You're not just raising a puppy, you are raising the dog you want to have in the future

No need to wait for a new start date.  Classes runs continuously and you can join as soon as you get your puppy.  

Monday evenings 6-7pm.

A puppy's most impressionable time is between birth and 16 weeks of age. That is when they need to be exposed to as many sights, sounds, smells and stimuli as possible! But we're told to avoid dog parks, pet stores and high traffic areas until they are fully vaccinated, typically at 16 weeks, meaning we miss the critical imprinting period.  
Studies show that dogs are more at risk of being euthanized because of behaviour problems linked to lack of socialization than they are of contracting a deadly disease before being fully vaccinated.  While each option has its pros and cons, we strongly believe that providing a safe environment for puppy socialization is the best solution.

To ensure the safety of the puppies in the group, all participants must be up to date on their vaccines (8-12-16 weeks).  

Class is open to puppies 8 weeks - 5 months.  Puppy Preschool is full of socialization, fun activities, sensory games, relationship building exercises, confidence building, house training tips, and a little bit of basic obedience.

Here is some great info about puppy socialization from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour.

**BUNDLE & SAVE**
​See our Puppy Bundles here

REGISTER NOW!

Registration is just a few easy steps and takes 5 minutes.
Step 1: Create a PetExec account
Step 2: Add your pet to your account
Step 3: Click the "Request Group Training" tab and select Puppy Preschool

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Setting your puppy up for success

For puppies 4-6 months,  Puppy Week offers 7 days of full immersion training.  The opportunity to learn from a well-balanced pack is a sure step in the right direction to having a well-socialized dog.

The primary focus of Puppy Week is healthy dog to dog socialization sprinkled with daily outings, Adventure Hikes, basic obedience training and manners.

Your puppy will live in our home with The Crate Escape Canine Behaviourist and a balanced pack  of adult dogs who can help your puppy learn appropriate social interactions.

SAVE YOUR SPOT!  Spaces are limited to 1 puppy at a time.
We love puppies and puppy play can be one of the cutest things in the world, but adult dogs don't play the same as puppies so it's important that they learn what is acceptable among adult dogs to help them develop healthy mature social behaviours.

OBEDIENCE WEEK
Have your puppy stay for an optional second week to get a head start on their obedience training and leash manners.  
Pre-requisite: The Canine Way Foundation Course.  Puppy Preschool is not a pre-requisite.

Behaviour is how your dog chooses to act when they aren't in command.

Chances are if you are reading this right now, it's either because you have a new dog and you want to get started with the right foot forward or you already have a dog and you're feeling frustrated, discouraged or even defeated by their behaviour.

Either way, we are so happy that you are here because we have some really important information to share with you.

All behaviour is an attempt to communicate!

Dogs are highly intelligent and their communication amongst each other is sophisticated and complex.  Then we bring them into our world and we tend to focus on the basic "Sit, Down, Stay".

Here is why our entry level course doesn't include Sit but is about behaviour:
Obedience is a form of control when we don't know how to communicate.

Obedience gives us the control to manage behaviour but it doesn't help the dog to change their thoughts, actions, patterns, habits and behaviours (unless they've been punished into fear and we don't believe that's the best approach to helping a dog).  

Think about it! If your dog had great behaviour, was polite and followed you instead of taking off on you, would you need to be giving them obedience commands all the time?

Behaviour and Obedience do not go hand in hand. They are different.
 

Obedience is a life skill, and a very important one.   Just as people need to learn to read, write and do basic math, learning to sit, stay and come are essential life skills for dogs.

Use swimming as an example.

Swimming is a life skill.   Competitive swimming is a sport or a hobby.
Regardless, it doesn't determine who you are as a person.

Basic obedience is a lifeskill for dogs.  Advanced or competition dog obedience should be considered a sport or a hobby, not an advantage or position of power that you have over your dog.
Obedience teaches your dog to listen to you (a good thing) but doesn't teach you how to listen to them in return.  Communication should be a two-way street.

If you fell you need obedience because your dog is that out of control, it means they are trying to tell you something!
 

All behaviour is an attempt to communicate (both humans and dogs!) If your dog has problematic behaviour, it means they are trying to communicate with you!

So instead of squashing the behaviour, punishing it, yelling at them....we learn listen to them. What is that behaviour trying to tell us?

Sometimes just listening to them and understanding them is all it takes to eliminate problem behaviours. Sometimes the dog doesn't even need to be "trained".   Sometimes they just need to be heard.

Well how do you know what dogs are saying!?

The Canine Way was created to help guide you through the language and culture of dog, so that you can better understand your dog, what they are trying to communicate and how you can more effectively communicate with them.
 

All naughty dogs NEED this.  All good dogs DESERVE this.

The Canine Way is a series of 6 mini-seminars, each 3hrs long.  

Topics include: 
-Leadership: A look at how dog's view leadership, how to set aside old beliefs of dominance or alpha training and how to earn a leadership role in your household pack.

- Lifestyle: A look at how your everyday life, routines and relationship dynamics are affecting your dogs behaviour.
-Behaviour & The Brain: A look at canine language, how dogs learn and process information and how it affects your dog's ability to problem solve without conflict.
-Leash Connection: A leash walk involves both human and dog.  Before addressing the dog's bad leash habits, we address our own and learn better techniques.  Being a better leash handler will change how your dog behaves on leash. 
-Way to Play: A look at what play really means to a dog, the purpose and elements of play, different play styles and how to facilitate and encourage appropriate play.
-Canine Sociality: A look at dog culture and dogs conversations with both people and other dogs.

Our classes are conducted in a classroom setting without dogs and are live-streamed via Zoom for distance learning and Covid precautions. 

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Classes run on Wednesday evenings from 6-9pm for 6 consecutive weeks. 

2023 Schedule - Subject to change

Feb.1 -March 8 (Winter)
March 15 - April 19 (Spring 1)
April 26 - May 31 (Spring 2)
June 7 - July 12 (Summer 1)
July 19 - August 23 (Summer 2)

August 30 - October 4 (Back to school)
October 11 - November 15 (Fall)

REGISTER NOW!

Registration is just a few easy steps and takes 5 minutes.
Step 1: Create a PetExec account  or Sign-In for existing clients
Step 2: Add your pet to your account
Step 3: Click the "Request Group Training" tab and select The Canine Way (desired session)

A digital version of this program will be available in the very near future!
Please click here to get your name on our waitlist!