Adolescent School – Foundation Course (Group Class)

Adolescent School is a 6 week foundation course tailored specifically to working with teenage dogs. This course is designed to provide practical, useful and relevant education to owners and dogs. As a “foundation” course, this course is appropriate for you if you have or have not trained with us previously.

The aim of this course is to cover all the important topics related to raising and training an adolescent dog. Including understanding of physical, emotional and neurological development stages, social skills for teenagers, processing & calm observation skills, recovery & regulation techniques for managing over-arousal, training fundamentals for recall, lead walking, impulse control, scent work, distance control and teamwork and relationship with you!

This group class (maximum 6 dogs and families) will give you the tools, skills and knowledge that you need to continue your journey of raising a healthy, happy and well behaved young dog.

This course is held at our private, full time training venue on a farm to the south of Exeter Airport. We have a large indoor training barn as well as a large outdoor, secure training field.

You will receive:

• Up-to-date (science led) information

• Friendly, supportive and inclusive atmosphere

• Time for individual questions and support as well as group coaching.

• Course graduation certificate

• Access to our Adolescent Training Club group courses

We welcome anyone in the family who would like to attend.

Areas covered on this course are:

• Development Stages of the Adolescent Dog - understanding ages and stages and what to expect and how this relates to our expectations and training plans.

• Communication & Control – How to use our posture and body language to communicate and guide our young dog as well as actively interrupt and control their behaviour when necessary.

• Physiology of Arousal - understanding the biological effects of arousal caused by external and internal stimuli, that affects behaviour. i.e. Stress and excitement and how to promote recovery.

• Practical Training Skills – Teaching new skills, practising focus and working on core skills.

• Recall - understanding this from an ethological angle. How to teach it, when to teach it, and when to use it.

• Loose Lead Walking - Learning to walk together, calmly, in a realistic and fair way for your dog’s age and life experience.

• Stop & Stay - understanding the value in calmness and stillness and how to build on this in a functional way for safety.

• Feeding and Nutrition – Up-to-date information about Canine Nutrition. Understanding the importance of an appropriate diet for “your” dog and how to choose.

• Body Language and Social skills - between dogs, between dog and human. Learn to read theirs and how to use yours.

• Safety and Management – risk assessment and boundaries with an adolescent dog in a busy human world.

• Search games - A taste of team work with your dog their amazing super power – the nose!!

*If you miss a class, We offer the option of a ½price 121 session to catch up. This is £30 (normal price £60)