These are people-only sessions.  Do Not Bring Your Dog!

We offer several people-only training seminars to help you live peacefully with your dog. Check our website schedule often to see when new seminar dates are posted.

Behavior and Training 101 Seminar

Behavior and Training 101 is a 2-hour seminar that introduces the principles of how dog learn in a simple, user-friendly manner.  It provides essential, up-to-date information about how to communicate effectively with your dog and how to apply this knowledge to train and solve common behavior issues.   

All family members are covered under a single registration fee, but the length and format of this class makes it unsuitable for children under the age of 10.

Once the Behavior and Training session is completed, owners will have an opportunity to register for class and receive their class materials. Instructors are available to answer questions and help direct owners to classes that best meet the owner's and pet's needs.

This class meets the needs of dog owners, whether this is their first pet, or they are preparing for competition obedience.

Cost for this session is $20 and includes the presentation, printed handouts, live demonstrations, and an optional Question and Answer session after the presentation.

Important Note: Behavior and Training 101 is a pre-requisite for owners entering

many of our other classes.

If you have attended the Behavior and Training 101 and still need help registering for a class please contact us at:  314-802-5709 (Macklind Headquarters) or 636-530-8200 (Chesterfield Valley) or email us at:  obedience.training@hsmo.org

Dogs with Issues Seminar

This session was developed for owners of dogs that would not learn well in our regular group training classes due to disruptive, fearful or threatening behavior.  Owners learn to understand arousal, fear and aggression signals, to manage those behaviors appropriately, and to teach their dog to be calm and focused.

The Dogs with Issues seminar is required for anyone entering our special behavior classes, Reactive Dog and Shy Dog

The class includes videos, live demonstrations and training practice with pre-selected dogs (owners do not bring their dogs to this seminar).

This 5-hour class is held over two days (each class one week apart). Registration for this class includes: printed materials, appropriate textbooks, treat dispensing tubes, treat apron, clicker and wrist coil to use in class and hands-on practice with a live dog. 

Cost for the seminar is $85 ($60 for class/supplies and $25 for book).

PRE-REQUISITE: Behavior and Training 101

Walk-in students are not permitted in any of our group training classes.

PRE-REQUISITE for all Puppy Class Sessions: Behavior and Training 101

These classes use the Training Pass payment system.  Cost for a basic 5 session pass is $85. 

Puppy Kindergarten (for puppies 8-16 weeks of age)

This hour long class was developed to provide puppies with opportunities for off-leash play and socialization with other puppies and friendly people. Special emphasis is placed upon developing good bite inhibition and good home manners.  Basic skills introduced include: sit, down, focus on owners, and handling and restraint.  Puppies must be at least 8 weeks of age and have received their first series of immunizations at least 10 days prior to the start of class.

Pre-Kindergarten
This class is offered concurrently with the Puppy Kindergarten for very young, very small or very shy puppies that need a more controlled play environment. Emphasis is on building confidence, dog and people socialization, bite inhibition and foundation skills for good home manners. 

When puppies have reached 16 weeks of age, attended at least three classes and can accomplish all of the skills for this class, they are eligible to graduate on to the STAR Puppy Class.

Puppy Elementary (for puppies 4 to 8 months of age that show good social skills with other puppies)
We help your puppy to become a well-adjusted canine citizen.  This class provides older puppies with opportunities for off-leash play and socialization with other dogs and friendly people in a controlled environment.  Skills taught include: sit, down and stay, come when called, and an introduction to loose leash walking. 

As participants in the AKC STAR Puppy program, we are proud to offer this puppy class.  Here puppies learn all of the skills necessary to successfully become AKC STAR Puppies.    

Click to view the Puppy Class Schedules                                                                               

Walk-in students are not permitted in any of our group training classes.

PRE-REQUISITE for all Family Dog Class Sessions: Behavior and Training 101. 
Some Advanced Classes waive this requirement with instructor's permission.

These classes use the Training Pass payment system.  Cost for a basic 5 session Training Pass is $85.

Family Dog Classes are excellent classes for dogs that are friendly with people and other dogs.  If your dog has shown any concerning, threatening, aggressive or excessively fearful behavior toward people or other animals, we recommend getting a private Behavior Evaluation to determine the most appropriate services available.

ENTRY LEVEL FAMILY DOG CLASSES

Foundation Manners (Level One)
This class builds the behaviors for good manners at home and lays a foundation for future training. We teach focus and attention to the owners despite multiple distractions. Also included are some basic commands like sit, down, handling and restraint, moving attention and leave it (don't grab objects out of owner's hands). 

