Welcome to Best Paw Forward
Training is critical to a long, happy and safe relationship with your canine friend. Yet many dog owners become frustrated when trying to train their dogs.
The fact is that almost
everyone can benefit from some coaching in how to better train their dog. That is why I founded Best Paw Forward - to help dogs and their owners in the Bellevue/Seattle area. Whether you prefer to participate in group classes, organized
play groups, or private lessons, let me help your dog put his or her best paw forward!
Best Paw Forward is founded on the belief that if you take a positive approach to your dog
training, it will become both an enjoyable and fulfilling activity. Training is most
effective when both you and your dog are enjoying yourselves and having fun! As you build
the relationship with your dog, you'll find that training gets easier and easier. Before
long, it will become intuative, and so easy that you'll do it without thinking. Dog
training needn't be hard - you just need to take time to learn exactly what works and why
people often fail, and spend time practicing effective techniques with your dog!
If you have any questions while exploring this website, please shoot me an e-mail...or
just pick up the phone and call. There's no better time to start improving your
relationship with your dog than now!
Cheri Yates, Ph.D., CPDT - Owner and Trainer
"The first rule in successful dog training is to be smarter than the dog. Which is why some breeds are easier to train than others."
Author Unknown
Cheri is an instructor for training courses at the Seattle Humane Society, located in the Factoria area of Bellevue. View the latest class schedule and registration form here (requires Adobe Acrobat) - Cheri's classes show her name. Below are brief SHS descriptions of the main courses. For more information, or to sign up for a class, call 425-373-5385.
PUPPY HEAD START focuses on the priorities of puppyhood: socialization, bite inhibition and the prevention of common behavior problems. Puppies are positively introduced to a variety of new stimuli, learn to enjoy being handled by new people, and play offleash in compatible puppy play groups. House training, crate training, puppy nipping, chewing, home alone training and polite manners are covered. Puppies must be 8 to 16 weeks old when class begins. Do bring your puppy with you to the first class.
PUPPY MANNERS offers basic training and ongoing socialization for puppies, either as a continuation of Puppy Head Start or as puppy’s first class. Topics include polite greetings, basic skills and problem-solving as well as off-leash play in compatible puppy play groups. Puppies must be 17 weeks to 7 months old when class begins. Do bring your puppy with you to the first class.
SUPER PUPPY adds a higher level of distraction and difficulty to the basics and introduces new skills. The emphasis is on leadership, ongoing socialization and the potential challenges of adolescence. Class includes off-leash play time in compatible puppy play groups. Puppies must be no older than one year when class begins. Prerequisite: Puppy Manners or instructor permission.
DOG MANNERS focuses on building the dog/handler relationship through basic training, leadership and awareness of how dogs communicate. Topics covered include polite greetings, basic skills, techniques for preventing unwanted behavior and appropriate dog/dog interactions (on leash). Dogs must be at least eight months old when class begins. DO NOT BRING DOGS TO THE FIRST CLASS.
SUPER MANNERSadds a higher level of distraction and difficulty to the basic skills and introduces new skills. Emphasis is on performance in the real world. Prerequisite Super Puppy, Dog Manners or instructor permission.
CANINE GOOD CITIZEN PREP prepares students and their dogs to take the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, a certification program designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. For more details, please visit www.akc.org. At the end of the course, there will be an opportunity to take the CGC test for a small fee. Dogs who have their CGC certificates are eligible to apply for our volunteer Visiting Pet Friends program. Prerequisite: Super Puppy, Dog Manners or instructor permission.
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