The Now Complete, State-of-the-Art Animal Care and Adoption Center Rolls out Training and Behavior Classes in Response to Community Need
BOSTON and Centerville, Mass. Dec. 11, 2018 – The best behaved dogs in Massachusetts may soon be living on Cape Cod now that the MSPCA’s animal care and adoption center in Centerville has rolled out a series of training and behavior classes designed to keep dogs healthy, happy and engaged—the three key qualities that dog owners routinely say they wish to cultivate in their pets.
The Basic Manners class, which started on November 10 with 6 participants, runs every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. The class is led by Certified Dog Trainer Sara Marshall, KPA-CTP, whose mission is to ensure that no dog is ever surrendered to a shelter because of behavior issues.
Two other classes—Teen Puppy and Puppy Play and Learn—are set to launch in early January.
“We often hear people say they have to surrender their animal because of bad behavior that they can’t seem to help their pets overcome on their own—such as incessant barking, or jumping on people who enter the home,” said Marshall. “We want to make sure that people who love their animals can keep them happy— by giving their pets every opportunity to be wonderful citizens in the community.”
Marshall uses positive reinforcement and evidence-based training methods to help dogs acquire necessary skills, and in turn empowers owners to take a commanding role in maximizing their pet’s potential.
The Basic Manners classes is custom designed for dogs aged five months and up who may have had no training whatsoever. Basic skills are emphasized, such as coming when called, walking well on a leash, focusing on their owners in the face of distractions and bark control. “Dogs typically make progress across these and other areas in as little as two to three weeks—so this is an excellent option for people who wish to see improvement in their pets quickly,” said Marshall.
The Teen Puppy classes, which begin Jan. 5, 2019, are designed for puppies aged 4-7 months with the goal of getting new pets grounded in training and behavior that sets the stage for a lifetime of excellent behavior.
And for the youngest participants, the MSPCA-Cape Cod will debut Puppy Play & Learn on Jan. 3, 2019, which teaches fun but important foundation exercises that all puppies should learn and emphasizes socialization with other puppies (and people). It is designed for puppies aged eight to 16 weeks.
“Ultimately, training is a critical part of any dog’s life because it keeps them mentally and physically stimulated, which helps keep them happy—and in our experience a happy dog is a well behaved dog,” said MSPCA-Cape Cod Director Mary Sarah Fairweather. “Now that our much larger adoption center is fully up and running, our bright and airy 1,600-hundred square foot training room can be used exclusively for training.”
Enrollment, Cost and Class Times
Online registration for all classes is now open and pricing is as follows:
- Basic Manners – $185 for six sessions, held Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. – to 12:00 p.m. (next session begins Jan. 5, 2019) and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (next session begins Jan. 23, 2019)
- Teen Puppy – $115 for four sessions, held Saturdays from 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. (classes begin Jan. 5, 2019)
- Puppy Play and Learn – $115 for four sessions, held Thursdays from 6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. (classes begin Jan. 3, 2019)
