Heel Dog Training Academy - Clifton Park, NY

08/05/2024

07/24/2024

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

August 21st (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

August 20th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Classes at Working Dogs NY Working Dogs NY, LLC

Canine Good Citizenship Class

Canine Good Citizen is sponsored by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and is for dogs that have been taught some basic obedience. The dogs should have some knowledge of a sit, down, walking on a leash, and have a command that means come when called. This class will have five weeks spent going over the 10 test items in the CGC test and then on the sixth week the test will be given by a CGC evaluator. Parts of the test deal with your dog walking nicely on a leash, sitting for petting or someone talking to you or the dog, coming when called (no major distraction), reaction to another dog (friendly and not off leash just walking by) and supervised separation.

August 19th (Monday) from 6:30 - 7:30pm

06/16/2024

Some of the wonderful dogs I have had in my classes at Heel Dog.

06/04/2024

05/21/2024

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

July 9th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

July 9th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm
July 10th (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm

04/02/2024

Do you need some help with your canine companion? Would you like a dog that would walk nicely on a leash? Or want to know how to set your puppy on a good path to being a wonderful family member? New class session starting on May 14th and 15th in Clifton Park.

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

May 15th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

May 14th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm
May 15th (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm

Photo by B. Broussard

From house manners to competition obedience dogs. Helping build a better relationship between you a

03/23/2024

Puppy Day

03/15/2024

It is nice to be on the list.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=925865716212911&id=100063684724470

Locally owned and operated news based out of Saratoga Springs, New York. Local news never looked so good!

02/23/2024

A great video showing what we are going to be working on in class over the next couple of weeks.

02/09/2024

Next Session of Training Classes

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

March 20th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

March 19th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm
March 20th (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm

Please contact Mary at [email protected]

From house manners to competition obedience dogs. Helping build a better relationship between you a

01/16/2024

Great news! The Obedience Road is now open for new members!

I can’t wait to help you teach your dog to perform with precision and joy, both in training AND the ring!

Join here: https://www.obedienceroad.com/membership 😊

01/04/2024

Would you like your dog to walk nicely on a leash or come when you call? Come join us at Heel Dog Training new training session to help you and your dog. Start your puppies out on the right path to becoming a wonderful family companion.

Start of Classes for 2024
Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on
January 17th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $185 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

January 16th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm
January 17th (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm (if needed)
Email for more information at [email protected]

12/27/2023

I have Holden entered. He is the pup holding the dumbbell in his mouth.

12/15/2023

These dogs completed their Canine Good Citizenship test tonight and now have a new CGC title added to their name. Congratulations the these owners and their dogs for all the hard work they put in to pass the test.

12/13/2023

11/05/2023

This originally appeared a few years ago. I thought I would post it again-

"People think of aggression in terms of a disease, and not of a symptom. They regard the problem as one of the dog, and not of influences *to* the dog.

Although aggression can be pathological, it is rare. The vast majority of dogs that behave aggressively do so because they have been compelled to believe they are in danger.

Defensive aggression is an enormous problem in domestic dogs and one that defies quick resolution. Not because aggression cannot be mitigated, but because there are so many tiny nuances that influence it. Having the skill to recognize triggers takes effort and time, and many owners fail to perceive their dogs intentions before it's too late.

The misnomer that dogs act 'without provocation' is inherently false. There are very few dogs that act without purpose. Instinct drives mechanics, and a dog that is menacing another dog or even a human is doing so for a very good reason.

The dog may be the only one that knows what provoked him, but I assure you, he or she has created justification in their mind for the act.

TRAINING does not cause aggression, however poor timing and inappropriate reinforcement of incompatible behaviors certainly does.

The owner that relies on compulsion to 'train' aggression out of a dog is going to end up with more orifices than he started with, and the trainer that thinks the use of food is going to reform Hannibal Lechter is... inadequately prepared.

Dog aggression is a manifestation of a physical or perceived physical threat to the animal itself, some thing, place or some one it values.

It doesn't take much to trigger defensive aggression, and I believe it's time we start thinking in terms of what drives the behavior and address that first, before labeling dogs as inherently defective for engaging in behaviors they are instinctively predisposed to.

Dogs are not *food* aggressive, *dog* aggressive or *human* aggressive. They are either defensively aggressive (protecting self or property) or offensively aggressive (instigating and advancing).

It is the rare domestic dog that will offensively run towards another dog or human and arbitrarily initiate an attack. It is far more often that the dog is responding to something or someone in it's immediate environment that it perceives as a threat.

Know the difference. The vast majority of aggressive acts can be eliminated simply by knowing what causes them and by creating confidence in the dog.

Training can do that."

10/20/2023

There is nothing harder to overcome in a dog than a poisoned recall cue.

