GROUP CLASSES
Group classes run weekly for six weeks.
Class size is limited to provide as much individual attention as possible. Classes are held at A Pleasant Dog unless otherwise indicated.
Any changes to class roster need to be made one week prior to class starting. Our refund policy is 1 week prior to the start date of your class. We will hold a $50 registration fee. This is non-refundable, but is transferable with 7 days notice.
Scholarships are available for the underserved population, contact us for more information.
We require all dogs coming to classes to be up to date on the following vaccines (for their age): Distemper, Leptospirosis, Canine Influenza, Bordetella, Rabies and a clean fecal sample on file with your vet, done within the past 6 months.
NOTE: As of March 17, 2023, we will no longer be requiring the canine influenza vaccination for group classes due to a nationwide shortage.
If you have two dogs from the same family, they must be enrolled in different classes, unless you have trainer approval.
You like us. You really like us! Our classes fill very quickly. If you do not see a class that fits your schedule here, or if the class time that you would like is full, please contact us by completing our contact form to be added to our notification list. In the meantime, please feel free to checkout our private sessions, camps and also our stay and train options!
adult 101
adult 102
These classes are designed to help puppies up to 5 months of age learn basic manners and also resolve problem behaviors, like jumping, mouthing, and potty accidents. Effective September 1, we are no longer including Puppy Playtime in our puppy classes. Each Puppy 101 registration includes one free half hour puppy social playtime outside of class. Please call our front desk to redeem. If your puppy has an intestinal parasite, even if they are receiving treatment, your puppy must wait to attend puppy class until the stool is clear of parasites. For puppies ages 5 months and younger. This class is not meant to address anxious behaviors like biting, barking, growling, freezing, or fleeing from people or other dogs. If your dog is exhibiting these behaviors, please call to schedule a private session with us
$199 for six 1-hour sessions.
puppy 101
This class is for puppies, adolescent dogs, and adult dogs having completed our Puppy 101 class and dogs over 5 months of age with no previous training. Adult 101 teaches basic obedience in a fun and positive setting. We also help work on problem behaviors like countersurfing, chewing, and jumping up. This class is not meant to address anxious behaviors like biting, barking, growling, freezing, or fleeing from people or other dogs. If your dog is exhibiting these behaviors, please call to schedule a private session with us.
$199 for six 1-hour sessions.
This class continues building on the basic behaviors started in Puppy and Adult 101. We'll also discuss topics such as working with distractions and how to prepare to fade out treats. Prerequisite: Puppy 101 or Adult 101.
$199 for six 1-hour sessions
puppy playtime
pup meets world!
pup and the city!
30 minute sessions where you can bring your puppy to play specifically with other similarly aged puppies(under six months of age)! Your puppy will be able to learn polite interaction with other dogs, body language and so much more while interacting with other dogs! Please note, all puppies that attend must be up to date on vaccines and
have a clean fecal sample on file with your vet.
Cost is $25 per session.
CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE
March:
Wednesday, March 15 at 9:30am
Friday, March 17 at 2:30pm
Tuesday, March 21 at 12:30pm
Tuesday, March 21 at 6:45pm
Tuesday, March 28 at 6:45pm
March (Small Breed):
Wednesday, March 22 at 10:30am
Friday, March 31 at 2:30pm
Did you know there's more to puppy socialization than just meeting new dogs and people? This four week series is for puppies under 5 months of age, where you'll learn how to build your puppy's confidence with novel sights, sounds, and surfaces. We'll introduce new stimuli each week, including all sorts of distractions from walkers to strollers to umbrellas. Of course, we'll cover positive exposure to dogs and people, too! This will include playtime for puppies who are comfortable in a group setting.
Cost $150 for four 30 minute sessions
Take your pup's training on the road with this socialization series focused on positive exposure to new environments and city life. We'll discuss how to build focus in public spaces and address the challenging topic of polite greetings and advocating for your dog. Each week we'll meet in a new location to work with our puppies and have new experiences together! This is a four week series of half hour on location sessions in Grand Rapids. The first session is held at our facility on Knapp St. This session is for puppies under 6 months of age.
