Life Skills is an ongoing class given on Saturdays that is offered FREE for anyone adopting a dog from Paws4Ever. The class is open to all other dogs if room is available. The classes are ongoing so that new adopters do not have to wait 4 to 12 weeks for a new class session to start. Paws4Everrecognizes the need to get dogs into classes as soon as possible to help them transition into their new homes. We want to provide dogs and their new owners with as much support as possible.

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about Life Skills:

What do you teach in Life Skills?
The behaviors that we teach are: Sit, Down, Attention, Name Recognition, Come, Wait, Leave it, walking politely on Leash, and appropriate greeting behavior. In Puppy Life Skills we also address handling, socialization with other dogs and humans, puppy mouthing, and jumping.

Do I have to take all 5 classes consecutively?
No, once you have taken the orientation (offered on Saturdays at 9:15 am for adult classes and 10:45 am for puppy classes), you will have 8 weeks in which to take your remaining 4 classes.

Do I have to register every time that I want to come to class?
No, you only need to register once. Once you have attended the 1:00 Saturday Orientation you do not need to call us and tell us which classes you'll be coming to.

I adopted a dog from Paws4Ever. Do I still need to register?
Yes, you will need to register by calling or emailing Julie Jenkins, the Dog Training Program Manager. Puppies need to have had at least 2 rounds of their parvo/distemper vaccine before they can attend the class. Your adoption counselor can tell you if your Puppy is ready to attend Life Skills classes.

What is the difference between Life Skills and the regular Family Dog classes?
While there are some small differences in what is taught between Life Skills and Family Dog 1, the biggest difference is that Life Skills is an ongoing class and Family Dog 1 is a class that starts and ends at a specific time. This means that Family Dog 1 has a very structured curriculum with certain behaviors being taught in a certain order and the same people are in the class each week. Life Skills classes will vary each week depending on the dogs that attend.

If my dog graduates from Life Skills can they move on to Family Dog 2?
It depends on the owner and the dog. If you both feel confident with the Life Skills material (especially sit, down, and name recognition in the presence of distractions and without a visible food lure), then you are welcome to move on to Family Dog 2 or one of our other classes. If you are still working on sit and down or if you have a very young dog, then Family Dog 1 may be the best next step for you. Your instructor can help you to make the best choice for you and your dog.