Control Unleashed Class - 1 & 2

The Dog Den

Is your dog:

  • Easily distracted?
  • Unwilling to or too wound up by playing with a toy around other dogs?
  • Reactive* or easily aroused?
  • Anxious, stressed, or shut down?
  • Unable to control their impulses when excited?
  • Unable to be quiet and relaxed in their crate in a class or trial environment?
  • Uncomfortable or unable to work off-leash around other dogs?
  • A potential competitor in any dog sport?

Then Control Unleashed is for you!

This unique program will teach you and your dog how to relax, focus, and work off-leash reliably in either stimulating or stressful situations. We will teach you how to get the most out of any dog class you enter by helping your dog have fun and be successful. This class is a great starting-point for any dog who may someday compete in agility, freestyle, rally obedience, or any other dog sport. All dogs and owners will also benefit by learning better communication methods and skills to help your dog succeed in everyday life. Students participating in class should be serious about practicing at home with your dog between classes to get the most out of your class experience (a minimum of four, 15-minute long sessions each week between classes is recommended).

Our instructors have experience with their own and others' reactive dogs, so they understand what it's like to deal with reactive dogs. They will teach you how to "read" your dog's behavior. Games and exercises we teach in classes will help reduce the likelihood that your dog will react. Class exercises will help your dog relax and stay calm and will also help improve his behavior. 

You should bring a mat, rug, or cushy blanket to each class, which both you and your dog fit on.  Please bring a 4’ leash (no “flexi” leashes please!).  And clickers are highly recommended (but certainly not required)!

This class is based on the book Control Unleashed: Creating a Focused and Confident Dog written by Leslie McDevitt. You are not required to buy or read the book prior to class, but we do invite you to do so in order to get more out of your class experience!

CU2 = An extention of CU, working on perfecting wanted behaviors, adding movement and additional demo dogs into the group. Must have CU instructor approval before enrolling in CU2.

CU3 = This is our CU2 outline class, held all outdoors!! Must have CU Instructor approval before enrolling.

Class Policies for Control Unleashed:
The success of this class depends on the participation of every team who signs up. Please read these policies carefully and be sure you are able to commit to them before signing up. Our students are typically very good about adhering to these policies for all classes, as most of these are just "common sense" and politeness. Thank you!

  • Please be on time for class. You and your dog should be in the classroom ready to work when class starts. For most people, this means you will need to arrive for class 5-10 minutes early in order to exercise (potty) your dog before class starts.
  • Please be prepared for class. You should have your treats and clicker ready; bring enough high-value treats to last the whole class (we suggest bringing an extra bag "just in case"); a tug toy or ball if your dog enjoys it (please no squeaky toys in class as they are distracting for other dogs); a mat or blanket ready on the floor for you and your dog to sit on; and 1-2 stuffed Kong toys or other similar stuffable chew toys for your dog to have in his/her crate. Everything should be set up and ready for you to use prior to class starting.
  • Regarding missing class: because each exercise in class builds on the week before, please try to attend each class. If you must miss a class, please notify one of the instructors ahead of time.  

*Control Unleashed is appropriate for dogs that may get mildly reactive in exciting circumstances. If your dog is habitually over-reactive or has any aggression issues around other dogs, you should consider meeting with the Dog Den behavior team for a one-on-one private training session before you enroll for this class.

Because this class may have reactive dogs present, we ask that children coming to class be over the age of 14.

Classes run for 6 weeks and cost $110.00.