Locations:

We currently offer our classes in two locations in Putnam County, New York:

South Putnam Animal Hospital
230B Baldwin Place Road, Mahopac, NY 10541
Directions

and

The First Presbyterian Church of Mahopac
Intersection of Route 6N and Secor Road, Mahopac Falls, NY 10541
Directions

Basic Manners, Behaviors, and Relationships Class

Basic Class Guidelines:

   Each class is six weeks long, meeting on a weekly basis at the same time and location.
   Each weekly class is 50 minutes long.
   The class is intended for dogs from thirteen weeks and up. We have had dogs as old as seven years in the class -- it's never too late to start. Proof of vaccination is required prior to the beginning of the first class.
   Because class size is limited, once you have enrolled and a spot has been reserved for you we cannot offer refunds.
   The cost of the class is $175.00.

Basic Class Outline:

Humans will work on:

   Teaching dogs behaviors and manners;
   Communicating with their dog;
   Reading their dog's body language to help avoid problems and issues;
   Appropriate handling;
   Developing attention skills.

Doggies will work on:

   Sit
   Down
   Stay
   Wait
   Loose-lead Walking
   Off
   Drop It
   Leave It
   Attention
   Trust
   Settle

Intermediate Manners, Behaviors, and Relationships Class

Intermediate Class Guidelines:

   Each class is six weeks long, meeting on a weekly basis at the same time and location.
   Each weekly class is 50 minutes long.
   Both the Dog and Human need to have graduated from the Basic Class or have prior permission from instructor. Proof of vaccination is required prior to the beginning of the first class.
   Because class size is limited, once you have enrolled and a spot has been reserved for you we cannot offer refunds.
   The cost of the class is $175.00.

Intermediate Class Outline:

Humans will proof and fine-tune:

   Dog behaviors and manners
   Communication with and understanding their dog's body language in distracting environments to help avoid potential issues
   Appropriate handling in distracting and stressful environments
   Attention skills with ever greater distractions

Doggies will proof and fine-tune:

   Stay - with distance and distractions
   Wait – with distance and distractions
   Loose-lead Walking with distractions
   The Beginning of Heel
   Come – with distance and distractions
   Attention – with distractions

Doggies will proof and review:

   Trust
   Sit
   Down
   Off
   Drop-It
   Leave-It

Advanced Class Guidelines:

   Each class is six weeks long, meeting on a weekly basis at the same time and location.
   Each weekly class is 50 minutes long.
   Both the Dog and Human need to have graduated from the Intermediate Class or have prior permission from instructor. Proof of vaccination is required prior to the beginning of the first class.
   Because class size is limited, once you have enrolled and a spot has been reserved for you we cannot offer refunds.
   The cost of the class is $175.00.

Advanced Class Outline:

Humans will proof and fine-tune:

   Communicating precise commands, instructions, and requests
   ON and OFF lead attention skills with ever greater distractions

Humans and Doggies will proof and fine-tune:

   More HEEL ON and OFF Lead
   Review of FRONT, BACK, FORWARD, FOLLOW, and TURN
   Touch
   Recall -- ON and OFF Lead
   Just for Fun: Moving Down, Moving Stand, Jump, and Heel Backwards

Humans and Doggies will proof and review skills for the CGC Canine Good Citizen Test:

   Accepting a friendly stranger
   Sittling politely for petting, sit and down
   Appearance and grooming, drop-it and leave-it
   Out for a walk
   Walking through a crowd
   Sit and down on command, staying in place
   Come when called
   Reaction to another dog
   Reactions to distractions
   Held by a stranger

Distract-A-Doggie/Rally-O Class

Please note: this is not the class to work through dog-dog aggression or fear issues. These issues are best suited for Private Training or Behavioral Consulting.

This class focuses on all the distracting things that suddenly make our dogs forget that we are standing right next to them. We work in as much fun for the humans as we can while we are proofing doggies to working around ever-increasing distractions and stressors. Additionally, each week we will explore different Rally-O exercises in preparation for fun and/or competition. Each class will be split approximately 50% Distraction work and 50% Rally-O. This class is ideal for anyone looking to ask their dogs to do Animal Assisted Therapy, service work, SAR, competition, or to just be the best dog they can be when company comes over or you take them to doggie camp. We build understanding, communication and reliability with this class.

