Obedience

Fit-N-Trim classes are held at either our climate-controlled indoor facility at 108 Newburyport Turnpike, or at our outdoor ring at 103 Haverhill Street.

You may register online for classes up to two days before they are scheduled to start. If you would like to register for a class within two days of the class start date, please call 978-948-2745 to confirm that space is available.

The “NERVOUS NELLY” CLASS for SHY DOGS

Do you have a dog that is reserved, skittish, or avoids other people or dogs?

Is your dog overwhelmed or easily frightened by certain situations? 

There are many ways to improve a dog’s confidence, build trust and help them become more comfortable in their world. 

This 4 week class offers a variety of fun strategies and activities to explore. Handlers will determine which ones work best for their dogs and develop their own plan for their dog.  We will use positive reward-based training and a smaller class size to provide a calm, supportive and fun environment for learning. 

  • For dogs 6 MONTHS & UP
  • Class Session: 1 hour per week, for 4 weeks
  • Cost: $140
  • Location: The Adams Mall, 108 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley, MA

Tuesday: 6:00 pm
April 16

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BASIC MANNERS

This course is designed for dogs 6 months and older who have not mastered basic obedience skills. The course focuses on skills such as sit, down, stay, leave it, waking on lead, and come when called. Both voice and hand signals are introduced. The focus, as with all our obedience classes, is on establishing a bond of trust between the handler and the dog. The goal of the course is to help the dog become a good canine citizen and a valued family member while helping the handler establish the leadership needed to be successful.

  • Class Session: 1 hour per week, for 6 weeks

  • Cost: $185

  • Location: The Adams Mall, 108 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley, MA

Saturday: 10:15 am
April 6

Tuesday: 5:00 pm
April 9

Tuesday: 7:20 pm
April 9

Thursday: 7:10 pm
May 2

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PUPPY 2 / INTERMEDIATE MANNERS

Details on this class can be found on the PUPPY PAGE

BEGINNER RALLY OBEDIENCE (Rally-O)

Rally Obedience is a fun and exciting team sport for dogs and their handlers. In Rally-O, dogs and their handlers navigate a course guided by numbered signs, each of which indicates an exercise that they must perform successfully before proceeding to the next sign. The individual exercises are both fun and challenging. All dogs, purebred or mixed breed, may compete in Rally-O.

Dogs and handlers work on basic heeling and recall skills. Whether you are interested in competing or just want to spend some extra time having fun with your dog, Rally-O offers a positive, fun environment in which you can sharpen your dog’s basic obedience skills and bond with your dog.

  • Class Sessions: Class meets 1 hour/week for 6 weeks
  • Cost: $185

Sundays: 12:00 pm
TBA

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COME WHEN CALLED / LEASH WALKING COMBO CLASS

This class will focus on walking on a loose leash, and the always important “Come When Called” — two important safety-conscious life skills.

This is not a competition heeling class, but a pleasure walking class. Focusing on the dog not pulling allows you to enjoy your walks. Teaching your dog to walk on a loose leash takes time and we will show you in short, easy steps how to work towards your goals. It is also important to learn about the correct, safest equipment for your dog for you both to enjoy your walks.

Come When Called is another very important life skill. This class can teach a young dog CWC, or re-teach an older dog, how to respond to you by building your relationship and making things fun, with easy steps towards your goal of your dog coming when called.

For real life situations while walking your dogs, when weather permits, this class will be held outdoors as well as indoors.

  • This class is NOT for reactive dogs
  • Class Session: Class meets 1 hour/week for 6 weeks
  • Cost: $185
  • Location: Adams Mall, 108 Newburyport Tpk, Rowley, MA

Thursday: 5:00 pm
May 2

Wednesday, 7:30 pm
April 17

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REACTIVE DOG

REACTIVE DOG CLASS: Presented by Jessica Drew*, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA)

Which dogs should take this class: If your dog overreacts by growling, barking, and/or pulling towards other dogs, strange people, cars, bikes, or wildlife while on leash, behind a fence or at your windows, Reactive Dog class may be the perfect fit. This is a class designed to help you manage your dog’s behavior and help them cope more appropriately in an over-stimulating world. We provide a controlled environment to practice real world skills to change your dog’s emotional response.

Class Goal: To set parents up with management tools. This way they can navigate through life with a reactive dog with a toolbox of action plans. These tools can help them avoid a reaction, as well as how to get through one. For the dogs is to work on exposing them to triggers at a level they can handle while practicing behaviors we prefer.

SESSION 1 is orientation WITHOUT DOGS.

  • Class Session: 1 hour/week for 6 weeks
  • Class Limit: 4/5 dogs, only 2 humans per dog
  • No make-up classes available
  • Location: The Adams Mall, 108 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley MA
  • No children allowed in class
  • Dogs must be 9 months and up, younger dogs need a private lesson
  • No human aggressive dogs
  • Students will receive email class recaps and materials
  • Students will have access to our FB group, “Frenetic and Feisty”

*Instructor Jessica Drew: Jessica has been training for 3 years with an interest in reactive dogs. She developed the desire to work with these dogs when she found herself with a reactive dog of her own. Her best friend Loki, a 5 year old hound mix, opened her eyes to the amazing world of the human and dog relationship. Not only learning how to help her dog overcome his BIG emotions, but in the process building a bond she didn’t know was tangible. She aims to help people effectively communicate with their furry friends, while providing guidance on navigating the challenges of reactivity. She feels training is meant to feel fun and simple, so uses lots of techniques from Susan Garret and Leslie Mcdevitt. 

