Foundation Skills
Classes take place at A Dog’s Life’s Learning & Activity Center - 455 Lake Michigan Dr NW Suite 15, Grand Rapids, MI 49534.
Each class will meet for 4 weeks and costs $139 unless otherwise stated. Registration is only guaranteed upon payment. Your registration attests that your dog will be up to date on all medical requirements by the start of class. You can view all of our class policies here.
We require the following vaccines: Distemper/Parvo (2nd round for puppies), Bordetella, Rabies (for dogs over 4 months), 1st round of Canine Influenza and a Negative Fecal Exam. Fecal exams can take a few days to process, so please plan accordingly.
Puppy 1
FULL: Monday 2/24 at 6:00pm with Nikki
Tuesday 3/18 at 7:00pm with Kristie
Saturday 3/29 at 9:30am with Nikki
For puppies up to 5 months old, this course will focus on building a solid learning foundation by teaching core skills such as Leave-It, Stay, Recall, and Place. We will also practice important social skills by allowing the puppies to interact and play while supervised.
Puppy 2
FULL: Saturday 3/15 at 11:00am with Amy
Monday 3/24 at 6:00pm with Nikki
A continuation of Puppy 1
Puppy Socials
Saturday 3/15 at 9:30am with Nikki
More than just play! Each $40 session offers you and your pup a chance to learn about proper socialization in a controlled setting. We’ll discuss dog body language, social cues, and what good play looks like while we teach the puppies to interact positively. For puppies up to 4 months old.
Adolescent & Adult 1
FULL: Monday 2/24 at 7:00pm with Nikki
Tuesday 3/18 at 6:00pm with Kristie
Saturday 3/29 at 8:30am with Nikki
For dogs over 5 months old, this course will focus on building a solid learning foundation by teaching core skills such as Leave-It, Stay, Recall, and Place.
Pipsqueaks
Monday 3/24 at 7:00pm with Nikki
For puppies and young dogs that will weigh less than 30lbs at maturity. This foundation course focuses on helping you teach your little learner the fundamentals of good manners using techniques especially helpful for training little dogs.
Walk This Way
Saturday 3/1 at 2:30pm with Amy
Strengthen leash skills for both handler and pup with innovative and proven methods. We’ll also build handler focus by learning games and activities that reinforce being near you.
Managing Distractions
Tuesday 3/18 at 8:00pm with Kristie
Help your dog learn to settle themselves and remain calm amidst distractions while you learn to recognize calming signals and reinforce your dog for not reacting to stimuli.
Recalls & Stays
Begin teaching a reliable recall and strong stay by playing games to build your dog’s drive and learning activities to increase their patience.