All Beginner classes at Common Scents have multiple instructors with a student-teacher ratio of approximately 4:1. This ensures that each student receives some personal help when needed.

We also have extensive written handouts covering both lectures on dog behavior as well as a detailed description of each exercise taught in class. All of our instructors are also available during the week by phone.

Common Scents group classes run in 8 -week sessions, one class per week, for 8 consecutive weeks. We offer evening classes throughout the year. In addition to our basic program, we also offer intermediate and advanced courses. Again, the focus of these programs is a more obedient pet with an end objective of off leash control. As the majority of our classes do fill, it is necessary to pre-register in advance by mail.                                                            

2009 Beginner Session start date schedule:                            

Intermediate Classes
The Intermediate class is designed for those people who want a greater challenge for their dogs and wish to obtain a higher level of reliability. Emphasis is on working with and through distractions, and teaching the dog to respond under a multitude of conditions. We also focus on reducing the dog’s reliance on tangible rewards, and begin a transition to off-leash work.

Advanced Classes
The primary focus of this class is to further reduce the dog’s reliance on food, and get the dog to respond off leash. This is accomplished by further advancing the concept of a random (variable ratio) reward schedule, increasing the dog’s reliability to deal with distractions and teaching the random down.
Several new creative concepts are introduced in this class, with feedback driving the curriculum. The class is also designed to be repeated until the desired goals are obtained.