Dog Training
Training and socializing your pet not only makes life easier, but it also helps your pet feel safe, secure and happy. We offer group or individual training year- round to assist you in all of your training needs. From puppy to canine good citizen, our certified trainers are here for you!
Do any of these statements sound like you?
You’re frustrated and embarrassed by your dog’s behavior
Your puppy is biting you, chewing everything and peeing everywhere
It doesn’t feel like your dog ever listens to you
You're happy with your dog's behavior but want to teach them new skills
You're not alone!
Pend Oreille Pet Lodge & Training can help you turn your dog's behavior around and even help you teach them some new tricks
Next Steps!
Once you have filled and submitted your client information and agreement form online, a trainer will contact you. You may also email us at: trainingteam@sandpointvets.com or call 208-263-2361
Private lessons and group classes must be paid in full at the time of scheduling to reserve your spot.
Your business is IMPORTANT to us!
We try to respond to phone messages, contact forms, and emails within 72 hours.
Our trainers are frequently out of the office – please be patient when you call as you will often need to leave us a message.
Private Lessons
Our private training lessons offer flexibility to your schedule and are tailored to the needs of each dog and their human. Customized private lessons are held at either the comfort of your home or at our Pend Oreille Pet Lodge training facility. Lessons are 60 minutes each.
In contrast to group classes, our focus is solely on you and your dog. We will target the skills and behaviors that are important to you. Dogs and their humans can greatly benefit from a quieter, less distracting environment, where they can fully concentrate on the task at hand. In private lessons the instructor has far more time to assess and discuss your specific concerns and achieve your goals.
Private lessons will help you take your dog to the next level, whether that be basic manners and obedience, off-leashing training, or specific behavior issues. Such as aggression, leash reactivity, excessive barking, fear, anxiety, and much more.
Our trainers will do a client needs assessment and behavior evaluation of your dog on the first visit. From there, we will develop a short and long-term training program to meet your goals. Regardless of your dog’s breed, age, personality, or history, we can create a customized dog training program that will fit your dog and lifestyle.
We are here to help you set the framework for long term success and teach you how to maintain results! Our programs are homework intensive!
Aggression or problem behaviors may require extensive training. We require foundation training first! You can achieve this through our eight- lesson package or our comprehensive stay and train program. Don’t wait to improve your relationship with your dog. Call us today to schedule a behavior consultation visit.
Pricing: $85 per session
**Initial lesson and house visits must be paid in full at the time of scheduling to reserve your spot**
Below is minimum number of lessons to handle certain situations.
Pet Manners-Four Lessons
Pet manners package is great for minor problem behaviors or one to two obedience behaviors. Such as barking, door manners, jumping, leash manners and more.
Basic Obedience and Behavior-Six Lessons
This package option focuses on basic skills such as sit, down, stay, come, heel, leave-it, watch me and minor behavior concerns. We will introduce distraction training and help you to understand how to achieve good behavior with your dog, in the real world.
Behavior/Aggression/Advanced Obedience-Eight Lessons
In this category, we address more complex behaviors that take more time to fix. Such as chasing other animals, fear/anxiety behavior, resource guarding, leash reactivity, aggression, excessive barking and more. We can also continue basic obedience to off-leash or further distraction training.
One- hour in home private lesson: starting at $145 (plus mileage charge depending on location)
Puppy Basics Class
Next Class Sessions Start: September 12th @ 5:30pm & November 6th @ 5:30pm
Get your puppy started off on the right paw with our puppy classes! Puppy class is essential to ensuring that your dog is properly socialized at a young age and is a great way to set your newest family member on the right path to appropriate behaviors within your family environment. Classes are taught in a safe, fun and positive environment with time for supervised play, socialization and real-life situation training. This class is for puppies 14 weeks – 6 months old.
Class covers:
Developmental stages and fear periods- how to raise a confident puppy
·Learning Theory- how dogs learn
Socialization- how dogs communicate with each other and us
Trust exercises- preparing for vet exams/ nail trims
Basic obedience and manners
Session Details:
Cost: $180
Length: Six, One hour lessons meeting once a week
Class Size: Up to six dogs
To register for a group class:
1. Email trainingteam@sandpointvets.com to verify that there is space available in the class.
2. Fill out our Client Information and Service Agreement online form
3. Once your form has been received, make a prepayment to fully reserve your spot in class.
4. Email vaccination records to trainingteam@sandpointvets.com (our vaccine policy).
Puppy Power Hour
Want to start them out right? We offer trainer supervised playgroups for puppies that are 12 weeks to 6 months of age. This is a great way to help your puppy learn important socialization skills and burn off some of that puppy energy! We are excited to have you and your puppy join our playgroup! PPH is held Thursdays at 10:00am, drop-ins welcome! Owners to be present at the first playgroup; but may drop-off for additional playgroups. Please see our Puppy Power Hour Rules below.