Cost $150 for four 30 minute sessions.
quick links
⟶ advanced placement
⟶ for reactive dogs
⟶ agility
⟶ sport + fun
intermediate 201
intermediate 202
akc canine good citizen class
cgc 1
cgc 2
cgc workshops
advanced skills
The CGC certification is an AKC title that demonstrates a dog has good manners in public, and is for many therapy dog clubs the first step toward therapy work.
*CGC certification exams are also available to the general public for a fee.
Focuses on honing the skills so that your dog has a great understanding of the behaviors expected. This class concludes in Week 6 with a practice test to check in on your progress.
$250 for six 1-hour sessions
Now that your dog has learned the skills required for the CGC test, we'll begin the process of fading out treats to prepare for the real deal. Students will take the official Canine Good Citizen test with their instructor in Week 6.
$250 for six 1-hour sessions
Join us for a 3 week workshop refreshing your skills and preparing to take the CGC test, with another opportunity to take the test! This course is designed for students who feel ready to take the test but would like a little extra practice time first.
$100 for one 1-hour group class, and two 15-20 minute test slots (practice test & official test)
Prerequisite: This workshop class is for students who have completed our CGC classes.
Click here to fill out our contact form: We can add you to our notifications list for our next workshop.
Please read carefully, as the classes listed below all have prerequisite requirements. If you're new to A Pleasant Dog, we usually recommend starting at the beginning so you don't miss out on crucial foundation steps that may not be covered in classes at other facilities. Our advanced classes will continue to build on these skills started in our 101 classes. However, if your dog already has extensive training and you think they may qualify for advanced placement, please begin by filling out our contact form here. Our team will get back to you with an individualized recommendation as soon as we can. Private lessons are available to supplement previous training to get your dog ready for advanced placement classes if needed.
Our first Intermediate level class expands on the behaviors from our beginner level classes. We'll continue increasing the difficulty level for skills like Stay, Leash Walking, Leave It, and Place, and introduce new behaviors like sitting politely to greet a stranger. We'll walk through some of the next steps to getting more consistent behaviors in real life settings, too.
Prerequisite: Adult 102
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
Join us to continue taking your dog's skills to the next level, and to begin discussing the process of fading out treats more in depth. We'll continue practicing sitting for petting, leash walking with distractions, more difficult versions of stay and leave it, and start working on a few new skills as we gear up to go into more advanced training.
Prerequisite: Intermediate 201/ previously taken Intermediate class with us.
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
Take it to the next level with our advanced class! We'll introduce more distraction work and continue to increase the difficulty of the behaviors your dog has started in previous classes. Learn creative ways to challenge your dog and continue the journey of fading out treats and transferring your dog's skills from training sessions to real life.
Prerequisite: Intermediate 202
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
AP STUDENTS
reactive dog class
reactive nosework class
Taught by head trainer Jenn and trainer Lindsay, this class is for dogs who are not comfortable (aggressive or reactive) in the presence of other dogs. This is a six week class in which we teach dogs and their owners how to cope with the presence of other dogs. Week one is attended solely by owners.
We recommend some specific equipment for this class; a 4-6 foot flat lead is best, paired with a buckle collar, martingale collar, or body harness.
We ask that those interested complete this contact form to get started. Class size is limited and is taught by two instructors.
$350 for six 1-hour sessions
PLEASE NOTE: While we love having our Pleasant families join us for training, due to the nature of the Reactive group classes, all participants must be over the age of 18.
If you have a child that will need to accompany you to class, please reach out to us at get@apleasantdog.com
Thank you for understanding!
Join us for a 6 week introduction to nosework class that is able to accommodate pups who have big feelings about dogs and/or people. We will be focusing on scent training which is a sport based from detection work utilizing essential oils. Nosework is beneficial for all dogs, but especially dogs who need support in confidence-building. We will also spend time discussing reactivity and the different types of reactivity in order to support you in setting up your dog for success. We will be fostering a learning environment for dogs of all sizes, ages, and needs! Email us at get@apleasantdog.com to sign up!
