Puppy Foundation Program
Whether this is your first puppy as an adult or as a family or you’ve had several dogs over several decades, you’re in the right place. The Puppy Foundation Program is comprehensive and focuses first and foremost on puppy and dog behavior education. It begins with you attending an educational seminar before coming into the classroom with your puppy and, if you like, a private lesson in your home. One or both of these options are followed by not just one indoor group class but several sequential classes, including outdoor classes, designed to help you prevent problems before they start. You will continue learning along with your puppy for the first year or more as your puppy becomes the well-adjusted, well-behaved dog you envisioned when you decided to bring a dog into your life.
Begin Laying a Solid Foundation with Your Puppy Today!
Puppy Head Start Seminar
Come to this 90 minute for-people-only educational seminar to learn what you need to know to make the most of your puppy’s early learning opportunities. In this leave your puppy at home session, you’ll learn about dog body language and communication as well as how your puppy likely perceives what you’re saying with your body language; how dogs learn so that you’ll understand why your dog does not ‘listen’ to you; and how to structure everyday life with your puppy so to bring out the best in your soon-to-be dog!
Next Seminar:
Sunday, August 13, 2023
4:00 to 5:30 pm
Location:
No Bones About It
1786 Beacon Street
Brookline, MA
Fee: $75
Puppy Jump Start Lesson
Do you prefer one-on-one attention? Want to be sure you have everything set up correctly? Does your puppy get car sick? Do you have more than a few people involved in the care and training of your puppy and want to get everyone on the same page? Is your puppy struggling with crate training? It’s best to address issues early so not to allow a reinforcement history to really take hold. Consider a 75 minute private lesson —
In Your Home — in Brookline, Brighton, Jamacia Plain, Roslindale, West Roxbury, Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown, Belmont, Arlington, Waltham, Weston, Needham or Wellesley.
To schedule a session, contact me here.
Fee: $175
Puppy Foundation 1
This is a six week long puppy socialization class is for puppies between the ages of 8 and 16 weeks at the beginning of class. These one hour once weekly sessions focus on the critical issues of puppy development– socialization, housetraining, nipping, chewing, handling, grooming, crate and alone training. Brief play sessions will teach you what is appropriate play and how to interrupt and redirect inappropriate behavior. You will learn how to teach and apply the foundation behaviors of sit, down, stand, drop, touch and will begin training loose leash walking, stay and coming when called.
Fee $300
Puppy Foundation 2
This class is a continuation of Puppy Foundation 1 and a good class to start with for puppies over 16 weeks of age regardless of whether they have attended a puppy socialization class. This is also a good first class for rescue dogs under 8 months of age. Brief play sessions will teach you what is appropriate play and how to interrupt and redirect inappropriate behavior. Emphasis will be placed on behavior problem prevention and working through distractions. We will continue work on stays, recalls, loose leash walking and more. Weather permitting, some classes will take place on nearby streets.
Fee $300
Puppy Foundation 3
Take training on the road to prevent the problems that so many dog owners encounter. This real world dog training class will help you in applying training in your everyday activities including walks and time at parks and in other open spaces. We will meet in different locations each week including your neighborhood. Since the class is outdoors and therefore, weather permitting, some flexibility on your part is necessary.
Fee $300
Next Class: TBA
Class Info
Classes meet for one hour per week for six consecutive weeks. Makeups are not allowed without prior arrangement.
Children are encouraged to attend and observe. Children must be accompanied by an adult who will be the primary handler of the puppy.
Register using Paypal below to secure a spot in class. If you prefer to pay using a check or cash, you can register by sending an email to Vera@CooperativeDog.com and bring payment with you to the first class.
Bring your puppy or dog on a six foot nylon or leather leash wearing a flat ID collar as well as the harness or head halter if you are using one of these tools already.
Plenty of puppy or dog food and treats already cut into tiny pieces. Consider feeding breakfast during class.
Proof of vaccinations from your breeder, rescue group and/or veterinarian.
*No Flexi Leads or Chain Leashes Allowed.
What Others Say
Though this was not my first large breed dog, or working dog, I learned a great deal from Vera immediately. She is perceptive, thoughtful and intellectually rigorous. Her approach prioritizes forming a bond of communication between pet and family, not just blind obedience, punishing and treating. Her teaching helped hone my observational and listening skills so that I can deliver the lesson that Ueli needs in order to understand. This teaching has helped me to grow as a dog owner, but also as a human being. Recently, Ueli passed is Therapy Dog Certification Evaluation. It was a difficult test, but we rose to the challenge. The evaluator pulled me aside and told me that Ueli’s performance was “incredible” given that he is under 18 months old. I believe that it was our start with Vera that made this possible.
I recommend Vera and her puppy foundation program to anyone who wants to deepen their relationship with their dog, while developing a well-balanced, well-behaved, canine community member.
Sincerely,
Edward Monovich
Belmont, MA
Pat, Andrea and Otis
Waltham, MA
Our vet recommended Vera. The first time we met her we explained our situation. She took Sapphire’s leash in her hand and Sapphire immediately started walking with her! It was so rewarding to work with someone with such great knowledge of deaf dogs, not only owning her own, but working with them for many years. She was a breathe of fresh air, and gave us hope that Sapphire could learn and be trained.
Before leaving Boston, Sapphire had learned how to sit, lie down, stay, walk, come, socialize with other dogs and play outside without any difficulties. We loved the way Vera interacted with her, and we would recommend her to anyone with any type of dog, hearing abled or not!”
-Gabriela Cohen & Matt Cote, Proud Owners of Sapphire