The following rules are to ensure safety for all puppy attendees.
Proof of up to date, age appropriate, veterinarian administered vaccines are required.
Please arrive at least five minutes prior to the start time of playgroup to register at the front desk.
Please arrive at least five minutes prior to the play session end time.
Collar/harness and lead must be removed upon entry.
Do not grab puppies! Let the trainer guide the play!
Follow the trainer’s instructions.
We may take videos or photos which are posted to our social media.
NO ONE is allowed in playgroup area. You are more than welcome to watch.
Please do not touch other people’s puppies without permission.
If a puppy jumps on you please ignore, many puppies are in training and their people appreciate other people ignoring jumping behavior.
No treats or toys are allowed in the playgroup area.
If your puppy is showing any signs of illness before playgroup please do not attend.
There are no transfers or refunds for play group registrations.
All dogs & their owners participate in playgroup at their own risk. By participating in our playgroups, it will be assumed that you acknowledge, understand and accept any and all risk.
Anyone who chooses to not follow the above rules may be asked to leave.
** Not all puppies and dogs get along. Our qualified trainers will be actively observing the playgroup to intervene where necessary. Trainers are constantly assessing the dynamics of the group and may make decisions to separate, move a pup to the other play area, give a pup a “cooling off” period, or completely remove them from play. From time-to-time pups will let the others know if they have gone too far. If you have any concerns about the noises or play style of your puppy, don’t be afraid to chat to the staff as they observe your pup in play. If your puppy is showing repeated stress signs, they may have to leave playgroup to minimize their stress level. If your puppy is deemed unsuitable for playgroups, we can arrange alternative training.
Cost: $10.00 per session or $35.00 for four sessions
Companion Dog Obedience Class
Next Class Starts: September 10th @ 5:30pm & November 5th @5:30pm
This class is for dogs six months and up or have completed our Puppy Class. Group class training is a great way to train your dog around people, dogs and other distractions. We keep our classes small for your comfort and to maximize learning. These classes are fun for the whole family! In this class you will learn how to deal with everyday behavioral issues and how to build a solid foundation in obedience. We can help teach creative and practical ways to deal with the most common training issues, even with a busy life schedule.
Class covers:
Learning Theory- how dogs learn
What marker training is and why its useful
Problem solving for common issues
How to strengthen useful obedience behaviors
Trust exercises- preparing for vet exams/ nail trims
Impulse control- respecting thresholds
Cost: $180.00
Length: Six – One hour lessons, meeting once a week
Class Size: Up to six dogs
To register for a group class:
Email trainingteam@sandpointvets.com to verify that there is space available in the class.
Fill out our Client Information and Service Agreement online form
Once your form has been received, make a prepayment to fully reserve your spot in class.
Email vaccination records to trainingteam@sandpointvets.com (our vaccine policy)
Companion Dog Level 2 Class
Next Class Starts: September 11th @ 5:30pm & November 6th @4pm
The AKC’s Canine Good Citizen program is the gold standard of behavior for dogs in our communities. This class will prepare your dog for everyday situations and proper etiquette in the home as well as in public. This course is focused on enhancing the dog/handler team and creating a dog that is in control and confident in any environment. Dogs with solid obedience preparation are more fun to live with and better behaved around people and other dogs. The Canine Good Citizen certification can also be helpful when renting an apartment or condo and may even save you some money on your homeowner’s insurance.
This class is a continuation of our Companion Dog Class.
Haven’t taken any of our classes? Think your dog is ready for an advanced course? Call to set up an evaluation.
Class covers:
How to build and proof obedience behavior
Greet a friendly stranger
Sit politely for petting
Welcomes being handled/ grooming and vet visits
Heel and attentiveness to owner
Sits/ down/ stand and stay in place
Comes when called
Heels politely through a crowd
Behaves politely around other dogs
Reacts with confidence around distractions
Can be left with a trusted person
Cost: $180.00
Length: Six- One hour lessons, meeting once a week
Class Size: Up to six dogs
To register for a group class:
1. Email trainingteam@sandpointvets.com to verify that there is space available in the class.
2. Fill out our Client Information and Service Agreement online form
3. Once your form has been received, make a prepayment to fully reserve your spot in class.
4. Email vaccination records to trainingteam@sandpointvets.com (our vaccine policy).
Scent Work Class
Next Class Starts: September 12th @4pm
Scent Class is a great opportunity for dogs to have fun, build confidence, develop focus and use mental and physical energy! The sport of scent work is a rewarding game that uses your dog’s natural ability while strengthening the bond between you and your dog. This sport is based on the work of professional detection dogs such as drug dogs. In AKC Scent Work, dogs search for cotton swabs saturated with the essential oils of Birch, Anise, Clove and Cypress. Teamwork is necessary! When the dog finds the scent, they have to communicate the find to the handler. The goal of this six- week course is for dogs to love the game of searching and to build a solid indication directly at the hidden target odor.
