Cloud Nine Training School for Dogs

06/29/2025

Another fun night for the pups at Puppy Social Hour. PSH meets on Thursdays at 6:45 pm. (Note: the time will change to 7pm starting Aug. 7.) you can register online or drop in. Cost is $20/puppy (up to 16 weeks of age).

06/29/2025

Congratulations to the teams who recently past their Canine Good Citizen evaluations!

06/24/2025

We have Rally drop-in class tonight at 8pm. FYI.

06/13/2025

Starting Thursday, August. 7, our Puppy Social hour will start at 7pm rather than 6:45pm and our Conformation Handling class will start at 7:45pm rather than 7:30pm. Please make note of these time changes.

Send a message to learn more

06/12/2025

Carolyn Kinney, our most excellent Therapy Dog Basics instructor and Pet Partners Evaluator, passed away this past Monday. Sad news indeed. Condolences and sympathies to her spouse and family. She will be missed at Cloud Nine and throughout our local therapy dog community.

06/10/2025

Looking ahead . . .

Curb your dog's excessive barking with the information you will learn in our Quiet Please Mirco Class that is set for Tuesday, July 1 at 6:30pm. Cost is $20.

A fun way to use your dog's obedience skills: Intro to Rally-O. Starts Thursday, July 10. Cost is $135.

An activity where you dog gets to use its nose. If you have a constant sniffer, this is a great class! Intro to Scent work starts wed. July 9 at 6:30pm. Cost is $140.

Open agility ring time is every Tuesday at 8pm. Cost is $20/dog. Limit of 6 dogs during the hour. Pre-registration is appreciated on our schedule & register page at cloudninedogtraining.com.

Send a message to learn more

06/06/2025

It’s easy to label a dog’s behavior as “bad.”

They bark, they pull, they chew, they growl, they ignore cues. And we’re quick to call it disobedience.

But what if we stopped looking at behavior as something to correct… and started seeing it as something to understand?

Because the truth is, behaviour is communication.

It’s your dog’s way of navigating a human world that doesn’t always make sense to them.

It’s how they express their needs, emotions, fears, and excitement. It’s their voice.

When a dog jumps on guests, they may be overjoyed and unsure how else to say hello.

When they pull on leash, they’re excited, curious, or possibly anxious.

When they growl, they’re saying, “I’m uncomfortable, please give me space.”

None of these behaviours are “naughty” or malicious.

They’re messages and signals. Opportunities to listen.

Yet too often, these behaviours are punished or shut down without ever asking why they’re happening. We silence the symptom without addressing the cause.

And in doing so, we risk making things worse: not only suppressing behaviour, but suppressing trust.

When we shift our mindset from "disobedience" to "communication," our entire relationship with our dogs transforms. We move from frustration to empathy.

We need to teach our dogs that they can trust us to listen when they’re struggling. We become their safe place, not their source of pressure.

So the next time your dog “misbehaves,” pause.
Ask yourself: What are they trying to tell me?

Because every bark, every growl, every moment of resistance - that's not defiance.

It’s dialogue. And dogs are desperate for us to hear them.

05/21/2025

There’s no stopping this little Papillon! Congrats to Susan and Paige on completing their AKC MACH5 (yes - FIVE) last weekend at the trial hosted by the NSHGC. Such a great team, enjoying this sport to the fullest. On to MACH6!

05/21/2025

Congratulations to Jodi Laubersheimer, Boston Terrier Callie Jo, and the best ASS (Agility Support Spouse), Mark Laubersheimer, on completing their first AKC Agility Championship! Job well done and thanks for the celebratory Team Boston can cooler.

05/20/2025

Winter 2025 accomplishments and titles are a wrap. Congratulations everyone! Can’t wait to see what spring brings!

05/13/2025

We are lucky and thrilled to have Susan Gahan on board at Cloud Nine helping with agility classes. Susan REALLY loves agility (just ask her four-time agility champion, Paige the Papillon), and we are glad she is here to share her enthusiasm and knowledge with our students.

05/07/2025

Our most recent Obedience 1 Good Manners graduates: a fun group with awesome dogs who made big progress during the six-week course. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