TRAINING

• Our mission is to make training Affordable, Effective and Fun

  Did you know it takes 400 repetitions of an activity to build a new brain synapse (form a habit) but it only takes 10 repetitions if it is fun?  At Heroes Boarding and Training we strive to bring a wide variety of fun, effective and affordable training options to you. Giving you the opportunity to build a lasting partnership and strong bond with your dog.  We believe if you and your dog enjoy learning together building the relationship you want will seem effortless. 

We currently offer Canine elementary, Play & Train, train your own service dog, train your own emotional support dog, K9 life skills, Out and About , reactive to relaxed and agility. Our classes are focused not only on obedience and task training but also go over canine body language, appropriate play, not jumping, polite leash walking, and polite greetings and other skills that make your dog a happy, healthy pup at home and out in public. 

Private training and Play and Train sessions are available most days of the week on a limited basis. Please email heroesbts@gmail.com to set up sessions.

Private Training sessions $55

Play and Train (half day of day care with training for human and dog) $70 

 Canine Elementary

Starting 

Sat May  7th at 10 am

Held here at Heroes Boarding & Training 

For dogs 12 weeks and older

$190 for 6 weeks 

Class covers: appropriate play, canine body language, polite greetings, polite leash walking, basic obedience and Solutions to common problems (nipping, jumping, counter surfing, etc...). 

This class is taught both indoors and outdoors (weather permitting) to practice skills in real life situations.

This class is taught by Finn 

Canine Secondary 

TBA  starting in July

For dogs who have completed Canine elementary

$190 for 6 weeks

This class builds on skills learned in Canine Elementary. Adding distractions, refining skills, working towards off leash skills and practicing outside!

This class is taught by Finn

Canine Academy/ CGC prep

Starting Sat May 7th at 9am

limit 6 dogs per class

 $200  6 week class

This class will work on building more advanced obedience and off leash skills. Dogs need to have passed Canine Elementary in order to sign up for this class. More details to be added soon. includes AKC Canine Good Citizen test 6 week class $200

This class is taught by Finn, Testing done by Colleen

K9 Life Skills

Starting Fri in April 22 at 5:30

limit 6 dogs per class

This fun class is designed to build your dog's confidence and focus while improving your communication and bonding as a team. Combining training games and principles from a Varity of dog sports and obedience and practicing in a Varity of locations  you and your dog will learn skills that will help you in lots of real life situations.  Dogs should have passed an advanced obedience class and know sit, down and stay. includes AKC Community Canine or Canine Good Citizen test

6 week class $200

This class is taught by Colleen

Coupe's mom says... I started working with Colleen at Heroes with our 2 year old 75lb. Walker Hound rescue. He is a sweet dog at home but was a bit of a monster on leash in public. He loves people and would pull aggressively to greet them and could also be reactive with other large dogs. We attended the canine elementary class and I gained a much deeper understanding of his behaviors and the tools to help redirect them. When we brought a rescue puppy into the house this past March and I was able to use all that I learned to train the basics. -Alicia 

Drop in K9 Skills work shops

$40 limit 6 students per session

must pre register by emailing Colleen at heroesbts@gmail.com

June 24th 5:30-6:30 location TBD

Get a chance to practice the skills you have learned in our classes with a different groups of dogs! Fun and positive sessions reinforce polite greetings, polite leash walking, focus in distracting areas and obedience skills.   This is a great way to keep you and your pup sharp in between classes!

This class is taught by Colleen

Polite and Focused Leash Walking  Workshop

must pre register with Colleen at heroesbts@gmail.com

 June 17th 5:30pm

foundation skills and games to give you a dog who is a joy to walk with. We will work on not pulling, walking past distractions, focusing on their person, dog/human connection and communication, polite greetings, not jumping on people and waiting patiently while their owner talks/ does another tasks. This class is suitable for dogs who already know basic skills, are able to work in group settings and are not reactive. (If you have a reactive dog Control Unleashed is a good class for your dog!)

This class is taught by Colleen

AKC Canine Good Citizen Testing

Fri June 3rd 5:30-

$15 per test 

Sign up with Colleen heroesbts@gmail.com

Join us for a chance to see if your dog has what it takes to be a Canine Good Citizen. Official AKC test and scoring.