Dogs have a sense of smell that’s between 10,000 and 100,000 times more acute than ours! We have about 6 million olfactory receptors, dogs have 300 million. Their epithelium is about 30 times larger than ours. While humans have between 12 million and 40 million olfactory neurons (cells involved in transmitting odor information to the brain) dogs, depending on breed, can have 220 million to 2 billion. Dogs have the ability to wiggle each nostril independently, breathe through the holes in the front of their nose and exhale through the side slits. They can discern individual odors making up what we call “scent.” It’s incredible what they can do with their nose!
Benefits of Scent Work
Burn lots of mental and physical energy doing searches
Provides much needed mental enrichment for any dog
Human learns to observe and understand their dog’s body language
Great for dogs of any breed, size or age (from puppy to seniors)
Prevent or resolve other behavior problems through mental enrichment
Shy, fearful or anxious dogs build confidence
Overactive dogs put excess energy into searches
Searches can be done anywhere you take your dog
Great activity for bad weather days to relieve boredom
Minimal cost, no expensive equipment necessary
Strengthened relationship and teamwork with your dog
In this Class, you will learn
Marker/reward system of training and its use in scent work
Trained final response or indication
Trained systematic search
Basic concepts in searching for odor
Proper use of equipment and leash handling
How to handle odor
Building independence from the handler
Building start line routines and pre-cues
Supplies needed for class
High Value Rewards – rewards the dog finds highly motivating, even in what might be a distracting situation. Example, a dog might be very excited about steak rewards (high value), while they would not always be interested in a piece of kibble (lower value). Reward should be a plentiful amount of small pea sized treats (cooked chicken, hot dogs, cheese, liver treats)
Clicker
Treat pouch/bag
8 to 15 ft. leash/ long line
Flat collar, not a correction style collar
Three or more cardboard boxes, similar in size – homework practice
Scent work kit included with class – container to store target odor, metal tin with magnet, sweet birch essential oil scented q- tip, glass jar with airtight lid, tweezers, gloves and 3 containers
Session details
Dogs six months and older
Dogs must have good food drive for class!
Cost: $230
Length: Six, One hour lessons meeting once a week
Class Size: Up to five dogs1. Email trainingteam@sandpointvets.com to verify that there is space available in the class.
Fill out our Client Information and Service Agreement online form
Once your form has been received, make a prepayment to fully reserve your spot in class.
Email vaccination records to trainingteam@sandpointvets.com (our vaccine policy).
Stay and Train
Consultation visit required prior to program/ $55
Our stay and train program offers environmental exposure, socialization with other dogs/ people, obedience training, manners and physical/ mental exercise. Your dog will enjoy interactive play and structure in a safe and educational environment. Our programs are catered towards the needs of you and your dog.
For a period of three to five weeks, your dog will stay at our facility Monday through Friday. At the end of each week, you will have the option to pick your dog up. You will receive a weekly written training plan and report card. This will provide you with exercises to practice with your dog at home over the weekend. This combination approach will help your dog to behave better for you by the end of the program. We encourage your feedback pertaining to areas of success or specific behaviors that you would like us to focus on.
Foundation Training Program
We will work on:
Basic obedience skills: focus, heel, place, sit stay, down stay and recall, including duration and distractions.
Engagement/ confidence skills: fit paws, tricks, fetch or structured tug.
Basic manners: polite greetings, no jumping, thresholds, wait and leave-it.
Program includes:Information packet and weekly homework plan. Two- One hour follow up lesson at the Pet Lodge to transition your dog’s new skills to you in order to help maintain these new behaviors at home.
Call for pricing! Price does not include food, treats, training equipment, additional boarding, playgroup fees or additional training.
Customized Training Program:
A one week program for dogs approved by trainerThis program is customized for dogs with specific training goals. We will target one to two specific behaviors to focus on during your dog’s stay. Graduates of our Foundation Training Stay and Train program can choose this option to refresh training, advance to off leash obedience or work on specific behaviors. Such as leash reactivity towards other dogs/ humans or fear issues. This program is a great option for when you go on vacation to give your furry family member mental enrichment and physical exercise.
