I, Johanna Teresi, CPDT am now teaching dog training at the Geauga YMCA in Chardon (12460 Bass Lake Rd, Chardon, Ohio 44024). The course is called “Elementary Obedience”. I am really excited about it! Its a basic obedience group dog training course that lasts for 5 weeks (an hour each week).
I taught group courses when I lived in SLC Utah, and they were a hit! When I moved back to Ohio, I wanted to continue offering group courses, and I was having trouble finding a facility that would allow dogs. Ben Altemus, the director at the Geauga YMCA, loves animals and dogs. He welcomed my idea! So now I am teaching dog classes at the Geauga YMCA! Thank you Ben for believing in me!
Starting in September 2024, I began teaching dog training at the Geauga YMCA and offering a course called the Elementary Obedience Course. I am currently on my third round, and I am getting my group teaching skills back up to par. My confidence is up, and I am ready to offer amazing value to you. So if you have a dog that you need help with training, check out our Elementary Obedience Group Course.
What Methods are Used in Our Elementary Obedience Course at the Geauga YMCA?
I train with positive reinforcement. As a result, we will be refraining from punishment based methods and focusing on rewarding behavior that we like. As you reward the behavior that you like in your dog, your dog will do those specific behaviors more often.
We will be using many treats in this course so that we can easily reward the good behavior. We will also redirect less desirable behaviors.
Yelling, hitting, choke collars, prong collars, shock collars, spray bottles, etc. will NOT be used in the class. We will be focusing on motivating our dogs to listen to us because they want to please us.
As your dog learns to listen more often to a command, we will fade out the treats and rewards so that you are not rewarding your dog every time.
We are also a fan of clicker training. However, if you do not want to use a clicker, you are not forced to do so. A clicker is a way to mark a behavior that we like. The click is always followed by a treat or a toy. Once a behavior is learned, we stop using the clicker for that behavior.
How Old Does My Dog or Puppy Need to Be?
Training can start as young as 8 weeks. As a result, you can join in this course when your puppy is 8 weeks or when your dog is an adult. Adults are great in this course this! So this Elementary Obedience Course is designed for dogs or puppies of any age.
All dogs are vaccinated and on a leash, so your puppy is safe here. Your puppy only needs the vaccines required for your pup’s age. You are required to keep up with your pup’s booster vaccinations.
Is Dog Training at the Geauga YMCA the Best Fit for You and Your Dog?
This Elementary Obedience course is taught in a group class setting. Group training is very different than private training. My focus is more on the group rather than individual tailored goals. So if you are good with a structured curriculum, group classes might be a great idea. If you have specific individualized goal, then private training is the answer for you and your dog.
In our Elementary Obedience Group Course, we cover basic obedience commands. Your dog will learn to respond basic obedience commands in your home environment. These commands include: sit, stay, down, target, come, leave it, settle (stop jumping and chewing), wait at the door, go to your bed (place), walking on a loose leash in class, etc.
In our Elementary Obedience Group Course, you will also get to be around other dogs. Socialization needs can be met as long as your dog is friendly with other people and dogs. The socialization window for puppies closes at about 4 months of age. As a result, getting your dog comfortable around other dogs and people can be a great idea. All dogs and puppies are vaccinated in the course.
If your dog listens well at home but struggles with basic commands around other people and dogs, then this Elementary Obedience Group Course could help get your dog to listen better to you around distractions.
If your dog has fear or aggression issues, private training is best. My group classes target basic obedience rather than specific behavioral issues such as fear / aggression towards people / dogs, food guarding (resource guarding), excessive barking around other dogs / people. If you are unsure, contact me, and we can determine if a group class is the best match for you.
You also have the option of progressing to more advanced levels:
- Junior Leash Walking Course – Training your dog to listen to basic obedience commands while teaching your dog to walk loosely on the leash in multiple settings including the Tractor Supply Store and outdoor village parks in Middlefield, Ohio.
- Senior Come Course – Training your dog to come off the leash well with distractions. This course will be taught on long lines in multiple locations at outdoor village parks in Middlefield, Ohio.
- Senior Hiking Course – We will go on hikes with your dog and teach them to listen on the leash with high level distractions.
What to Expect – Dog Training at the Geauga YMCA
I like teaching small classes so expect that you will get one one attention in my courses. This means you need to be open to feedback and to try new things. At times my feedback, might be direct to get to the point in a short amount of time.
When I give a suggestion I always suggest that you try it on before saying “no.” Receiving a suggestion might be a bit uncomfortable and being uncomfortable is a part of changing behavior. A large part of dog training is changing how we respond to our dogs and learning a new way of responding might be what you need to reach your goals. So try it in!
Generally I have 4-6 dogs in each class. So expect a small course size. This allows you to easily integrate what I teach, receive feedback and feel like you get to know the people and myself in the course a bit more. So my classes are more personalized.
Each week we will have a topic and go over certain commands that pertain to that topic to help you reach your dog training goals.
*The First Class is About the Human End of Dog Training
In this class, you will leave your dogs at home. I will be teaching you the human basics to ensure better success when your dogs do come with you. You will learn how to hold the leash, clicker, where to put the treat bag, etc.
We will teach you what clicker training is and how to do it. Basically, you are clicking the good behavior. Over time, dependent on what you reward, your dog’s behavior will change.
The click allows you to reward a specific behavior quickly. Then you have 2-3 seconds to get the treat out. As a result, you can be slow with giving the treating and fast at marking a good behavior.