Saturday, 2:15 pm
April 27

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CONTROL UNLEASHED

A class for dogs that are exuberant, high energy, easily aroused or get overstimulated by things in their environment. This class will help them learn to relax, focus, and engage with their handlers in new, exciting, and/or stressful environments.

Your dog must be able to tolerate seeing other dogs or people at a distance without undue barking or pulling. Dogs that have difficulty seeing other dogs or people while on leash should take the Reactive Dog class or inquire about private lessons.

Who should take Control Unleashed?

Over-enthusiastic greeters of people or dogs, people who have struggled handling their dog’s exuberance in agility or other classes, those who have gone through basic and intermediate and want to do more with their dogs.

  • Class Session: 1 hour per week, for 6 weeks | Cost: $225
  • Location: The Adams Mall, 108 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley, MA
  • There will be no make-ups for this class.

Saturday: 2:15 pm
TBA

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AKC CANINE GOOD CITIZENSHIP: Prep & Test (AKC’S CGC)

This is a class where you will be training and learning the tasks required to pass the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test.

The Canine Good Citizen (GGC) program sponsored by K9 Advantix®, is an AKC certification program designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The CGC Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs.

All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test (http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm) may obtain a certificate from the American Kennel Club. Tests are given throughout the country. This 6-week course teaches the basic obedience skills needed to pass the CGC test, which will be given on the last (6th) session.

  • The first 5 weeks will be training and practice for the test. The test will be given in the 6th week.

  • Class Session: Class meets 1 hour per week, for 6 weeks | Cost: $185

  • Location: The Adams Mall, 108 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley, MA

Wednesday: 5:00 pm
February 28

Book a Class

AKC COMMUNITY CANINE: Prep & Test (CGCA)

AKC Community Canine℠ is the advanced level of the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Program. Dogs who pass the AKC Community Canine test earn the official AKC Community Canine title that is designated by the letters “CGCA” (Advanced CGC) on the dog’s title record.

Whereas Canine Good Citizen tests are most often tested in a ring and situations are simulated (e.g., 3 helpers serve as a “crowd”), the AKC Community Canine test is done in real situations including at shows, classes, and in the community.

AKC Approved CGC Evaluators will administer the AKC Community Canine test.

  • The first 5 weeks will be training and practice for the test. The test will be given in the 6th week.

  • Prerequisites: There is no age limit for dogs taking the AKC Community Canine test. However, before taking the test, dogs must have a Canine Good Citizen test on record at AKC.

  • Class Session: Class meets 1 hour per week, for 6 weeks | Cost: $190

  • Location: The class will meet at a few different locations. Session 1 will meet at the Adams Mall, 108 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley, MA

Wednesday: 4:30 pm
TBA

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AKC URBAN CANINE: Prep & Test (CGCU)

AKC Urban CGC requires that the dog demonstrate CGC skills and beyond in a setting that includes traffic, crowds, noises, smells and other distractions that are present in a city or town. As with Canine Good Citizen, AKC Urban CGC is a 10-step test of skills that dogs must pass to earn the official AKC Urban CGC title. This is a title that appears on the dog’s title record at AKC.

To earn the AKC Urban CGC (CGCU) title, dogs must meet the following two requirements:

Must already have a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificate or title on record at AKC. If the CGC and CGCU are tested on the same day, both forms should be sent in the same envelope to AKC so that the CGC can be applied to the dog’s record first.

Must have an AKC number of one of 3 types (AKC registration number, Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) number, or AKC Canine Partners number). All dogs, including mixed breeds, can get an AKC number. The reason for the AKC number requirement is that this is how we create titles at AKC; we attach the titles to the dog’s number. Read more information on getting an AKC number.

  • The first 5 weeks will be training and practice for the test. The test will be given in the 6th week.

  • Prerequisites: There is no age limit for dogs taking the AKC Urban Canine test. However, before taking the test, dogs must have a Canine Good Citizen test on record at AKC.

  • Class Session: Class meets 1 hour per week, for 6 weeks | Cost: $190

  • Location: The first session of this class will meet at The Adams Mall, 108 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley, MA.

Wednesday: 4:30 pm
TBA

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TRICK DOG

Beginner / Intermediate Trick Dog

A class to learn lots of fun tricks like ringing a bell, putting on a light, and retrieving. There’s also go to mat, leg weaves, and rollover. There are really just too many tricks to name here. If you love training and love having fun with your dog, join us for this combined Beginner/Intermediate Tricks class!

The last class will be the test for your Trick Dog title.

  • Class Session:
    *Nov. 15: Intermediate Trick Dog meets one hour/week for five weeks (November 15, 29 and December 6, 13 & 20)
    Cost: $155

    **January 10: Intermediate Trick Dog meets one hour/week for six weeks
    Cost: $185

*Wednesday: 7:30 pm
FULL

**Wednesday: 7:30 pm
January 10

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COMPETITION OBEDIENCE

Kris Thober teaches this drop-in class designed to give dogs the practice they need before competing.

  • This is a drop in class | Cost: $25 per session
  • *Please email Kris if you are interested as we need to ensure that the minimum class size is met.