We will work on:
Obedience skills or problem behaviors that you would like us to focus on.
Engagement/ confidence skills: fit paws, tricks, fetch or structured tug.
Basic manners: polite greetings, no jumping, thresholds, wait and leave-it.
Program includes: Written homework plan. One- hour transition lesson (at The Pend Oreille Pet Lodge). Call for pricing!
Meet Your Dog Trainer
MY NAME IS MONICA AND I AM A CERTIFIED, PROFESSIONAL DOG TRAINER
Although she has had a passion for dogs since childhood, Monica’s career as a professional dog trainer didn’t begin until she had the opportunity to attend the Tom Rose School for Dog Trainers in 2004. It was here that Monica learned how to train for competition obedience, search and rescue, protection, agility, schutzhund, narcotic search and much more! After this, Monica went on to start her own dog training business while working at veterinary hospitals, shelters and volunteering for search and rescue. As of 2019 Monica has decided to become our full- time dog trainer here at the Pend Oreille Pet Lodge. She is excited to offer our new stay and train programs, group classes and private lessons!
Monica continuously strives to advance her techniques by expanding her education in current training methods and animal behavior. Along with being an AKC CGC tester and the Tom Rose School certification, she is also a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals, one of the largest dog-professional organizations.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, riding motorcycles with her husband, and adventures with their three Australian shepherds: Logan, Ander, Willy.
when i'm not training dogs, i love...
Spending time with my husband, Dale, our four dogs Josie, Logan, Ander and Willy
Mountain biking, hiking and exploring in nature
Running, and strength training
Wood burning and mixed media art
Motorcycle riding
Fly fishing
Daydreaming of my next adventure!
New to dog training?
Please read our Vaccine and Cancellation policies.
Our Training Philosophy
Training enhances the relationship you share with your dog and builds a mutual bond.
Our philosophy is a well-behaved dog requires a solid foundation, clear communication and daily structure in the home, in order to maintain good behavior in any environment and around any distraction. Our training focuses on achieving an obedient dog through trust and respect. If we want our dog to listen, we must first listen to our dog.
If we want our dog to respect us, we must first show our dog respect. We believe it is just as much about training the owner as it is about training the dog. Just as humans do not learn the same way, dogs also require different training approaches.
This is why our canine training team utilizes a variety of training techniques and tools to meet your dog’s individual needs. We believe that training must be balanced by first using motivation methods to teach and strengthen behaviors. We show you how to clearly communicate using verbal markers (Yes! Good! Nope! No! Free or Okay!).
A strong foundation using food rewards creates a positive experience for your dog that keeps them looking forward to the next training session. Eventually your dog will be in an environment where the distractions are more interesting than your high value reward. To prepare for these situations, we utilize training tools such as: slip leash, halti, prong collar, remote e-collar, as needed to ensure reliability in the real world. We introduce training tools in a low stress, thoughtful way taking into account many factors, so that we can offer fair communication.
How you live life with your dog is crucial to solving many common behavioral problems. The communication between you and your dog is the most important factor to a balanced relationship. We are here to help you set the framework for long term success and maintain results!
Pet Lodge, Grooming, and Training Services Vaccine Protocol
What vaccines do we require?
All vaccines must be administered by a licensed veterinarian.
For dogs: Rabies, Distemper/Parvo Virus, and Bordetella (upper respiratory) vaccines. We also do require that the Bordetella be given every SIX months.
For cats: Rabies, Feline Leukemia, and Feline Distemper vaccines.
If your pet is not able to get vaccinated due to a medical condition, we ask that you provide a note from the doctor stating the aforementioned.
Thank you for your understanding. Your pet’s health and safety are extremely important to us. Any other questions about our policy, you can talk to our friendly staff at the Pet Lodge at 208-255-7687. Records can be emailed to petlodge@sandpointvets.com or faxed to 208-265-5004.
Vaccination Policy
In an effort to provide the best possible care for your companions we are improving our policy regarding vaccinations. All guests arriving at the lodge for boarding, training or grooming will need to be current on their vaccinations before check in. Vaccination must have been administered by a veterinarian. We will need the appropriate documentation PRIOR TO ARRIVAL. We require Bordatella given every six months, DHPP and Rabies vaccines.
Please email, petlodge@sandpointvets.com or fax 208-265-5004 ATTN: Pet lodge. Need assistance? Call us at 208-255-7687 we are happy to help.
