Owning a dog is a lifelong commitment. Please take time to research the breed that best suits your family's lifestyle. Dogs in particular require ongoing social interaction with their family. If you are unable to make this level of commitment to your dog, then perhaps consider an alternate pet requiring less commitment such as a goldfish. To insure a mutually enjoyable relationship between dog and family, training is a must.

The Pinegrove School of Obedience is located within the Pinegrove Animal Hospital facilities. Operated by Judy Fickes, a Behaviour Consultant and Trainer, the school offers puppy classes as well as Level 1 and Level 2 classes for older dogs. Private behavioural consultations and agility training are also available.

Judy is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (USA).

The underlying approach to all classes is to create a fun atmosphere and utilize positive reinforcement techniques to train your pet. Learning to work with your dog as a team with positive reinforcement has proven to be an extremely effective way to achieve the desired results. Classes are kept small (8-9 dogs per class) so that each participant gets the attention they require.

Following is a brief overview of the services offered but please feel free to contact us (phone number and email address below) with any questions you may have.

Group or private classes for puppies are available for puppies 9 weeks and older. These classes are designed to provide your new puppy with good socialization skills as well as basic manners. This includes house training, toilet training, and adapting your puppy to your family's lifestyle. Using fun doggie games we also teach pups to 'come', 'heel', 'sit', and 'down'. All work is done off leash.

For dogs approximately 5 1/2 months and older.
Can't teach an old dog new tricks? Absolutely not true! Even older dogs can be taught new skills and have bad habits changed. The Level 1 classes introduce basic commands such as sit, stay, down, come and heel but each class is structured to best suit the needs of the particular dogs in the class.

Level II classes are a continuation of Level I training. These classes are designed to further your dog's obedience skills. Advanced classes include off-leash work and preparation for competitive obedience. Positive reinforcement combined with lots of fun provides much enjoyment for both dog and handler.

Should you feel more comfortable in a one-on-one setting or if your dog has special behavioural needs we can provide private consultations. We remind all owners that before you relinquish your pet for behavioural problems that you first give them a chance by exploring options we may be able to recommend through a consultation.

Also, if you are unable to attend classes at the Pinegrove School of Obedience but would like our help, let us come to you! Both in-home training for puppies and dogs is available in the towns of Bridgewater and Mahone Bay.

  and the people liked it too!

	Why obedience classes? Simple! With three energetic, eager to please little beagles I needed professional instruction to allow me to bring out the best in my dogs. Pinegrove School of Obedience and their competent staff helped me to achieve my goal. - Marilyn Bell
	Quincy (Maltese) with a visiting Yorkie named Hershey and Sophie (Sheltie). Taking obedience classes with judy is pure enjoyment for both me and my dogs. We learn and have loads of fun at the same time. Judy's kind, caring, knowledgeable, and personal approach has given us very positive and rewarding experiences. I love it! - Pat Townsend