Behavior & Training
The Rhode Island SPCA is excited to offer training classes for you and your dog. Here we hope to help you strengthen the bond and trust with your companion through calm, confident communication. Our courses emphasize positive reinforcement to inspire desired behaviors and will never include force, fear, or pain. Instead we lean on how dogs learn according to science, and train using the most powerful motivators we have at our disposal; food, and praise. The goal of each program will be to teach fundamental life skills, increase social skills, avoid undesired behaviors, cultivate companionship.
Program Overview:
Basic Obedience for Beginners is designed for adult dogs and adolescents with no previous training history. Here we will focus on developing basic skills, manners, and staying away from undesirable behaviors. With the support of our certified trainer you will work on basic obedience commands to build a foundation to set you and your dog up for success. Training will take place for 6 weeks consecutively at the same time and day of the week.
Apply Today: https://new.shelterluv.com/form/community/RIS/167464-dog-training-new-client-profile
Class notes:
Your first class will be an orientation and program overview, we will have a brief breakdown of the curriculum and are here to answer any questions you may have. Your dog stays home for this one!
When signing up for this class please be certain you are able to attend each one, we do not have scheduled make up dates for missed classes or refunds.
Prior training is not necessary.
We love and welcome all dogs to this program. However at any point during the program we may determine a dog is not suitable for group training or may benefit from more individualism training, and they be asked to be removed from class. We will follow up with next steps from there.
What to Bring:
A dog that is a little bit hungry, and will work for food. Save dinner for later on that evening!
High value treats. Lots of them! Think hot dogs, cheese, beef liver, chicken jerky. You will want to make sure these are bite sized, so if they are not already consider chopping them up ahead of class with scissors or a knife.
A standard buckle, or martingale harness. And a 6 foot lead.
Please no retractable leashes, prong collars, or electric collars.
Basic Obedience for Beginners - Wednesdays
Instructor: Courtney Claunch CPAT-KA
Cost: $165
Length: 6 classes one hour in length each.
Class size: Up to 6 dogs.
Date/Time: Wednesdays @6pm beginning July 22nd – ending August 26th
Basic Obedience for Beginners - Thursdays
Instructor: Courtney Claunch CPAT-KA
Cost: $165
Length: 6 classes one hour in length each.
Class size: Up to 6 dogs.
Date/Time: Thursdays @6pm beginning July 23rd – ending August 27th
About the Instructor:
Courtney Claunch, CPAT-KA, Instructor
Courtney is a former zookeeper, with over 14 years of professional animal care and behavior & training experience. She began dog training at the East Bay SPCA, working with dogs undergoing behavior modification. Courtney developed an after-school program coaching local teenagers to train shelter dogs waiting for adoption. She also teamed up with her adopted pitbull mix Pongo, who became a school-visiting therapy dog. Beyond dogs, Courtney has worked at several AZA accredited zoos and aquariums, including most recently at Buttonwood Park Zoo and Roger Williams Park Zoo, and utilized the same voluntary positive reinforcement training with a variety of species- sharks, macaws, deer, foxes, monitor lizards, & vultures, just to name a few! She is a Certified Professional Animal Trainer (CPAT-KA) and enjoys providing compassionate, accessible, science-based dog training with the RISPCA. Courtney lives with Sunspots, a young Australian Shepherd mix, and her snake Maki Roll.