You know the one- you call the dog to come to you, the dog refuses or dances around, and you get frustrated and angry and start bellowing at the dog to come to you.

The dog learns over time that your recall command means you are mad and to keep away from you.

Owners don't intend to poison the cue, but 100% of every dog that comes to us for remediation has learned that the recall command is something to be suspicious of.

So here's a handful of rules for teaching your dog a reliable recall:

1) Never give your dog a command that you cannot enforce. Your dog cannot refuse if it's wearing a leash and collar, and you happen to be holding the leash.

2) ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS positively reinforce honest effort. If your dog comes to you, praise the dog SINCERELY and offer something of value in return for that effort.

3) Don't run your dog down if it refuses or is reluctant to come to you. You did that, not the dog. You breached a sacred trust, and you have to earn it back. It starts by not chasing the dog because you planned poorly and are now frustrated and angry.

4) 100% of recalls should be positively reinforced.

5) The recall should be the behavior you practice the most, with the greatest ROI for the dog. If every time you call your dog, you are locking him up, leaving him or any other activity the dog finds de-motivating, you are diminishing the value of the recall.

6) NEVER NEVER NEVER punish your dog for coming to you. I don't care what the dog did before that, but if you're not adhering to the short list of things above, that's a YOU problem, not a dog problem.

Think about it. When you were a kid and you heard your mom shout your first, middle, and last name, you knew you were in for it.

You didn't want to come to that, why do you think your dog would?

10/03/2023

Working Dog NY LLC Obedience Match
located at
1451 State Highway 5S
Amsterdam, New York 12010
518-857-6543 (cell)

NYS Thruway Exit 27- Amsterdam
At end of ramp, right onto Route 30 North. Immediate right onto ramp for State Highway 5S. Left onto State Highway 5S West. Follow 1/2 mile, just past Verbraska Avenue. South Side Plaza on the left. WDNY is in the Middle Building with red roof.
Entrance on the left side of the building.

***PARKING***
Please park on the left side and back side of the Middle Building. Parking is also allowed at the small office building lot to the left of the Middle Building.

** Please note that GPS is not recognizing this address yet.**

08/02/2023

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

September 6th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

September 5th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm
September 6th (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm - if needed

05/23/2023

New Class Session Starting in July 2023

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

July 12th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

July 11th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm
July 12th (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm - if needed

05/23/2023

New Class Session starting in July 2023

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

July 12th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

July 11th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm
July 12th (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm - if needed

04/16/2023

Are you interested in doing some fun training with your dog and at the same time working on your dog's obedience skills? There will be an AKC Rally Class starting at Heel Dog Training Academy at Pet Lodge of Clifton Park on May 18th (Thursday) at 7pm. To be eligible for the class your dog should know the commands sit, down, stay and walking on a leash. These skills do not have to be perfect but your dog should have been introduced to these commands. The class will go for 6 weeks and cost $165. If you have taken classes with Heel Dog Training Academy the cost is $140. If you are not sure your dog is a good candidate for the class please contact me at [email protected].

Some links to information on AKC Rally:

You and your dog are a team. You do almost everything together – take walks, eat, veg out, even sleep together. So think of the fun you’d have showing off what a great team you are at an AKC Rally® event!

04/10/2023

New Session starting in May.

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

May 3rd (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

May 9th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm

May 3rd (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm

03/14/2023

Attended Schenectady Dog Training Club's Obedience/Rally Trial this past weekend at Working Dog NY LLC. It was a great time hanging out with dogs and friends. (March 2023). Congratulations to everyone for showing how much fun it is to work with your dog!

01/16/2023

Due to a work conflict the Manners for the Family Dog class is starting on March 14th instead of March 7th.

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

March 8th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

March 14th (Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm
March 8th (Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm (if needed)

Home

12/06/2022

First Session of 2023

Great Foundation for Puppies is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park at 1868 Rte 9. For dogs 6 months and younger. The class will start an introduction to common obedience commands like sit, down, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will also go over common behavioral puppy issues like biting, barking and house training. Also included in the class is getting the puppy better socialized to new people, environments and structured meetings with other puppies. A new class will start on

January 11th (Wednesday) from 7 - 8 pm

Manners for the Family Dog is a 6-week class, cost $165 and is held at the Pet Lodge of Clifton Park. The class will cover sit, down, stays, walking on a loose leash, and calling the dog to you. We will show you how to teach these commands and also how to get reliability. Also covered are common behavioral problems like jumping and barking. A new class will start on

January 10th(Tuesday) from 7 - 8 pm

January 11th(Wednesday) from 8 - 9 pm (if needed)

10/04/2022

This is working on place in a new location a few days later. I am starting to drop this leash and in this case brought his treat bag out as further distraction. You can see him start to realize what I am asking him to do by his backing up onto the cot when I gave a negative marker.