Even if you have trained your dog at another facility or at home, this course is a good refresher class.  It can help determine if your dog is ready for other, advanced classes.

Stay here as long as you need to.  As soon as a dog and handler are able to successfully accomplish the skills test for this class, they may move up to another level.

Let's Go! Class (Level Two)

For dogs and owners at any level of training. Dogs must respond reliably to the cue "sit" and remain focused on their owners despite distractions.

This class builds upon the basic commands introduced in the Foundation Manners Class.  Included are: polite walking on a loose leash, leave it (don't pick objects up off the floor), sit-stay and down-stay, and coming when called. Owners learn how to

Stay here as long as you need to.  As soon as dog and handler are able to successfully accomplish the skills test for the Let's Go! class, they may move on to another class.

Click to view Entry Level schedules

ADVANCED FAMILY DOG CLASSES

PRE-REQUISITE: Let's Go! Class, Equivalent Skills or Trainer Recommendation

Canine Challenge (Level Three)                      

In the Challenge class sessions, dogs and owners are put to the test. We add distance, distractions and duration (time) to the skills learned in the Let's Go! classes. 

Dogs and owners walk through the room past multiple distractions on a loose leash, approach and greet another dog/owner team with both dogs sitting quietly at their owner's sides, stay as directed while owner leaves dog in the presence of a very distracting objects, and other similarly challenging skills. 

Dogs that successfully complete this class have a level of self-control and obedience that owners can be proud of and are capable of moving into any of our other classes.

Stay here as long as you need to.  As soon as dog and handler are able to successfully accomplish the skills test for the Canine Challenge Class, they may move on to another class.

Click to view Advanced Level schedules

ADVANCED CLASSES - with a set schedule

PRE-REQUISITE: All classes except the Canine Good Citizen Class require owners to attend the Behavior and Training 101 seminar prior to class.  Some have additional requirements - please review prior to registration. 

Canine Good Citizen Prep Class (3-week class)
This 3-week class prepares owners to take the Canine Good Citizen Test. We practice all aspects of the test and offer help in areas where the dog may need more work. You do not need to be attending our group classes to register for the CGC Prep Class. 

This class is meant to prepare for the actual CGC test. Students may not use pinch, choke or other correction collars, Gentle Leaders, other head halter-type collars, or harnesses. Instead, dogs should be fitted with Martingale or flat buckle type collars. 

If you have never attended any of our other training classes, please be aware that we only use positive reward-based training methods.  No physical corrections!

Students in this class are able to register at no charge to take the next Canine Good Citizen Test we offer. Cost for class is $65. Visit the schedule section to register on-line for this class.  

Visit the Training News page to learn about our next Canine Good Citizen Tests.

PRE-REQUISITE for this class:  NONE (We do recommend attending our Behavior and   

                                                        Training 101 Seminar to become familiar with our

                                                        training  methods.)                                              

Obedience for Agility Class (5-week class)
This class teaches the commands you and your dog need to know and look for when running an agility course. There are many basics that come into play: obviously focus is the key. Sit, Down and Come are just a few of the essential commands. We will work on the course from start to finish and have fun!  Cost for class is $85.

PRE-REQUISITE: Dogs must respond reliably to the cue "sit" and remain focused on their

                           owners despite distractions

Tricks Class   (5-week class)
Dogs and their owners have a great time learning new tricks to show off to friends and family during these classes. Some of the tricks taught in these 5-week sessions includes: shake hands, spin, roll over, crawl, back up, and jump through a hoop. We are always adding new tricks to our curriculum.

We offer two levels (Tricks One and Tricks Two). Dogs must have completed Tricks Level One class prior to enrolling in the Tricks Level 2 class.  Cost for class is $85.

PRE-REQUISITE: Dogs must respond reliably to the cue "sit" and remain focused on their owners despite distractions.  

Rally Obedience (5-weeks)
Rally is a fun and fast-growing sport. Dogs and owners navigate a marked course         on-leash and perform various exercises as they go through. The fact that owners can talk to and encourage their dogs during competition makes this sport more relaxed than traditional competition obedience. This class is a great choice for owners who would like to have fun with their dogs while practicing manners, as well as obedience enthusiasts who would like to compete in the sport.

