K-9 Obedience Training Courses
Develop a better relationship with your dog through HSSC’s K-9 Obedience Training Courses. These group classes help strengthen the bond between dogs and their owners through education and positive training. We offer courses ranging from beginning puppy to basic manners to agility. Whether you’re interested in just the training basics, entering your dog into a competition, or certifying your dog to do pet therapy, HSSC has the class for you.
Our classes are taught by top-notch coaches and are offered at significantly lower prices than other classes in the area. Our classes range from $60-80 per six-week session. And all HSSC adopters receive a $10 discount on their first course!
We encourage you to enroll your dog early. If we have fewer than three students enrolled, we will cancel the course and you will get a full refund.
All upcoming courses and dates are listed below. Click "REGISTER NOW" beside the course you want to register for to access its unique registration form.
For everyone's safety, we only permit one dog per handler.
If your dog is reactive to people or other dogs, a group class may not be an option. Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 941.955.4131 x113 to discuss options for you and your dog.
K-9 Obedience Training Courses Offered
Basic Obedience 1
Learn how to teach your dog how to behave in your household. Positive reinforcement is used to teach your dog such commands as sit, down, come, stay, and also walking on a leash. This course consists of six one-hour classes and will meet once a week unless otherwise noted. Fee: $80.
| Start Date | Finish Date | Time | Registration Form |
| Wednesday, October 2 | Wednesday, November 6 | 12pm | REGISTER NOW |
| Thursday, October 17 | Thursday, November 21 | 10am | REGISTER NOW |
| Saturday, October 26 | Saturday, December 7 (No Class November 30) |
8:45am | REGISTER NOW |
| Saturday, October 26 | Saturday, December 7 (No Class November 30) |
10am | REGISTER NOW |
Basic Obedience 2
Earn a Canine Good Citizen certificate and build on the skills learned in Basic Obedience 1 while learning commands that require more concentration for your dog. These lessons include how to accept a friendly stranger, sit politely for petting, walk through crowds, react to other dogs, and so much more. This course consists of six one-hour classes and will meet once a week unless otherwise noted. Fee: $80.
| Start Date | Finish Date | Time | Registration Form |
| Saturday, October 26 | Saturday, December 7 (No Class November 30) |
11:15am | REGISTER NOW |
Pet Therapy Training Course
If you are interested in joining our Pet Therapy Program, you must first register for our Pet Therapy Training Course. This course is offered bi-monthly. The Pet Therapy Training Course will prepare you and your dog to be an HSSC Pet Therapy Team. The course covers the essential skills for therapy animals and handlers (attention, leash walking, ignoring distractions, reactivity, etc.). In addition, the course provides an overview of the roles and expectations of HSSC Pet Therapy Volunteers, and an overview of HSSC in general, since Pet Therapy Volunteers are considered ambassadors for HSSC. The final class is the evaluation. Passing the evaluation results in acceptance into the Pet Therapy Program. Those who do not pass the evaluation will be provided options for further training. This course consists of four one-hour classes and will meet once a week unless otherwise noted. Fee: $60.
| Start Date | Finish Date | Time | Registration Form |
| Thursday, October 3 | Thursday, October 24 | 1–2pm | REGISTER NOW |
| Thursday, October 31 | Thursday, November 21 | 1–2pm | REGISTER NOW |
Once you and your dog complete the course and pass the evaluation, you will be charged an additional $50 fee, which covers our cost to issue your Pet Therapy polo, dog bandana, name badge, and liability insurance for one year. Thereafter, you will be charged an annual fee of $40 to maintain your insurance and membership in the program. You will be granted access to our volunteer management system, VolunteerHub, upon paying your fee.