$350 for six 1-hour sessions
reactive to resilient
A Pleasant Dog trainers, Jenn and Lindsay, help you and your dog continue learning to build resilience. In our reactive to resilient class, dogs and handlers expand their learning and continue to develop new positive associations with the things that are scary to them, together with practicing new skills and patterns and new coping strategies for when stress is present. Students continue their learning building, cooperative care techniques, and new fun behaviors. The goal of this class is for your dogs to continue to feel comfortable in the presence of new people and other dogs with a goal toward them being able to feel comfortable in a variety of settings, including sport and fun classes, new walking environments, the veterinarian’s office, the groomers, and more. Prerequisite is our Reactive class.
Complete this form to get started.
for our reactive STUDENTS
Starts Wednesday, March 8 at 7:00pm with Tara and Alex
Starts Wednesday, April 12 at 5:15pm with Jenn and Lindsay
Starts Wednesday, April 12 at 4:00pm with Jenn and Lindsay
Agility is a sport for you and your dog. Like any sport agility can be trained and competed at different levels. It can be a nice shared hobby for you and your dog in your free time, or you can compete more seriously at top-level international competitions, still not forgetting having fun!
It is a dog sport, where the dog is handled through an obstacle course. Agility can be practiced with all kinds of dogs, no matter what the size. It doesn’t matter if your dog is a puppy or adult. Contrary to common belief, old dogs can learn new tricks! Agility is also for all types of handlers, from young people to older. It is a fun way to do an activity with your dog.
All classes are taught by Pat Parker and are held outdoors at: Cedar Animal Hospital
3705 Gentle Way, Cedar Springs, MI 49319. Class may be postponed due to weather. We will make up the missed class by adding an additional week from the last date of class.
*We are in the process of securing an indoor facility for our agility classes. Outdoor agility classes at Cedar Animal Hospital will resume in May 2022. If you are interested in agility please let us know so we can place you on our notification list for future classes. Looking to get started? Check out our Agility foundations classes in our sport and fun category.
AGILITY
beginner
intermediate
advanced beginner
advanced
This class builds on skills leading to proficiency, but not yet proficient, especially with weaves, teeter and contacts. We work on beginning of independent obstacle performance. Teams will be working on more advanced handling, including crosses as we continue to work to develop teamwork and have fun.
Prerequisite: Must know most obstacles, but not yet be proficient. Beginning handling skills. Dogs should have fairly solid recall and a short stay.
This foundation class is the first class for learning agility no matter your dog’s age. Students will work on developing teamwork, and understanding communication between you and your dog. Skills learned will lead to work on obstacles. Learning will always be done in a positive manner to encourage confidence in both handler and dog. Dogs should have passed A Pleasant Dog’s Puppy or Adult 101 class or have permission of the instructor prior to enrollment. Students get the most out of the class when they have basic skills like recall, sit, down, stay, and focus on owner, but these don’t need to be perfect. Emphasis in this class is on having fun with your dog.
This class is for dogs competing or getting ready to compete in agility, though teams not interested in competing are also welcome. Prerequisite: Familiar with all obstacles, though weaves and teeter can be a work in progress. Class participants will improve obstacle performance with more distractions; improve timing and add more advanced handling skills. Teams will learn more advanced crosses, longer sends, independent obstacle performance. Class aims to problem solve individual concerns while continuing to encourage handlers to keep having fun with their dogs.
