CBS would like to thank Karin Bridge from Get Smart Dog Training in Melbourne, Oliver Beverly from CLEAR Dog Training in Brisbane as well as Pat Miller and Melissa Alexander in the US for permission to use their articles on our site.

How do I register to train my dog at Canine Behavioural School?

Download the Registration Form, Waiver and Welcome Letter
Or
Email us at info@positivelydogs.com and we will email you the required information
Or
Phone Debra, 08 8431 9134, to learn more about registering to train at CBS

How much does it cost?

Costs for training one dog in 2012 are:
$90 for your first term of training in Bronze (Beginners)
$90 for your first term in Silver if you commence training at CBS at this level (i.e. coming from another positive training facility)
$90 for your first term in Gold
$50 for each term thereafter

Costs for training more than one dog from the same household:
$90 for the first dog for your first term
$50 for the second dog for your first term (no Train at Home Guide)
$50 per dog per term thereafter

Your $90 initial payment includes the current Train at Home Guide, a Guide written specifically to help you with your weekly homework and to remind you of what you have learned in class.

NB A “Term” is the length of a School Term and follows the South Australian school system term dates

Everyone – Please ensure that you bring your dog’s current vaccination certificate with you when you come to the first lesson this year.

How can I pay my School Fees?

To ensure your place in class, full payment must accompany your registration form.

You can post us a cheque/money order with your registration form. Please post to :

Canine Behavioural School Inc
PO Box 1024
Firle SA 5070

Account Name: Canine Behavioural School Inc
BSB Number: 035052
Account Number: 177633

Please clearly identify yourself (or, more importantly, the person whose name appears on the registration form) and your dog in the Description of Transaction (e.g. Fido Smith) and be sure to INCLUDE A COPY OF THE TRANSACTION with your registration form.

Cancellation Policy: A full refund, minus $5 administration fee will be given if cancellation notification is received in writing/by email up to 7 days before commencement of class.  No refund is applicable if notification is later than this.

What if I need to cancel before the start of Term?

If we receive notification in writing (letter to the PO Box 1024, Firle SA 5070) or email (deb@positivelydogs.com) seven (7) days before the commencement of your first class, your payment will be returned to you, minus $5 administration fee. If we do not receive this notification, then your payment will be forfeited.

Am I able to watch a class before I decide to enrol my dog at CBS?

Certainly. We do, however, ask that you don’t bring your dog with you. Please feel free to talk to the Reception Desk Staff if you have any questions or would like to register whilst you are there.

If you wish to speak to the Head Instructor, or one of the other Instructors, please ask at the Reception Desk and the Volunteers there will organise this for you.

What happens if I miss a class?

We would encourage you to try very hard not to miss a class. Class instruction not only gives you tools to help your dog, it also helps to motivate you to keep trying at home. However, we do understand that “life” sometimes gets in the way of training and this is why your School Fee includes our purpose written Train at Home Guide. At the back of the Guide is a list of homework for each week’s training and the relevant pages within the Guide to which you can refer. This acts as back up for what is taught in class and also helps those who have missed a class.

We do not offer catch up classes for those who miss a week. However, each of our classes has at least one Assistant in class and that Assistant will be able to spend some time with you to help you with those things you have missed.

Should you miss a couple of consecutive weeks, please contact the Head Instructor (deb@positvelydogs.com) to discuss options for your training.

As we are a volunteer training facility running on a very tight budget, unfortunately we cannot refund your School Fees once Term has started.

How many dogs are in each class?

CBS class numbers are based on the best practice guidelines of the Delta Professional Dog Trainers Association. As such, there is a maximum of eight dogs in any one class. A class with 8 dogs will have an Instructor and an Assistant Instructor. Six dogs is the maximum number in a class if there is no Assistant.

This ratio of instructor to dog/guardian allows the Instructor to spend individual time with people and also assists to reduce canine stress levels in class.

Is my family allowed to come to training too?

Yes. However, if you have a large family, it may be better for some of them to sit outside of the class area, a short distance away, so as not to disturb class proceedings.

For reasons of safety, if there is more than one young child (under the age of 8), we require a second adult (over 18 years old) present to supervise the child/children. Some children can be distracting for the dogs and some dogs are not familiar with children. We have this rule for the safety and comfort of all students.

Can the children train the dog?

There must always be an accompanying adult for any child hander. No matter how good your child may be at handling your dog, remember you will be working in a group environment and both dogs and children need adult supervision in these circumstances.

