every Star-Barks 101 class, we go on a field trip to Starbucks—dogs included! And it’s our treat too! Can’t just talk the talk and not walk the walk! So walk with your dog and follow us to Starbucks for a sit, down, stay and have a latte’ night!
We try to have a relaxed attitude in our classes and we want our clients to relax and have fun! Learn all the unique and wonderful things your dog has to offer. No dog will fail any class and there is no “test” at the end of the session. We are firm believers that only you can fail your dog and our goal is to not let that happen. The fact that you come to use for six weekly sessions shows commitment to your dog and makes you a winner! We have had dogs all our lives and we have raised three kids (we’re still raising them!). We know the ups and downs of raising a puppy and training a dog, potty training a child while potty training a puppy (very similar by the way!) all the while trying to live your life and manage your household. We have a unique and humorous take on dog training and raising our families with dogs.
Because of time constraints during classes, some of your questions may not be addressed so we offer free email support to all our currently enrolled students. Your emails will usually be answered on the same day or within 24 hours. We also except phone calls but email seems to be more convenient and quicker.
*You will enjoy the classes you attend with us. All classes except for therapy evaluation preparation classes have free play. If a dog is too shy or aggressive, We will find something positive for that dog to do during free play so it is still a positive experience. We reserve the right to ask any owner of an overly aggressive or disruptive dog to remove themselves from class. Private lessons are available and we will refer you or help you in any way we can should your dog not be suitable for group classes. During many of our classes, there will be a second and sometimes a third trainer to help you and answer questions. We find this provides significant benefit to the whole group. We try to keep our class sizes down to no more than 10 – 14 dogs, depending on the class. Some classes will have less than ten. Class size is limited. Registering early is advisable.
Can children come to class?
If your children behave better than your puppy, then sure; why not? We can not have toddlers attend for obvious safety reasons but I have no problem with children over the age of 6 as long as they are not disruptive. I will provide some “kiddy” distraction toys should they get bored. We do not want you to miss out on training your dog because you don’t have a babysitter. We do reserve the right to ask that you leave your children at home should they become a distraction to the rest of the class. NO children under age 6 in class. We are a family friendly environment and we totally understand the need to train the puppy and work with small children. This is best served with a private in-home lesson if you have toddlers. Dave and I raised three children, and dogs together. We understand your struggles. The group class will best serve you if you can leave the younger children at home and apply what you learn in class once you get home. We are happy to provide you with a family private visit if you feel your family needs some “one-on-one” with a family dog trainer.
What do I need to bring?
Puppaccino Students: Your dog should wear a flat buckle collar to class. We prefer the flat nylon type with the plastic quick release; not the metal buckle type. Bring choke chains or pinch collars to class and we will check to make sure they are fitted properly and used correctly. No chain leashes or retractable leads. You need a 4-foot to 6-foot nylon or leather leash. We prefer leather leashes and we have an assortment available should you wish to purchase one.
Star-Barks Students: Please bring any collar, harness or head halter that you have been using on your dog. We prefer to see what you have been using and we may make suggestions for you try something else. Again, no flexi leashes or chain leashes. Please consider bringing along the following:
• A small rug or towel for your dog to lie on.
• A chew bone (rawhide) or toy as long as it doesn’t squeak!
• Plastic bag for clean up. Hope you won’t need them but always come prepared!
• Soft treats, not crunchy ones. We have some samples of the treats we use.
• Vaccination records. We accept either a current vaccine history or a current titers test for rabies. All dogs also need current fecal test results. Please have these records with you the first day of class or send a copy in the mail or by fax (425.984.0249) to avoid taking up class time.
Notes:
• Special training collars will be provided for sale should your dog require an alternative, along with other helpful training tools.
• We have cool “interactive” toys that we use for playing and training and we will show you how to use these toys to actually teach your dog good behaviors like “drop.”
• Please do not feed your dog before you come to class. We want them hungry because a hungry puppy is a more attentive puppy!