Testing done by Colleen

Out and About K9 life skills class

July 22nd 6 week class

Fri 5:30 

$200

Taught in various locations around the valley

  Take your pup on the road in this fun class! For students who have completed Canine Secondary. Learn how to apply the skills you learned in class in real life situations. Practice your obedience, focus and polite greetings in parks, stores, walking trails, hiking, etc! 

This class is taught by Colleen

 New Class!!

Paws for Joy, Canine Assisted Therapy

Sat Feb. 5th starting at 11 am- Sat April 13th 

(spring-fall schedule to be announced later)

$65 per session

This class was developed by Colleen Campbell and Cris Carl for Heroes, Horses and Hounds.

The class consists of 30 mins working with you and your dog followed by 30 mins processing with licensed therapist Cris Carl. 

We will be focusing on training, canine sports, obedience and mindfulness exercises that build a better bond with your dog and awareness of canine body language and how your emotions and body language effects your dog and those around you. Multiple classes are suggested. Consistent classes help with the healing and learning process.

Call Colleen to set up an appointment and schedule appointments 413-834-9729

This class is taught by Colleen and Cris Carl, licenced therapist

Agility Try its

Sat May 7th 1-3pm

Whether you are trying agility for the first time, need to refine your handler and team skills or want to improve your dog's performance on obstacles try its are a great fit! These classes will focus on foundation skills, games and simple sequencing. sign up for one class or all four. Dogs attending this class should have passed a basic obedience class and know how to sit, lay down and stay.  

Contact Sue to sign up sbcrimm@gmail.com

This event is run by Sue and Louise

Pre Agility

Thur May 12th 5:15  

This fun class is great for building confidence, connection, focus, introducing agility obstacles and handler skills. It is a great way to start in Agility or to learn a fun, new way to play with and train your dog to build a stronger bond. This class is suitable for dogs who have basic obedience skills. 6 week class $190

Contact Sue to sign up sbcrimm@gmail.com

This class is taught by Sue

Beginner Agility

Tue May 31st at 5:15pm or June 2nd at 6:30

 Continue to build your Agility skills on all of the Agility obstacles.  This class will work on more sequencing, handling and start on more advance obstacles such as the teeter and weave poles. This class is suitable for dogs who have completed pre-agility or an equivalent class 

6 week class $190

Contact Sue to sign up sbcrimm@gmail.com

This class is taught by Sue

Percy's mom says...  The puppy was very nervous around people and those nerves were making it hard for him to enjoy being out in the world. Colleen recommended we try the Beginner Agility classes to boost his confidence. It really helped! By the end of the 6 weeks he was very (sometimes too) comfortable with everyone in class. We now have actions/skills we can practice to redirect his nervous energy in new situations and he continues to build his confidence. -Alicia

Intermediate Agility

Tue May 31st 6:30 pm

Building on skills learned in pre and beginner agility this class teaches handler skills, course work, more advanced sequencing and advanced obstacles. Most work is done off leash in this class dogs will need a solid recall and focus. 

6 week class $190

Contact Sue to sign up sbcrimm@gmail.com

This class is taught by Sue

Agility Run Throughs

Dates vary, use the link below for dates and to sign up. 

Practice you handler skills and course work every mon evening. This is a great way to practice the skills you are learning in class and/or prepare for agility trails. Open to the pubic. Dogs and handlers must be at least advanced beginners and working on sequencing in class in order to sign up.  Limit of 10 dogs per night. must pre register with the link below $5 per run. 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050d4aabac29abfa7-agility

Happy Hounds Training Center is now available for personal ring rentals!

Sign up for an hour session for $25 for up to 2 people to practice any of your favorite canine sports. Contact Louise for more info.

New Workshop!

Show and Go Agility Mock Trial

Dec. 18th from 11am-? (depends on the number of dogs running)

Join us for our first mock trial to compete for fun prizes! Nested courses and games allow you to get ready for official trials in a fun, non judgmental and positive atmosphere. Runs will be judged and can be taped from our observation balcony so you have valuable feedback to take home with you!

$10 per run

Sign up for your spot today!

sbcrimm@gmail.com

Train Your Own Service Dog Program  

 progressive program.  Includes  2 training and socialization. 

Is your dog or puppy a future SDiT, ESA, or therapy dog? These classes will start your dog with all the basics for their future career. Fun, helpful, reward-based exercises to train your dog to work happily and eagerly around distractions. As your dog progresses past the basics you will learn how to succeed in public! Advanced training for relaxation in any environment, leash manners in tight quarters, ignoring dropped food or other “sniffing" opportunities, advanced targeting, and how to maintain perfect manners while the handler responds to questions from the public or businesses.  Skills to help you get through grocery stores, farmer's markets, restaurants, school or work environments, etc. 

