LEVEL 3 – Skilled

For dogs who have completed LEVEL 2 or those needing a refresher.

• Focus– At this level practice focus with your dog 6 feet from you – while holding your dog’s focus up to 30 seconds.
• Come/recall – Teach your pup to come to you as you call him/her, on and off leash.
• Sit by my side or By me – Practice skill using verbal or hand signal.
• Stay – Practice stay command while increasing distance and duration.
• Down- Practice skill using verbal or hand signal. (no torso movement or other overt body language)
• Sit Positions Learn the 4 different sit positions – front, right, left and by my side
• Loose Leash Walking,- Practice skill with no pulling, lunging, and being able to go across the room with no tension in the leash, but still using treats.
• Leave it – This command will teach your pup to leave anything you do not want them to have
• Around – Begin teaching your dog to go around objects.
• “AKC Canine Good Citizenship” and the “Alliance of Therapy Dog” – Start and complete the process of practicing and preparing for the above testing and observing certifications.
• To prepare for the above CGC and ATD, we incorporate major distraction into your pups training – teaching them to get use to wheelchairs, crutches and having others approach and walk unsteady towards and around them.
• Loose Leash Walking – Practice walking past other dogs on a loose leash.
• Situational Expectations -Learn to teach your pup to automatically sit when you come up to someone, as they approach you, or whenever you start walking.