What is Lifestyle Obedience?

Lifestyle Obedience is a style of obedience that caters to a dog owners lifestyle rather than the competition ring. There are traditional commands such as Sit, Down, Stand, Heel and Come when called but also commands that are used to assist in every day life with your dog such as Wait, Go to your bed (Place) Easy, Walk nice, Go say Hello, Leave-it, This way and Stay Close. All of which have practical applications that make life with your dog easier when incorporated into your daily lifestyle…not just in a classroom.

What is the Lifestyle Obedience Program?

The Lifestyle Obedience Program is a series of private, personalized lessons that focuses on the relationship between a dog and the owner with the goals the owner has for their life with their dog in mind. It begins with a private consultation to evaluate your dogs behaviour, temperament, compliance to commands and direction and of course discuss whatever the desired goals are, be it a personal companion or a hiking and adventure dog. Training aids and their proper use -if required and/or requested are also discussed. It then progresses to a series of one on one lessons catered to the owners goals.

A great group ladies enjoying the group training walks, they are also a bit of a social event. Milo the Doodle, Winta the GSD, Rogue the Malinois, Fender the Great Dane, Addey the Standard Poodle, and Rocket the Sheltie and his sister beside him but can’t see.

The Lifestyle Obedience program consists of the following 5 levels of learning.

Leadership Skills within the home and on a walk-The first lesson is included in the private consultation where the importance of consistent leadership is addressed through setting boundaries of appropriate behaviour, impulse control and extinguishing unwanted behaviours as well as learning how to walk politely on leash.

Lifestyle obedience- Sit, Down, Place, Come when called, Focus, Heel, Walk nice plus additional lifestyle related commands are taught to encourage polite, respectful behaviour.

My GSP Carter doing a fine job of chilling while visiting the local pet store…his favourite “Fibeez” the biggest distraction

Environmental Socialization- Socialization does not mean having a dog that is everybody’s best friend. It means to have a dog that has been systematically exposed to a variety of situations within various environments so that it is calm, polite, attentive and neutral within that environment regardless of the presence of other dogs or people.

Terry and her Doodle Milo enjoying a walk around the busy golf course

Public access training– Bringing your dog with you to public areas where dogs are allowed and applying the lifestyle obedience commands so your dogs learns what is expected of it within that environment.

Fender the Great Dane crabbing a coffee with his humans and Crystal with her two huskies seeking shelter from a hot day in a cool cafe’

Continuing education- Weekly drop in group lessons that take place in a variety of places where you can practice your skills in a safe and supportive environment to help maintain your training and your dogs success.

Cost

The private consultation and first lesson is $180. Each subsequent lesson is $80. The number of lessons required to progress through each level and achieve your goals for your dog is directly related to the time and effort dedicated to the homework between each lesson.

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