   The Distract-a-Doggie Portion – is great for proofing and practicing behaviors in ever-increasingly distracting situations – it is also Great Fun ! Some of the games we have played in Distract-a-Doggie have been a hoot for all and great work for the dogs:

   A quick game of kick ball allows humans to know just how motivated their dog is by moving objects like balls and running people; and allows humans to learn how to adjust their dog's behavior around these things if necessary.

   A rousing game of charades or musical chairs allows humans to see where they need to work with their dogs on the fine art of just being around other dogs without interacting when great, exciting things are happening all around.

   Talking dolls and motorized toys allow humans to know how their dogs will react to these objects and what they may need to do to adjust behavior or make doggie feel safe.

   In addition, we explore a variety of techniques designed to allow the human brain an insight into the thinking of the doggie.

   The Rally-O Portion – is a direct re-creation of the exercises used by both APDT and AKC in their Rally-O competitions. Rally-O is a new sport that is loosely a cross between competition obedience and agility. It is less physically demanding on the human and dog than agility and less rigid in the positioning and postures usually associated with competition obedience. Rally-O is a sport that forces human and doggie to communicate with the same precision as one would need in either agility or competition obedience. It allows for the human-dog team to develop some very nice working skills that can be applied to the demands of therapy work, show work, mediating or preventing behavioral issues, or just getting around the house with multiple big dogs. The beauty of Rally-O is that its premise appears rather simple, but the actualization of the exercises is anything but simple without practice.

   The better we can be at reading the distracted dog, and at knowing what we need to do for each level of distraction, the happier and less conflicted our relationship with our dog will be - and the more likely we will be to be able to regain their attention when they are distracted and pulled in other directions. The exercises incorporated in the sport of Rally-O have proven to be invaluable in everyday life. This class offers anyone interested in advanced work with their dogs, Animal Assisted Therapy, Service work, SAR, or just advanced work around the house when company comes over the opportunity to work around distraction, work better and better positioning skills and learn how to help their dog tolerate every increasing stressors and distractions. My experience working with dogs who have behavioral issues has shown me that the more we can reliably ask of our dogs the deeper our level of communications is and the better equipped we are to avoid or adjust behavioral problems now or in the future.

   Each class is six weeks long, meeting on a weekly basis at the same time and location.

   Each weekly class is 50 minutes long. This class is a nice mental workout for both the doggies and humans.

   This class is open to anyone who has taken the H.E.A.R.T. class, the Three Dogs Training Intermediate Manners, Behaviors & Relationships class, or by pre-evaluation with instructor.

This class can be taken as a whole course or teams can attend any number of classes that suit their schedules and needs. The cost of the full course (all six classes) if paid in full is $150.00. The cost for taking an individual class is $27.00 per class.

Puppy Pre-School for Building Manners, Behaviors, and Ongoing Relationships

Puppy Class Guidelines:

Each class runs in a six week cycle at the same time and location each week. Owners need to notify instructor two days ahead of time if they will be attending. Classes will run when there are two or more puppies.

Each weekly class is 50 minutes long.

The class is intended for puppies UNDER 20 months. Although many of these pups will not have complete vaccinations their humans need to bring a copy of current to class. Puppies who are sick should NOT attend pre-school.

This is a come-when-you-can class. We understand that not everyone can make it to all six weeks but puppy will still benefit from controlled and guided social experiences at an early age.

Since this is a drop-in class the fee per week is $20. If you know you will be attending all six and wish to pay in advance the fee is still $110.

We will work on a few basic skills to teach your puppy while we allow puppies to socialize. They will play with each other and with the other humans present. We will teach puppy appropriate play and interactions while we teach you how to guide your pup much like an adult dog would help a younger member of their pack learn good social skills. It is just as important that your puppy learn good doggie social skills as it is that you learn what is appropriate and what is not and how to best interrupt behaviors that may lead to being a bully dog later in life or being bullied later in life. This class does not replace the skills taught in the Basic class. It is geared to be an adjunct to the Basic class or other puppy classes that you may already be taking.