Your children are of course welcome in class but we would insist the dog be handled and/or supervised by an adult.

A Two Dog Family – Can they be in the same class?

Please note that if you have two dogs in the one family it will be necessary for two adults to be available for the training of the two dogs.

In a two dog family, the dogs are often very closely bonded, particularly if the dogs are siblings and we often suggest that the dogs are not in the same class so that they get some time to be individuals. As we run more than one class at a time, the two dogs can come at the same time but will, more than likely, be placed into separate classes.

Should this be too upsetting for the dogs, the Head Instructor will decide, in discussion with you, what options are available.

Why is the first Bronze class held without dogs?

Dog training is a complex field and we need to talk to you about the theory of dog training and what it involves for you and your dog. We try to make this training session as interesting and interactive as possible but there is a lot of theory to get through and, in the best interests of your dog, he is better off at home. You will also be less distracted and better able to listen if you are not worrying about what your dog is doing. You will also receive work to take home to practice with your dog in readiness for Week 2 of training.

What should I bring with me when I come to class?

Each week, except your first week in Bronze class, we would like you to bring the following

What training equipment do I need?

Please bring your dog to class on a flat (leather or cloth) collar with a lead no longer than 1.2~1.8m.

If your instructor feels it is necessary, we may talk to you about the use of a front attach harness. More details about this harness can be found at http://www.petdogtraining.com.au/products.html

However, any training equipment used is only as an aid. Nothing totally replaces putting in the work that is required to train your dog. Sadly, there is no “quick fix” or “magic” equipment.

What training methods do you use?

Please see our section about Positive Training

Do CBS Instructors give private lessons?

You may feel that you want some private help with training or your class Instructor may talk to you about having one or two private lessons if she/he feels that you need extra help. Please always feel free to discuss options with your class Instructor. Some of our certified Instructors can come to your home and help you on an individual basis. They do so under their own auspices, not as part of CBS. However, we are happy to include on our website information about those instructors who offer in home consultations.

Their details are as follows:

Susanne Eckert
Cert IV Dog Behavioural Training
Delta Professional Dog Trainers Association

Phone: 08 8390 2198
Mobile: 0412 500 661
Email: jeneck@esc.net.au

Specialising in “special needs dogs” including reactive behaviour towards dogs and/or people. Depending on requirements, consultations will occur in home or at a mutually decided outside venue i.e. park.

Debra Millikan
Dip. Animal Behavior Science & Technology
Dip. Dog Training and Behavior Consulting
Cert IV Dog Behavioural Training
Association of Animal Behavior Professionals
Delta Professional Dog Trainers Association
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia & USA

Phone: 08 8431 9134
Mobile: 0419 824 395
Email: damag1@bigpond.com

My aim when visiting your home is to help you to understand your dog better and to understand how you can communicate with him in a way that will make you both happy. Helping people learn the skills they need to allow dogs to have “forever” homes is very important to me.

Bodil Schou-Hansen
Cert IV Companion Animal Services
Adelaide Pet Dog Training

Phone: 08 8272 0018
Mobile: 0409 991 530
Email: bschouhansen@gmail.com
Web: www.petdogtraining.com.au

In addition to Adelaide Pet Dog Training’s seven week courses, we provide private tuition and in home consultation services. Private sessions can be provided to address a broad range of training requirements, however, they are particularly useful in dealing with problem behaviours which usually cannot be dealt with in a class situation. The most common issues of concern to owners are barking, dog-dog reactivity, dog-human-reactivity, digging, pulling on lead and/or uncontrollability, toilet training and some anxious behaviours.

Will you do board and train?

Board and train is where a trainer takes a dog into his/her home and works with the dog until the dog is of a standard agreed upon by the trainer and the guardian together.

We do not believe in this type of training as we generally believe that guardians should be involved with training their pet dogs. Training helps to build the bond between you and your dog and, if you send your dog away to be trained, that opportunity is missed.

A good trainer can train your dog and train him well. A good trainer can also be a good instructor and train you to train your dog and train him well.

We would prefer the bond of trust and respect to be built between you and your dog, not between your dog and one of our Instructors.

Are your Instructors dog behaviourists?

There are no legal limits on who can call him/herself a behaviourist. Any non-qualified person can hang out a plate purporting to be a behaviourist. However, the answer to the question is – NO, our Instructors are not behaviourists.