When you have dog that jumps he / she may only sit for one second. You can click the sit and then give the treat a bit later. Your dog will still associate the treat with sitting because you marked the sit with a click.
The click sounds the same consistently. A consistent sound creates easier learning for your dog.
You will learn about TAG teach, Teaching with Acoustical Guidance. I can then communicate clearly with you so you know what behaviors to change within yourself. As you change, your dog changes. I am certified in TAG teach.
We may also address ways to keep the environment calmer for your dogs, You will learn how to redirect your dog to go to his / her bed. Also, you will learn techniques to help you feel more grounded such as meditation, breathing, and neck stretches. These tools will realign your vagus nerve and allow you to feel more grounded. With a more relaxed and grounded class, your dog will bark less and be more quiet.
The entire course is based on opening your mind into possibilities with your dog instead of focusing on problems. What you focus on is what you create. The more you reward and focus on the good behavior, the more you get that. The more you focus on the problems or bad behavior, the more your dog gets rewarded for that and the more your dog does those behaviors.
We want to empower you to focus on the good behaviors, to help you reach your goals. In the upcoming classes you will actively train your dog with me.
The Second Class – Learn the Basics With Your Dog (Sit, Down, Target and Settle)
We teach sit, down and target. Your body language and movements affect if your dog will respond to your commands or not. When we are teaching a new behavior, we will use a lure. This means you have food in your hand. If you are using food that is motivating to your dog, your dog will follow this food like a magnet.
Once your dog is following your hand, I will teach you to move your hand in certain directions to encourage your dog to sit, down and target, Targeting is getting your dog to touch his or her muzzle to your hand. Target helps move your dog around. Instead, of grabbing your dog, you can use target to move your dog to an exact location. It can also move your dog from a sit or down into a a stand.
When your dog barks, you will use a lure to redirect your dog to you to be quiet. We will also train your dog to settle on a small bed or blanket to encourage your dog to be calm in the course. This will help you be able to focus and learn more. Plus it will teach your dog to be more calm when he or she is excited. As a result, your dog will be more quiet and calm.
The Third Class Covers Leash Walking
In this class we will review sit, down and target. We will start to get your dog to listen to these commands without the lures. We will also focus on different leash walking methods. Using a front hook harness can help in this class. A front hook harness hooks on the chest of your dog. When your dog pulls, his chest is redirected back towards you, which lessens pulling.
Clicking and treating when the leash is loose will help with loose leash walking. Also, when your dog pulls redirecting your dog to walk loosely on the leash will help.
- Changing directions when your dog pulls on the leash can help create loose leash walking.
- Backing up while training “leave it” can help reduce pulling as well.
- “Target” can get your dog to focus on your hand and walk with a loose leash.
If you walk forward, when your dog pulls, your dog will get rewarded for pulling. Instead, we will remind you to redirect your dog when the leash is tense.
Come is the Topic for the Fourth Class
We will be focusing on prompting to get your dog to come, rather than repeating the come command over and over again, we will prompt your dog to come. There are many ways to prompt your dog to come:
- Running away from your dog
- Making a kissing noise
- Clapping your hands
- Stooping down low
- Talking in an excited / happy voice
Once we can prompt your dog to come, we will introduce the come command. We are saying the command while your dog is doing the behavior. This helps reduce command repetition and teaches your dog to come the first time he or she is asked.
We will also begin to teach stay.
Patience is the Fifth Class
We will be covering more on come. We will also address stay and wait at the door. Most people reward their dog after they stay. We will be teaching you to reward your dog during the stay. This means while your dog is staying, you will be clicking and treat. Whatever, you reward increases in frequency. We will want your dog to stay more and release from the stay less.
There are three d’s to think about while teaching stay:
- distraction
- duration
- distance
When training stay, initially, change one of these 3 d’s at a time. If distractions are high then the duration of the stay is low, and you will need to stand close to your dog. The same is true for all of the other d’s. Relax the other two d’s when changing duration or distance one at a time.
Wait at the door teaches your dog to stay, while the door is being opened. You will learn to shut the door if your dog breaks the stay. If your dog holds the stay, then you will keep opening the door. We will practice this on a leash.
And now for graduation!! Congratulations! After taking this group dog training at the Geauga YMCA, you now have a dog that listens to you well at home and with minor distracations.
The Next Levels: Intermediate and Advance Courses
Once your dog has completed the basic group dog training at the Geauga YMCA, you can progress to the next levels to create a dog that listens well to you in the outdoor environment with high level distractions:
- Junior Leash Walking Course – Training your dog to listen to basic obedience commands while teaching your dog to walk with a loose leash in multiple settings including the Tractor Supply Store and outdoor village parks in Middlefield, Ohio.
- Senior Come Course – Training your dog to come off the leash with distractions. This course will be taught on long lines in multiple locations at the outdoor village parks in Middlefield, Ohio.
- Senior Hiking Course – We will go on hikes with your dog and teach your dog to listen on the leash with high level distractions.
What Others are Saying About Dog Training at the Geauga YMCA:
Dog Training at the Geauga YMCA – Registration and Sign Up
The course is $225 for five weeks. We meet on Thursdays evenings from 5-6 PM. Our next course starts on Feb 20, 2025. Once this 5 week course is completed for Feb, we will be starting another round of the course in late March / early April. This pattern will continue each month from 2025 onward into the future.
Want to learn more instead? Is this the appropriate course for your dog? You can contact me here or set up a free phone chat with me to see if this is course is a good fit for you and your dog!
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