Animal-Assisted Therapy Class

"It is a rare thing in humans to be able to look at the face of a person whose life has so obviously been harsh, or has taken a turn in that direction, without visible pity and anguish. And it is a rare thing for the person being looked upon to not see the discomfort in the face of the onlooker. However, it is the dog, the cat, and the rest of our companion animals who do not see what has been, but who look only at the possibility of and need for joy that exists in all of us. For the animals, it's not about pity, anguish, or guilt, it is about their rare and majestic gift of being able to tease out the joy in all things even where there seems to be none left. And it is in this that allows them to often go where no person can go to do therapeutic work."

This class is for anyone wishing to be involved with their dog in any kind of visiting program, and especially for anyone wishing to be a Delta Society Pet Partner.

Lisa has been teaching Animal Assisted Therapy classes since 2000 and is a Delta certified Instructor, Certified Evaluator, and Certified Pet Partner with all three of her dogs. Lisa is also an annual guest speaker for the Mercy College AAT Certificate Course at Green Chimneys.

Here are a couple student’s comments collected anonymously from the Fall 2006 class:

“Mrs. Edwards is very professional and has always delivered the material on a level the entire class could understand. Mrs. Edwards incorporates humor as well as stories and metaphors to further drive home her point or lessons. She is an outstanding instructor.”

“What a fabulous instructor and class! We are eager to continue!! Thank you – even the hour long commute on my only day off was worth every minute!”

Here are some not-so-anonymous testimonials from some of our students:





Lisa has set up dozens of programs through HART Programs and with her own Pet Partners she has done several hundred visits throughout her AAT career. As a result, she is keenly aware of what a team will encounter on any given visit. She structures her AAT course to include the Delta Pet Partners Team Training Course while also teaching the handling skills necessary to prepare teams for the variety of experiences their dogs will need to tolerate and prepare the humans to support and facilitate the animal connection while visiting. This course will cover the advanced skills necessary for interacting and working around various medical equipment, strange objects and toys, out-of-the-ordinary spaces, and new environments; this course will explore best practices for handling dogs in various distracting situations, how best to handle the stress your dog will face while doing this work, and how to best interact with the various interpersonal situations visiting will bring including, but not limited to, what to do when your dog won’t visit with someone, or what to do if there is an incident.

To offer the most flexibility as possible for folks who have various levels of skills and needs Three Dogs Training offers two training classes to help you prepare you and your animal for Animal Assisted Therapy visiting.

Teams can do any of the following:

Three Dogs Training AAT class and the Delta Society Team Training Workshop

or just the Three Dogs Training AAT class

or just the Delta Society Team Training Workshop

The Three Dogs Training Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) class is for the dog and handler together. This class prepares the team for the exercises on the evaluation and prepares them for the various situations they will face on a visit. This class focuses on the connection between handler and dog and exercises the team around distractions and in mock visiting situations. We will expose your dog to a variety of distractions, and things that can be spooky for a dog like medical equipment, strange surfaces, odd moving items, etc. We will teach you how to help your dog around these things and make it fun. We will teach you how to read your dog’s subtle signals and signs to keep all visits fun and safe for you, your dog and the clients. All of this will build a wonderful working connection, relationship, and rapport between you and your dog.


Teams will need to have passed their CGC or pass a pre-evaluation prior to the beginning of the AAT class. There is a nominal $25 fee for pre-evaluations (scheduled individually).

This is a 6 week long class and meets for an hour and a half each week. The fee for the Three Dogs Training AAT class is $250. For upcoming class dates please see the schedule link.

The Delta Society Team Training Workshop is for Handlers Only. This is the Two-Day workshop that is required by Delta Society before a Team can take the evaluation test. Teams may also opt for the Home Study Team Training Course. Three Dogs Training offers the Delta Team Training Workshop in Mahopac, New York. The fee is $130 for the two days and this includes your Delta Society Team Training Manual. For upcoming class dates please see the schedule link.

To learn more about how Three Dogs Training uses Animal Assisted Therapy in local schools to teach childen how to be safe around dogs, please click on this link or any of the pictures below:

Clicker Training

Refund Policy

All possible efforts will be made to arrange for students and dogs to make up any missed classes. For medical reasons ( for either the owner or dog), refunds will be issued less a $35.00 administration fee.