Reigning Pets Northwest

"Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend."

                                          - Quote from Corey Ford

Training Philosophy

We are committed to using training techniques that are “dog-friendly”, utilizing positive reinforcement methods.  Since all of our dog clients are effectively trained through dog-friendly techniques, they become lifelong companions to their owners in a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. 

We strive to help dog owners gain a better understanding of their “best friend” through fun and effective training, ultimately providing a higher quality of life for both dog and owner.  Our trainers have studied and follow selected methods from dog training experts including Brenda Aloff, Jean Donaldson, Patricia McConnell, Karen Pryor, Ian Dunbar, Nicole Wilde, and Karen Overall, among others.

We emphasize positive dog training methods through rewards-based training, offering private lessons from the comfort of your own home as well as small group training sessions.

Our mission is to provide your dog with the skills to be a fun and loving member of your family.  When dogs have “good manners”, they become an essential part of your life and can participate in more of the things you do.  This means more fun for you and your dog!

Group Classes

We offer the following group class options for you and your "best friend":

• AKC Canine Good Citizen® Preparation, 6 weeks ($160/dog)
• Basic Obedience, 6 weeks ($130/dog)
• Intermediate Obedience, 6 weeks ($145/dog)
• Introduction to Agility, 4 weeks ($130/dog)
• Naughty Dog, 6 weeks ($160/dog)
• Problem Solving Workshops (various topics)
• Puppy Preschool, 6 weeks ($120/dog)
• Puppy Romp ($10/dog per session or 6-pack for $50)
• Tricks and Games, 4 weeks ($90/dog)

Each group lesson includes written handouts detailing homework assignments to reinforce behaviors covered during training sessions.  

The topics covered in each class are listed below:

AKC Canine Good Citizen® Preparation  (Please click for schedule)

For dogs ages 9 months and up who have attended our Basic Obedience or Puppy Preschool class and Intermediate Obedience, or equivalent.  Five weeks working on the ten exercises for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen® Test with the official test given on week six.  6-week course, $160.  Please call or email us to register.

• Accepting a friendly stranger
• Sitting politely for petting
• Appearance and grooming
• Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
• Walking through a crowd
• Sit and down on command and Staying in place
• Coming when called
• Reaction to another dog
• Reaction to distraction
• Supervised separation

Basic Obedience    (Please click for schedule)

All dogs should learn good manners and self-control.  Join our class and learn how to teach your dog to sit, down, stay, come when called, walk politely on a leash, and much more.  We also discuss common problem behaviors such as jumping up, begging, chewing, and more.  For dogs ages 4 months and up.  6-week course, $130.  Please call or email us to register.

• Introduction to Clicker Training
• Release
• Watch (attention on you)
• Relationship Building / Leadership
• Sit and Sit/Stay
• Down and Down/Stay
• Loose-Leash Walking 
• Come
• Leave It
• Drop It
• Greeting People Nicely (i.e. Not jumping up on visitors)

Intermediate Obedience    (Please click for schedule)

For dogs ages 4 months and up who have attended our Basic Obedience class, or equivalent.  6-week course, $145.  Please call or email us to register.

• Loose-Leash Walking 
• Come with Distractions
• Stay with Distractions
• Leave It with Distractions
• Wait with Distractions
• Targeting
• Accepting Friendly Strangers and their Dogs

Introduction to Agility    (Please click for schedule)

Looking for a way to give your dog both physical and mental exercise while providing a great bonding experience for you both?  Join our Introduction to Agility class to learn how to guide your dog through a basic agility course including various jumps, tunnels, and other common agility course obstacles. This class is for fun, not for folks looking to learn competition agility. 4-week course, $130/dog.  Please call or email us to register.

Naughty Dog    (Please click for schedule)

Help your leash-reactive dog become more comfortable in the presence of other dogs in the safe environment of our classroom setting.  You will learn why your dog reacts to other dogs and how to handle the situation when it arises.  This class does not progress to off-leash interactions.  6-week course, $160.  Please call or email us to register.

Puppy Preschool    (Please click for schedule)

For puppies aged 9-16 weeks at start of class.  6-week course, $120.  Please call or email us to register.

One of the secrets to having a well-trained and well-socialized dog is to start early with puppy training.  This class is specifically designed for young puppies and their new puppy parents, and features off-leash playtime at the beginning of each class.  We also introduce your young pup to various people, sounds, and objects to help further their socialization.  And, we know you want a well-mannered dog, so we cover all the basics, including:

• Introduction to Clicker Training
• Name Recognition
• Relationship Building / Leadership
• Sit
• Down
• Watch (attention on you)
• Leave It
• Puppy Nipping
• Greeting People Nicely (i.e. Not jumping up on visitors)
• House Training
• Crate Training
  

Puppy Romp    (Please click for schedule)

For puppies aged 10 weeks to 5 months.  Offered weekly, $10/dog per session or 6-pack for $50.  Please call or email us to register.

Bring your puppy to socialize with and learn appropriate off-leash play from other puppies.  One of our Certified Dog Trainers moderates each session and is also available to answer your questions about raising a puppy.

Tricks and Games    (Please click for schedule)

For dogs ages 4 months and up.  4-week course, $90.  Please call or email us to register.

Many dogs in this country are under-exercised, under-stimulated and overweight.  Help keep your dog mentally and physically active by learning fun tricks and games!

• Crawl
• High-Five
• Play Dead
• Roll Over
• Sit Pretty
• Spin
• Take a Bow

 
Private In-Home Sessions

Our private in-home sessions are perfect for one-on-one attention with obedience training or for addressing common problem behaviors, including:

• Jumping Up
• Puppy Nipping and Mouthing
• Unruly Behavior in the House
• Begging
• Stealing Food
• Jumping on the Furniture
• Excessive Barking
• Inappropriate Chewing
• Coprophagia (Stool Eating)
• House Training
• Digging
• Bolting

We employ behavior modification techniques for situations including but not limited to:

• Aggression  (i.e. dog versus dog, dog versus human, dog versus cat, etc)
  
• Separation anxiety
• Phobias
• Compulsive disorders

 

Each private lesson includes written handouts detailing homework assignments to reinforce behaviors covered during training sessions.  We charge $60/hour for our private, in-home sessions.  Please contact us today to schedule a complimentary in-home consultation!

Our trainers are sought after for their unique ability to connect with both dog owners and their dogs, as well as for:

• Certified through Animal Behavior College (ABC).  The ABC  dog training program includes not only comprehensive "book knowledge", but also training shelter dogs on a volunteer basis at the Oregon Humane Society as well as teaching dog training classes under the tutelage of a mentor trainer as part of an 18-week mentoring program.
• Actively working toward earning CPDT designation.
• Partnering with local, experienced CPDTs outside of Reigning Pets NW to gain additional expertise and to remain actively involved in the local dog training community.
  
• Training dogs in what we call "manners" training with all of our dog walking/running clients.
  
• Remaining current on the latest techniques in dog training and applying those concepts to real-life situations with hundreds of dogs of a wide variety of breeds and sizes.
• Learning appropriate off-leash dog behavior under the guidance of an experienced CPDT by volunteering with Virginia Woof Dog Daycare in Portland.

Please contact us to schedule a complimentary assessment of your dog's training level as well as to discuss your personal training goals for your dog.