 Levels Obedience Program
For Dogs Ages 6 Months and Up
What is the Levels Obedience Program?
The Levels Obedience Program is a positive reinforcement program that is self-paced, flexible, motivating, and fun! It integrates our foundation, basic, intermediate, and advanced obedience training into one cohesive program with four levels of skill and achievement. As soon as you’ve mastered one level you’ll be graduated to the next, all at your own pace and in a way that works with your schedule.
What is Covered in Levels?
 If you’re new to The Canine Connection, you’ll start the Levels Program by attending our “Training Toolkit Seminar.” This comprehensive seminar covers fundamentals of dog behavior and learning and introduces you to our progressive, positive training techniques. You’ll also learn about leadership, recommended equipment (we do NOT use choke, pinch, or shock collars!), and how to turn training into a rewarding way to live and play with your dog.
After the seminar, you and your dog will begin in Level 1. Your dog will learn to be attentive to you and you’ll learn the basics of training by teaching your dog some canine calisthenics (sit and down), name responsiveness (first steps to come when called), polite greetings and foundations of loose leash walking.
As you progress through Levels 2, 3, and 4, you’ll build your dog’s manners and skills. Your dog will learn more behaviors (including stay, wait, come, heel, leave it, and more) and to respond more quickly and reliably to your cues. Each level will present a higher level of difficulty and distraction, including additional opportunities for your dog to improve his social skills around other dogs and people. Level 4 is for our highest achievers who are dedicated to achieving advanced obedience with their dogs, perhaps in preparation for dog sports or therapy dog activities, or just because positive training is so much fun!
 How Long in Each Level?
The pace at which you progress through the Levels curriculum will depend upon your use of good training techniques (which we teach you!), your practice, your lifestyle with your dog, and your dog’s energy and focus. You and your dog may breeze through one level in just a couple of weeks, while others may take more time. Most participants will have mastered Level 2 material at the end of 8 weeks of training.
How is it Self-Paced and Flexible?
1. You can customize your program by choosing either an 8-class or 12-class plan.
- With the 8-class plan you’ll have 10 weeks to complete the program, so you can miss up to 2 weeks but not get behind!
- With the 12-class plan you’ll have 15 weeks to complete the program, so can miss up to 3 weeks but not get behind!
2. You can further customize your program by choosing a starting date that is most convenient for you, provided space is available on that date.
3. You can also choose to attend class on Thursday evenings or Saturday mornings or both if you want to accelerate your program by attending twice a week.
4. Once you have completed your initial class plan you can continue to enroll in Levels Obedience as a “Continuing Ed” student, paying a reduced fee.
When do Levels classes meet? How long is each class?
Dates for the “Training Toolkit Seminar” (your first Levels session) are listed below. You can join any of these weeks, provided space is available. Please note that this seminar is just for people but you’ll leave the seminar with plenty of activities to help your dog prepare for his first day in class.
November Seminars
Monday, November 3, 6:00 – 8:30 PM
Saturday, November 15, 2:00 – 4:30PM
December Seminars
Saturday, December 6, 2:00 – 4:30 PM
You and your dog then start our Levels training classes, beginning in Level 1 and working your way through the program at your own pace. Each Levels class lasts approximately 45 minutes. Most people attend one class per week, a Thursday evening or Saturday morning class. However, if you want to attend twice a week you can compress your Levels program into a shorter timeframe.
Saturdays –Time |
Level |
9:00 AM |
Level 4 – Advanced |
10:00 AM |
Level 3 – Intermediate |
11:00 AM |
Level 2 – Basic |
12:00 NOON |
Level 1 – Foundation / Refresher |
Thursdays
(beginning October 2) |
Level |
6:00 PM |
Level 1 – Foundation / Refresher |
7:00 PM |
Level 2 – Basic |
8:00 PM |
Level 3 – Intermediate |
Note: No Saturday classes on November 29 and December 27. No Thursday classes on November 6, November 27 and December 25.
What does Levels cost?
 New Students:
8-class plan: $175*
12-class plan: $215*
*New Student tuition includes: deluxe treat bag, 30’ long line, clicker and wrist band, individual equipment session (held between orientation and first class with dogs), access to online class materials, grad photo and certificate.
Continuing Ed Students (current or former clients of The Canine Connection):
8-class plan: $120
12-class plan: $160 (includes online materials)
How do I register?
Visit our Registration page.
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