Dog Training

(617) 226-5664
behavior@arlboston.org

The Behavior department can help you understand and modify your pet’s undesirable behavior. We provide dog and puppy training classes to prevent behavioral disorders, and a free behavior helpline to offer you guidance regarding cat or dog behavior issues.

  • Dog Training Classes
  • Behavior Helpline
  • Resources

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Dog Training Classes

Classes provide a fun and enriching way to build a relationship with your dog and can prevent behavior problems before they start. Unless otherwise noted, classes are held one hour per week for 6 weeks and cost $150. There is a reduced rate for dogs adopted from the League up to six months ago.

Click here to enroll in our classes or call (617) 226-5664.

  • Puppy Kindergarten Ages 8-20 weeks. Your dog will learn sit, down, stay, coming when called and walking on a leash. Please note: week one is an orientation so please leave your puppy safely at home.
  • Advanced Puppy Ages 4-11 months. Intermediate puppy will help your puppy continue to learn while still having the opportunity to socialize.
  • Good Manners Ages 5 months and up. Your dog will learn to stay, down, recall, heel, and polite manners. Please note: week one is orientation so please leave your dog safely at home.
  • Advanced Good Manners Ages 5 months & up. Requirement: must have completed Puppy Kindergarten or Good Manners class. Issues covered include: ‘go to your place,’ training with distractions, attention, body language, how to play and much more. Your dog will accompany you to all six classes.
  • Real Life Scenarios Ages one year & up. Limited to 6 dogs per class. Requirements: Good Manners, Advanced Good Manners, or Advanced Puppy. Real Life Scenarios will take you and your dog through a wide range of real life situations. Teach your dog to down on its mat while you eat dinner and greet a large variety of people politely.
  • Agility For Fun Ages 6 months & up. Limited to 6 dogs per class. Requirements: Good Manners or Advanced Good Manners completed. This class is designed for dogs who know all of their basic commands with distractions. Help your dog learn off-leash commands while they maneuver through obstacle courses. Dogs must be people and dog-friendly.
  • Good Citizen For owners who would like to obtain an AKC good citizen certificate for their canine friend. The test will be administered on the last day of class.
  • Sniffing for Fun: (Advance level class) Dogs must attend Good Manners or Puppy Kindergarten class before attending this class. Great for all ages – even seniors! Dogs have an amazing sense of smell why not tap into their natural ability to hunt? The class is to have fun with your dog and build their natural ability to hunt and find food, objects and toys. Its a great way to build your dog’s confidence and burn energy mentally and physically.

Behavior Helpline
Our Pet Behavior Helpline at 617-226-5666 is a free service staffed by our trained volunteers. Please leave a message and one of our counselors will call you back within 24 hours, 7 days a week. Our volunteers are trained to handle:

  • Inappropriate elimination/house soiling in both cats and dogs
  • Barking
  • Chewing and destruction of home by dogs
  • Crate training in dogs
  • Puppy behaviors
  • Cats that claw furniture, nip at hands/feet, jump on counters

Resources

We no longer provide private behavioral consultations.

Other resources include:

Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic
North Grafton, MA
Dr. Nicholas Dodman or Dr. Niwako Ogata,
Contact Ronni Tinker at 508-887-4640, M-F 9am-Noon

Animal Behavior Consultations, LLC.
Brooklyn, CT 06234
Dr. Alice Moon PhD
860-428-1458
amoonf02@charter.net

PETFAX
Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic
A pet behavior consulting service that does not require an office visit. Mail, fax or email your pet behavior issues to a specialist and receive a written response. For more information, please visit http://www.tufts.edu/vet/petfax/

American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
For information about behavior problems.
http://www.avsabonline.org

American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
Find a board certified Veterinary behaviorist in the area.
http://www.dacvb.org/resources/find/

Animal Behavior Society
A list of Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists.
http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory
If you are experiencing behavioral problems with your dog or cat adopted from the Animal Rescue League of Boston in the last 6 months, please call 617-226-5664 or email behavior@arlboston.org