Events & Specials

Your instructor for all classes is Dr. Carla Simon, Hunter’s Heart Scent Detection.  www.huntersheart.com.

Basic Obedience – Puppy to adult*

Saturday May 27 to July 15 (no class on June 24 and July 1)

11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Start building a solid foundation in obedience skills using fun games to teach all the skills you need. No previous experience is required. This class is suitable for beginner dogs of all ages.  Learn how to choose equipment, use positive reinforcement to deal with problem behaviours, calm down, collar grabs and impulse control, sit, down and stay. 

A well-trained dog is the best freedom for all the years you’ll spend together. Investing some time training now can help to prevent years of frustration in the future. It’s harder to retrain after problem behaviors become habits. We’ll help set you up for success from the very first lesson.

Investment: $250.00 + GST

* Puppies must have received their first set of shots.  Newly adopted adult dogs must have been in their new home for at least 3 weeks before signing up for classes. 

Canine Good Neighbour Test Preparation and Test

Thursday May 11 to June 22

6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

CGN test July 9 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm (appointments booked in 15-minute increments)

Do you want a well-mannered dog that’s a pleasure to travel with? Are you interested in PALS or assistance dogs? This course will improve your obedience skills and help you eventually take the CGN test (a standard prerequisite for more advanced training like therapy dogs). We’ll show you how to fade food rewards, leashes, and harnesses, without sacrificing motivation. You’ll get answers to your questions and troubleshoot challenges. You’ll build confidence around distractions and become a stronger team.  

Investment: $300.00 + GST

Conditioning the Canine Retreat

Thursday May 11 to June 22

7:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Having a calm and confident dog is a pleasure to live with, and to take out into the community.  This class is designed to build confidence in your dog by teaching him to settle and be calm when you are not around.  This class is perfect for high drive but scare or insecure dogs (read: COVID dog/puppy).

Investment: $250.00 + GST

Service Dog Foundations

Ongoing Registration – beginner to advanced teams

Wednesdays

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Improve your service dog candidate’s obedience skills, with an emphasis on settling down and relaxing at your feet to prepare for public access and introducing mitigating tasks. This class assumes your dog already understands basic obedience skills like sit, down, recall and loose leash walking. Note: If you mainly want to work on loose leash walking, Canine Neighbour Classes are a better choice. Students may use training aids like harnesses, and head halters. Equipment: please bring high value rewards, and a comfortable dog bed or low platform (like a bath matt or Klimb table) for your dog to go to and relax.

Investment: $250.00 + GST (for six 1-hour classes)

Scent Detection

Ongoing Registration – beginner to advanced teams

Wednesdays 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

We’ll teach your dog to find a scent. You’ll have fun from the very first session, and no previous experience is required. Our motivational method works for dogs of any age or breed as long as they enjoy a tasty food reward or a favorite toy.

Learn to apply the secrets that have already worked for thousands of students worldwide. This is a hybrid class where students will receive access to online resources and discussion in addition to hands-on training in class. The choice of which scent to train is up to you. Choose either: 1. Find a handler-scented glove (which will prepare your dog to find missing items, compete in NASDA Lost Article events, or build the foundation for working detection dogs and service dogs), or 2. Essential oils for nosework competition, using a cocktail of Birch + Anise + Clove + Wintergreen + Pine + Cypress. This will build a strong foundation for CKC, CWAGS, SDDA, AKC, and UKC Scent Detection competitions.

Dog-reactive dogs are generally welcome, since there is never any interaction between dogs. All dogs must be comfortable enough with a group of students, which may include some children. There will only be one dog in the training room at a time, plus the waiting handlers. This is consistent with expectations at most dog sports tests and deployments. All other dogs are expected to wait between searches in your vehicle, or if they are quiet, you can bring your crate into the lobby for them to rest inside between turns.

Please keep dogs on leash, under control, and at least 6 feet apart at all times. Do not allow your dog to sniff or greet other dogs, even if they appear to be friendly. Let’s play safe and have some fun!

Investment $250.00 + GST (For six 1-hour classes to be used within 12 weeks of purchase.)

Try a Scent Detection class for $50.00 + GST.

Additional information:

• You can bring your dog to class in a head halter or no pull harness, but all dogs must search on a buckle collar, martingale, or tracking harness.
• 10-foot longline – Ask us to try one of ours at the first class or come early and view our selection in the lobby. 
• Lots of high-value food rewards and 3 identical high-value toys, e.g., 3 tennis balls
• A glove or handler-scented article

All classes take place at The Beast Boutique Ltd., 4 – 6115 4 St SE (near Blackfoot Trail and 58 Av).  Come prepared to work outside weather dependent.