For a more complete description of Rally Obedience Click Here

We offer two levels (Novice and Advanced/Excellent). Dogs must have successfully completed Novice Rally level prior to enrolling in the Advanced level. Cost for class is $85. 

PRE-REQUISITE: Dogs must respond reliably to the cue "sit" and remain focused on their

                           owners despite distractions

Dog Sports Sampler (5-weeks)
Owners can try out fun sports with their dogs - Agility, Rally Obedience, Tricks, Shaping Behaviors and Games. Discover what you and your dog enjoy most while learning about many other activities available for dogs and their people. Cost for class is $85.

PRE-REQUISITE: Dogs must respond reliably to the cue "sit" and remain focused on their

                           owners despite distractions

Novice for the Obedience Ring (5-weeks)
This 10-week class offers owners and dogs the opportunity to enter the world of advanced obedience! Graduates of this highly-structured class are ready to participate in obedience trials at the Novice level.  Cost for this class is $85.

PRE-REQUISITE: Canine Challenge, Equivalent Skill or Trainer Recommendation

Click to view Advanced Level Class schedules

Walk-in students are not permitted in any of our group training classes.

PRE-REQUISITE for any of the Classes for Dogs with Issues: Behavior and Training 101

                         and the Dogs With Issues Seminar

These classes were developed to provide vital assistance to owners of dogs with a variety of specialized behavior issues that interfere with everyday life. They provide customized training that cannot easily be found elsewhere.

All classes have a definite start and stop date and none use the Training Pass payment system. Class sizes are small (less than 6 students per class) so owners receive the personal attention they need.  instructors are highly experienced in their individual area of expertise.

Humane Society of Missouri adopters receive a 10% discount on their first class if they register within 90 days of adoption.

Reactive Dog Classes (6-weeks)
Does your dog bark, growl or lunge at other dogs or people? In Reactive Dog Class we will teach you how to safely manage your dog's behavior, how to build your dog's confidence (when that is the underlying issue) and how to teach your dog new behaviors, including self-restraint.

Level 1 focuses on building the basic skills you and your dog need to to successfully change your dog's old, undesirable behaviors. You and your dog will move up to Level 2 when you can complete all the required skills taught in Level 1.

Level 2 focuses on increased real-world situations you and your dog may encounter. You work on implementing your dog's new skills in these situations. Both levels of the class can be repeated until you achieve the compentency with all the skills. Upon completion of both class levels, some dogs may be eligible to attend Family Dog classes or specialized advanced classes for Dogs With Issues. The cost for these 6-week classes is $130.

PRE-REQUISITE: Behavior and Training 101, Dog with Issues Seminar and a private 

                           evaluation of your dog by appointment with the class instructor

Shy Dog Classes (8-weeks)
Is your dog afraid of strange dogs, people or places? Does it seem as if your dog is afraid of everything?  These classes can provide help for your fearful fido.

Shy Dog 1 teaches owners basic, classical conditioning techniques to help their shy dogs relax and gain confidence. Once dogs have accomplished the skills necessary to become comfortable in the classroom setting, they can move on to the next levels.

Shy Dog 2 and 3 focuses more on training but also helps the dogs to continue building self-confidence. Dogs that complete the necessary skills for these levels are ready to move on into the Family Dog Class.

Our Shy Dog instructors offer lots of expert, personalized attention tailored to the the needs of each student. The cost of this 8 week class is 120.00

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PRE-REQUISITE: Behavior and Training 101 and Dogs with Issues Seminar

Private Behavior Evaluations

We offer a brief 30 minute private evaluation of fearful dogs, or dogs that growl, bark and snap, or are extremely unruly. This evaluation will ensure that you and your dog are directed to the appropriate services.

Based upon the information we gather from background questionnaires and your dog's behavior during the evaluation, we may recommend your dog for our regular Family Dog Classes, for a special behavior class like Shy Dog, for a private training session, or to a veterinary behavior specialist.

This evaluation is a requirement for some of our special behavior classes.  Cost for the evaluation is $50.  To schedule an evaluation email our Pet Training Department

Private Problem Behavior Training
We offer private training to address a variety of behavior problems including threatening or aggressive behavior and fearful responses. These sessions are available to select owners who are unable or prefer not to attend our Reactive Dog or Shy Dog Classes.

All dogs must have a Private Behavior Evaluation prior to their first training session.

Call (314) 802-5709 or e-mail the Training Department for information.

Click to view schedules for Classes for Dogs with Issues