Classes included in this program are:

 Canine Elementary, canine Secondary, Play and Train, Control Unleashed, Confidence and Focus (Pre agility for service dogs), Canine Academy/ CGC prep, Canine Good Citizen certification, Out and About K9 life skills, Community Canine certification, Public Access 101, Urban Canine certification. Task work will be done in private sessions. 

Control Unleashed Class

 2022

~Reactive to Relaxed~

For worried or anxious dogs that lack confidence and become upset easily, become reactive on leash or in the car, and are scanning the environment, actively watching or listening for triggers.

This class is to help you start the conversation with your dog, and help your dog change their feelings about the world. When your dog feels functional, your dog can behave functionally.

This class uses games, patterns and teaching default behaviors to meet these goals.

Taught by Debra Theriault, ACDBC, CCUI from Yankee Dog in Vermont

5 week class $225

This class is currently being taught by Deb from Yankee Dog

Rally workshop with Amee Abel

TBD

9am-12pm

$80 

Intro to Rally Obedience

This workshop is designed to be a follow up to our first workshop that we hosted in August. We will be continuing to build skills at the beginner level.

Put your dog’s good manners to work. Rally brings fun and context to your “good manners” practice. Sits and Stays and polite Leash Walking are the foundations skills that allow you and your dog to enter the world of performance dog sports. Building the teamwork for competent Rally performance will create a strong bond between you and your dog. Our presenter, Amee Abel is an approved WCRL Rally Judge, a long-time Rally competitor in both WCRL & AKC Rally, and an accomplished Rally instructor.

In our INTRO to RALLY seminar, we will examine Level 1 (WCRL) & Novice (AKC) skills and exercises. Halt and sit in unison; specific changes in position from Sit to Stand and Sit to Down; improve your dog’s understanding of Heel position when walking forward, turning left, turning right, and changing pace; how to teach your dog to get into Heel position with left & right Finishes.

Successful Rally teams work in unison—that is the dog responds promptly to changes in direction and speed (including stopping and starting.) We will discuss how to create powerful cues that your dog responds to promptly.

The morning will be split between discussion and active practice. Beginning promptly at 9 am, we will get our dogs working with a bit of warm up, then let them relax while we get to know a bit about each other. We will do some active attention work, then shift into stationary position skills as a group—with Amee moving around the floor providing individual coaching. The dogs will take a break while the handlers review the work just done and ask questions. Next, we’ll be back on the floor with each team individually trying a short sequence of exercises and receiving feedback. After everyone has had their turn, Amee will provide the group with another skill to practice, and we’ll be back on the floor as a group to work on this. The morning will conclude with another short sequence performed individually by each team.

Who should attend? Dog owners who have successfully attended other group training classes and are interested in 1) improving their dog’s leash manners & 2) learning about or advancing their skills in the sport of Rally. Teams should have an openness to trying new techniques; your dog must be able to work with you for rewards in the presence of other dogs; and must be able to wait quietly for their turn. Working spots limited to 8 dogs. Auditors will be welcome once working slots have filled—auditors will be welcome to ask questions, of course.   

What you should expect to get out of the morning: Clear understanding of Rally criteria for Heel, Front, Finish, Forward, Sit, Down, Stand—and a plan for how to train these skills. Better relationship with your dog. A plan for how to progress your training.

Who should not attend as a working team: dogs who are so excited when they see other dogs that they lunge and bark and are unable to return their focus to their handler. Dogs who exhibit unprovoked aggression to other dogs. Handlers who are unwilling to use food or toy reinforcers to train behavior.

OUR PRESENTER: Amee Abel, CPDT-KA, is an approved WCRL Rally Judge who has been successfully competing in WCRL and AKC rally at the highest levels for years with a variety of dogs. She is also an award-winning dog training instructor whose techniques are always dog-friendly and people-friendly.  Her on-line work during the pandemic Rally On!-Line kept students nation-wide progressing their rally skills & learning to do video rally. You can learn more about her at her website: https://abel2train.com/

Coming Soon!

 Advanced Agility, Disc Dog, Fly Ball, Lure Chasing and much more!