Hudson Barks offers in-person group dog training classes to humans and their furry family members.
We welcome puppies, teens and adult dogs in small personalized groups up to 6 teams in total per session. Group classes are an option to or complementing existing private in-home trainings.
Why Choose Our Group Classes?
We cover all developmental stages using positive reinforcement methods.
We coach you to teach your dog real life skills.
Each group is designed to prevent and/or reduce undesirable behaviors.
We teach using “markers,” introducing clicker training and using reinforcements to teach your dog to repeat proper behaviors.
*Group classes do not replace in-home private sessions addressing your dog’s behavioral problems. Group classes are not designed to help dogs with dog to dog reactivity or aggression.
Group Class Options
Puppy’s First Class
Structured 45-minute 6 sessions. including playtime.
For puppies 20 weeks and under.
The Puppy’s first class, a puppy kindergarten. Our puppy training groups are ideal for little ones who may be attending our puppy socials but aren’t quite ready to attend an adolescent or basic obedience class. This class will split its time between off leash play and introduction to basic cues: Sit, Down, Stay, leave it, touch(target), eye contact, Walking, Come, etc. We also emphasize a great deal on socialization to an array of stimuli including to other humans, sounds, novel objects and other. Puppies must be under 15 weeks for their first social class
++++It is rolling enrollment and can join anytime, but you must attend for 6 weeks in a row.
Puppy Socials
Structured 45-minute 6 sessions.
For puppies 15 weeks and under.
Our puppy playtime sessions are perfect for teaching and maintaining healthy and appropriate interactions with other puppies and humans.
Your puppy can learn how to play, and owners can learn about their dog’s body language and signals. In addition to pure social, each week a prevention topic is introduced such as anti-jumping, nipping, etc. followed by weekly general desensitization to various stimuli like touch, sounds, etc.
++++It is rolling enrollment and can join anytime, but you must attend for 6 weeks in a row.
Adolescent training
Structured 45-minute 6 training sessions.
For teens ages 6 to 12 months or based on the dog.
During this time most dogs are spayed and neutered, and they become progressively more independent. Consistency and predictability in your behavior is important during this phase.
In this unique class, we will focus on introducing and upgrading basic behaviors (such as: Leave it, Drop, take it, Sit, Down, Stay, Leash Training, Recall, Go to Place, and more) with greater emphasis on impulse control as we strategically introduce distractions; We will focus heavily on proofing behaviors. We introduce a trouble shooting discussion period and focus on teaching you how to handle your dog's increased energy levels.
The Well-Mannered Dog
Structured 45-minute 6 training sessions.
For dogs over 2 years of age or based on the dog.
The Well-Mannered Dog, a basic obedience/basic manners class. Dogs who graduated from puppy preschool, adolescent/teen class or dogs of age whose parents feel they and their dogs can benefit from basic manners to finetuning their skills.
During 2 to 4 years of age based on the dog, dogs become socially matured and more confident because they are in their physical and mental prime.
Our Basic obedience training classes focus on all manners: sit, down, stay, leave it, drop, go to place, all with distance, duration and distractions and introducing an array of novel sounds and objects to prepare your dog to venture into the “real world”. In addition, each week we introduce a different topic for, mental stimulation in the home, a novel activity/trick, conditioning to maintain optimal physical strength, nutrition, and/or ask the trainer, etc.
Group Class FAQs
What is The difference between puppy socials and puppy preschool?
Puppy socials are designed to promote positive socialization to other young puppies. Domesticated pups do not have ample opportunities to interact with other pups their age and learn canine body language. To this end, puppy socials create scenarios to encourage positive interactions to set up your pup for success. The socialization/critical period closes around 14 weeks. Lack of positive experiences during the critical period is just as detrimental as bad experiences. Improper or lack of socialization can lead to behavior issues later in life. During classes humans learn to identify dog body language. Preschool also includes structured social time but introduces pups and their humans to basic manners such as: sit, down, stay, leave it, etc. In both groups Hudson Barks includes sharing information to parents about managing and preventing unwanted behaviors to prevent corrections and to enhance positivity.
What Is The difference between adolescent/teen classes and basic obedience classes?
Besides the age difference and based on the dog, adolescent/teen training classes focuses a great deal on impulse control. Teaching or finetuning basic manners, we introduce the 3 D’s, distance, duration and distractions. We set up to mimic “real life scenarios” to coach humans to manage and teach their dogs calmer behaviors to prevent “over the top” reactions. Basic obedience groups are geared for adult dogs, dogs who already attended teen classes or older in age. Based on the dog, we make greater progress with basic manners and we introduce novel exercises. Novel topics may include tricks like back up, and/or conditioning exercises.
Happy Training Clients!
“Jennifer is the greatest trainer I ever seen. Highly recommend the puppy training program even if your puppy has no specific problem.”