This class is for dogs and their handles working to compete or already competing in agility. Prerequisite: should be familiar with all obstacles. Goals include improving obstacle performance with more distractions; learning more advanced crosses, longer sends, and independent obstacle performance. We improve advanced handling skills and timing with your agility team mate. Problem solve individual concerns.
sport + fun
beginner nosework
barkour 102
barkour 101
akc novice tricks
introduction to sports
agility foundations part 1
agility foundations part 2
rally 101
akc intermediate tricks
rally practice
rally 102
Nosework (also called Scentwork) is an activity where dogs sniff out and locate a hidden scent using their strongest sense, smell! This class is designed for beginners with zero or minimal Nosework experience. We'll start from square one, teaching our dogs how to indicate the scent, and working up to hiding it in more challenging places over the course of six weeks. Nosework is a fantastic way to engage your dog's brain and provide mental enrichment and stimulation, and is something that dogs of all ages and abilities can enjoy! Your class cost will include a Nosework tin (birch) to practice with at home. Dogs should be able to focus in a group class setting around dogs in order to attend.
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
Rally is a great way to enjoy heelwork with your dog, while also practicing other behaviors such as sit, down, stay, come, and more advanced leash work. Join us to get started at the introductory Novice level. We will use the AKC Rally format and signs.
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
Prerequisite: AKC Novice Tricks Class or AKC Novice Trick Dog Title
More fun with tricks! In this class, we will keep working on some of the more challenging tricks introduced in the Novice Tricks class, and learn some new tricks from the Intermediate Trick Dog trick list. Your dog will have the opportunity to earn their Intermediate Trick Dog title at the end of the class. You're more than welcome to join just for fun if your dog isn't AKC registered.
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
This class is for students who have completed our Rally 101 and Rally 102 classes and are considering entering a trial in the future. Now that we've learned all of the AKC Rally Novice signs, and fine tuned some flashy skills, let's talk about trialing! Learn how to read course maps, and the ins and outs of preparing to compete in a real Rally trial at the Novice level.
$225 for six 1-hour class sessions.
Let's keep building on the skills that we started in Rally 101! We'll do more coursework, focus on higher precision, and work toward reducing reinforcers for dogs who are ready. We will be using AKC format and signs, at the Novice level.
$225 for six 1-hour class sessions.
In this class, your dog will learn a variety of fun tricks, and have the opportunity to earn the Novice Trick Dog title if your dog is AKC registered. If your dog isn't AKC registered, you can still enjoy the class and have fun learning some new skills! Trick training provides mental enrichment, and is a wonderful way to bond with your dog. It can also be a great confidence booster! This class is open to students who have completed Puppy 101 or Adult 101, or with trainer approval.
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
Interested in dog sports but not sure where to start? This is the perfect class for you! We'll sample trick training, agility, nosework, freestyle, rally, and parkour. You and your dog will learn some fun new skills each week. Find out what your dog excels in and head into one of our sport classes with a little bit of a head start.
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
Have fun building confidence and learning foundational skills that will transfer to our beginner agility classes and give you and your dog a jump start! We’ll work on different handling exercises, start introductions to some basic obstacles, and practice essential skills like stay, come, and send. You and your dog should be familiar with the basics of marker training before joining. No prior agility experience required. This class is held at our facility on Knapp St. in Grand Rapids.
$225 for six 1-hour sessions
Continue building on skills learned in Agility Foundations Part 1 to improve confidence & coordination & work on foundation skills like stay and handling exercises.
$225 for six- 1-hour sessions
Prerequisite: Agility Foundations part 1
Ever heard of Parkour for dogs? You have now! Dog Parkour is a fun and enriching activity you can do with your dog to build confidence, strength, and a stronger bond between dog and handler. Come and learn the basics and beginner level skills with Gin, one of only two IDPKA (International Dog Parkour Association) certified instructors in the state of Michigan. Please note, harnesses are an important piece of safety equipment for parkour and will be a requirement for this class. You will not need one yet for week 1, and we will discuss ideal harness styles for parkour in the first week of class.
Cost is $225 for 6 week course
Keep building on the skills your dog started learning in Barkour 101, with a focus on strengthening and differentiating verbal cues, and learning stimulus control. Dogs will practice known parkour skills with new objects, and continue working on body awareness and confidence building.
Cost is $225 for 6 week course
