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4 or 8 sessions

Skills & MannersHelping your dog be their best self at home

Start your intake form Tell me about your dog

Every dog needs help to learn how to be their best self in our homes.

This 4-session or 8-session package is tailored to your needs. Skills learned often include:

Jody Epstein practicing skills with a dog

Everyday skills & manners

Focus — give eye contact/attention to the handler
Sit — four feet and bum on the floor
Down — lie down
Off — four feet on the floor (get off furniture, stop jumping)
Come — come directly to the handler when called
Stay — don’t move until released. This can be a Sit/Stay, Down/Stay, or Stand/Stay
Drop — put down what is in your mouth
Leave It — don’t even think about engaging with that
Leash Skills — walk nicely with handler, as a team
Touch — nose touch to hand. This is a useful skill for directing your dog where you want them to be in the space
Place/Station — settle on a designated spot
Muzzle Acclimation — all dogs should be comfortable wearing a basket muzzle in case of injury or emergency
Polite Greetings — with humans
Door Dashing — don’t go through open doors unless invited (e.g. when you step outside to pick up a package)
Door Manners — on leash, move politely through the door and wait for the handler to close the door; don’t pull at the start of the walk

Husbandry & cooperative care

We can also include a variety of husbandry skills, including:

Start Button/Stop Button — help your dog learn they can opt into husbandry activities, and that they can request a break without having to get “dramatic”
Pattern Games — using a pattern game can help your dog learn patience and participate more comfortably in cooperative care/husbandry care
Chin Rest — hold chin in a designated spot. This is very useful for husbandry skills such as vet exams and needle pokes
Lateral Recumbency — lying on their side for a calm exam
Scratch Board — teach your dog to file their own nails, reducing the frequency of necessary nail trims
Foot — learn to lift each foot for cooperative nail trim care
Medication practice — we can condition your dog for ear cleaning, ear drops, oral hygiene, and pill/capsule swallowing

Tricks & games

Fun tricks we can teach include:

Shake/Hi-FiveBang! (play dead — helpful for husbandry, too)CrawlSpinSit PrettyDanceRoll OverRetrieve ItemsPut Toys AwayGo to CrateGo to Bed (pull blanket over themselves)Weave Through Your LegsBack Up

Want to teach a skill not listed above? Let me know and we can add it to your package.

The skills listed in each category are examples, not an exhaustive list of skill options.

Ready to build your dog's skills?

Complete the intake form and tell me which skills matter most to you. I'll tailor the package to your dog and your household.

Start your intake form Tell me about your dog

Ready to change the conversation?

Get Started

Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun — 11am–6pm, by appointment only

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