Public Dog Training Classes

This is not a typical obedience class. Puppy Academy gives young puppies essential experiences that help them develop into confident, well-rounded, and well-behaved adult dogs. Puppies explore new sights, sounds, textures, play, socialization, and enrichment in a fun, guided environment.

Keep your dog active, engaged, and learning this winter. Each week features a new enrichment theme, including scent games, puzzles, body awareness, basic training challenges, and calming activities. Owners will also learn simple exercises they can continue at home using everyday items.

Take your dog’s training to the next level with skills including place, waiting at thresholds, leave it, and walking nicely past distractions. This class builds command fluency and prepares dogs for more advanced training, including Canine Good Citizen Class.

Channel your dog’s energy constructively while building essential skills including sit, down, stay, come, and polite leash walking. Pet parents will learn engagement techniques, clear communication, and handling skills using positive reinforcement while dogs build practical skills they can use throughout their lives.

Learn to read your dog’s body language and stress signals while building confidence around new people, situations, and objects. The class focuses on de-escalating fear, relaxation protocols, communication skills, desensitization, and counter-conditioning to triggers or scary stimuli. No formal obedience training is necessary.

Designed for dogs that need a job and Therapy or Service dogs that already have one, this class introduces task work such as picking up objects, opening doors, pressing buttons, flipping switches, deep pressure therapy, and more. The class helps increase focus, provides building blocks for continued growth, and strengthens your bond through simple, easy-to-follow steps. You’ll also learn how to transfer skills from the classroom to real-world situations. Prior obedience training is helpful but not required.

This course guides you through the components of the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. Owner and dog teams work on skills including stay, come when called, calmly greeting dogs and people, and walking with a relaxed leash. The CGC is a nationally recognized certification that may also be viewed favorably by landlords, insurance companies, and businesses.

Learn to build solid walking habits in real neighborhood environments. Using reward-based training, you’ll learn how to motivate your dog with treats, praise, and play while teaching them to walk calmly and confidently outdoors. All skill levels are welcome.

Learn dog body language, handling skills, and force-free training methods to make vet visits, grooming, and everyday care more harmonious. You’ll learn to identify stress signals and help make routine care easier for both you and your dog. Skills include an introduction to muzzle training, chin rest, safe restraint methods, cooperative nail trimming, and more. Prior training is helpful but not necessary.

OAE’s Therapy Dog Program prepares dogs to support those who have served their country and community, including visits to military installations, veterans’ organizations, and first responder units. Training progresses from basic manners such as greeting strangers, leash walking, and ignoring dropped food to more advanced skills including stay, sitting for petting, and working confidently around busy environments and sounds. Training combines classroom practice with real-world public access lessons at a local pet-friendly business.

The course includes one human-only orientation, three in-house lessons at OAE, three public access lessons, and one day of testing.

At the end of the course, participants may take the AKC Community Canine (CGCA) and OAE Therapy Dog tests. Both are required to become an OAE Therapy Dog.

Help your pet be an enjoyable guest this holiday season! This class focuses on greeting people without jumping, avoiding counter surfing, and going to your place. Prior obedience training is helpful but not required.

Learn tricks such as spins, crawl, high five, leg weaves, taking a bow, and more using positive reinforcement. Along the way, you’ll work on confidence building, engagement, communication, and strengthening the bond with your dog. This class is perfect for all skill levels.