Our commitment to our animals doesn’t end when they are adopted. We’ve established our Professional Behavior Training Program to provide affordable, quality services to help families struggling with behavioral and training issues, or assist new pet parents looking for guidance in raising their new canine family member.
We’re offering a variety of classes taught by our dedicated Pet Behavior team at our Port Washington, N.Y. campus. Each 6-week program is designed to make your furry friend the best companion they can be.
Puppy Nursery – Ages 8 to 15 weeks
Here we’ll focus on socialization, which prevents many serious behavior problems, such as aggression and fear that may develop as your puppy matures.
We will slowly expose your puppy to other dogs and puppies for generalization, and hold playtime groups where you and your puppy will learn vital socialization skills. The curriculum will also provide tips on socialization, household manners, house-training, nutrition and health, crate training, nipping and biting.
Puppy Kindergarten – Ages 16 to 24 weeks
We will allow puppies to play in order to continue their socialization, while you practice talking dog. You will learn more about body language and how dogs communicate.
- Dogs will be taught to pay attention to their person to “sit”, “down”, and “come,” along with impulse control.
- We will give you tips on socialization, household manners, house-training, etc.
- We’ll also practice problem-prevention techniques to act as the foundation for a well-adjusted puppy.
Family Manners – Ages 6 months & older
This course is designed to teach pet parents the basics of dog training. The goal is to give you the information and skills you’ll need to provide your dog with the tools to become the best four-legged family member they can be.
- Behavior problems will be addressed.
- Dogs will be taught how to “sit & stay”, “down & stay”, “come”, leaving distractions, and “watch” cue.
- Leash manners: How to walk on a loose leash, polite leash greeting, introducing “heel”.
Private Behavior Consultations & Training Sessions
Imagine arriving in a foreign country where nobody spoke English and you were asked to perform a task based on one 15-minute lecture. Now think about how your dog feels – English, Spanish, Chinese – it’s all foreign to them. He or she speaks Dog, which is a much more simplistic language. It’s a language, our Pet Behavior Team will help you understand so that you and your dog can communicate more effectively.
- Excessive Barking
- Destructive Chewing
- House Training
- Separation Anxiety
- Shyness and Fear
- Counter Surfing
- Jumping on People
- Begging for Food
- Pulling on Leash
You will also learn about canine body language. You will be able to better read your dog’s signals preceding reactive behavior, the right kind of equipment to help manage your dog’s aggression, and behaviors to teach them how to defer to you rather than react.
- Leash Lunging
- Aggression towards people and other dogs
- Food Aggression
- Possession Aggression
- Territorial Aggression
- Body-Handling Issues
To learn more about the Professional Behavior Training Program, call 516-883-7900 ext. 342 and ask to speak with a Behavior Specialist – or visit animalleague.org/training.