In our opinion, in the dog world, the only people who are qualified to call themselves “behaviourists” are vets who have trained and qualified specifically in veterinary behavioural studies or those who have undertaken tertiary education that qualifies them to be certified by relevant governing bodies as “behaviourists”.

We are, however, behavioural trainers. We observe your dog in his environment and teach you to also observe your dog and help you to understand what some of those observations of his behaviour mean to your dog and hence to you and your family. We work with the dog’s behaviour and do not diagnose or make a prognosis as would a medical specialist. We simply work with the behaviour the dog gives us and teach you how to work with it too.

We are all ethically bound by our governing bodies to refer you and your dog to someone with greater experience and knowledge than ourselves when we feel we do not have the skills necessary to assist you.

Can you recommend a puppy pre-school?

Below is a list of puppy pre-schools that are run by CBS Instructors. These pre-schools are not run in conjunction with CBS but are run by certified instructors who are on the volunteer staff of CBS.

Adelaide Hills Animal Hospital – Bodil Schou-Hansen & Debra Millikan

77 Mount Barker Road
Stirling, SA 5152

Phone: 08 8339 4466
Email: ahah@internode.on.net
Fax: 08 8339 4476

Puppy Pre-School is held on Wednesday evenings at 6pm
5 week course, first week without puppies
Contact the Hospital to enrol in class

Newton Veterinary Centre – Debra Millikan

112 Clairville Road
Newton, SA 5074 (opposite Target)

Phone: 08 8365 5010

Puppy Pre-School is held on Thursday evenings at 6:15pm
5 week course, first week without puppies
Contact the Veterinary Centre to enrol in class

Parade Norwood Veterinary Clinic – Bev Clark

27 The Parade
Norwood, SA 5067

Phone: 08 8363 5323

Puppy Pre-School is held on Tuesday nights at 7.30pm
4 week course
Contact the Clinic to enrol in class

Stephens Terrace Veterinary Clinic – Bodil Schou-Hansen & Susanne Eckert

45 Stephens Terrace
St Peters, SA 5069

Phone: 08 8362 6688
Fax: 08 8363 4008

Puppy Pre-School is held on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7.15pm
5 week course, first week without puppies
Contact Clinic to enrol in class

Puppy Questions

1. Choosing a puppy the Right Way
2. Will I ever have a perfect puppy?
3. Why is Puppy Pre-School Important?
4. At what age should I take my dog to puppy school?
5. But won’t my dog get sick if I take him out and about too soon?
6. Why does my puppy chew and what can I do about it?
7. One puppy or two?
8. My two puppies are littermates and are now fighting all the time – what should I do?

Adolescence

Please help! My puppy is now an adolescent! www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2008/adolescence.htm

Kids and Dogs

1. A Family Guide to Dog Safety
2. Is it safe to have kids and dogs together?

Building a Relationship with your Dog

1. What do you mean by “building a relationship” with your dog?
2. What happens if I don’t have a good relationship with my dog?
3. Outside dog? Bring him in (here)
4. Till death do us part – don’t forget your best friend
5. Ways to gain the behaviour you want (our instructors can help you with these).

Should I choose a Shelter Dog?

I would love to have a shelter dog but I have heard that they are always trouble!

Environmental Enrichment

1. What can I do to keep my dog busy when I am at work?
2. Hef the Aussie Bulldog spends his day doing the things his mum leaves for him to do. The box Hef enjoys has peanut butter lightly smeared on the inside. The blue “ball” contains an everlasting treat which, although not actually everlasting, does last a long time.

Going on Holidays

I am going on holidays. How do I choose a kennel for my dog?

Lost Dog

I have lost my dog. What should I do?

Problems

1. My dog barks all the time. What can I do?
2. My dog seems anxious all the time. Does he have separation distress?
3. Problems with other dogs.
4. House Manners for dogs
5. Could my dog be bored?

Training Questions

1. Why bother training my dog?
2. What does your dog need to know and how are you going to teach it?
3. Treat training works sometimes and not others. Why?
4. Common behaviours that you want to fix?
5. How do I get my dog to “heel”?
6. My dog won’t listen to a word I say. What can I do?
7. How do I get my dog to come back to me?
8. Why can’t I say NO to my dog?
9. Traditional (correction collar) techniques work, why shouldn’t I use them?
10. My dog sits at home for his dinner, why won’t he sit here at School?
11. How can I be more successful in my training?
12. How can I make positive reinforcement training work for me?