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Train your Dog with

Canine Companions

Every dog and person is an individual and there is no one size fits all approach.

 

AboutClasses

About Sarah

My training philosophy is that every dog and person is an individual and that there is no “one size fits all” approach.  Dog training isn’t just about dogs – the human end of the leash is equally important.  I will work with both you and your dog and listen to your needs.

Learn more about me

My goal is that you have a clear understanding of how to teach your dog what you want him to learn.  I have been an instructor in different fields for my entire adult working life and bring to my dog training classes a wealth of experience working with people as well as training dogs.  I draw on the skills I have acquired through all these experiences: strong communication skills, the ability to break down issues and behaviours into smaller, manageable components and to explain steps clearly and systematically.

I have trained my own dogs in competition obedience, rally, agility, scent detection and tracking and am certified through the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (www.nadoi.org).   By training different dogs in multiple sports, I learn more about different approaches and acquire skills that I can transfer from one activity to benefit another.  Staying up to date on training methods through taking courses and workshops with leading trainers, I continue to learn more and more techniques to achieve the behaviours you want in your dog.

Training is not just about obedience.  It is also about relationship-building and having fun with your dog.  My aim is for our beloved four-legged friends to have rich lives through both mental and physical exercise and for people to have a companion that brings them pride and joy both in the home and out in the world.

Class Descriptions

Small Classes

All our classes are all small, with a maximum of four dogs per class with a high degree of individual attention and help.

At home

All classes are followed up by weekly handouts with clear instructions to help you practice the week’s lesson at home.

Flexible

Our small classes. mean that we can adapt our lessons to meet your needs.

Indoors

Our facilities allow us to train indoors in a quiet environment, but also to go outdoors when the dogs are ready for a more distracting environment.

Pet Manners Classes

We all want a well-behaved pet, both in the home and out in public. Using reward-based methods, our pet manners classes focus on the skills and behaviours your dog needs to lead a happy life, and the skills you need to communicate with and build your relationship with your dog.

Basic Manners

6 weeks
Price: $220.00
For dogs 4 months and older

Suitable for dogs with no previous training or dogs new to your family.
The goal of this class is to give you the basics for:

  • Relationship-building through effective communication and engagement
  • Sit/Down/Stay
  • Loose Leash Walking
  • Recall

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    Next Classes:

    Starting in March

Intermediate Manners

6 Weeks
Price: $220.00
For dogs 4 months and older

Suitable for dogs that have some training but still need help and practice with basic skills.
The goal of this class is to build on the foundation behaviours that are important to pet dog owners.

  • More games to promote engagement and impulse control
  • Working around distractions
  • Focus on Recall and Loose Leash Walking

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Next Classes:

Starting in March

Out and About: Structured Walks

6 weeks
Price: $220.00
For dogs 4 months and older

Suitable for dogs that have a solid foundation in basic behaviours (walking on a loose leash, sit/down/stay and recall) but have difficulty making the transition to maintaining these behaviours out in the real world. The goal of this class is to solidify these behaviours in real life situations.

  • A different location each week with different challenges (quiet, noisy, traffic, pedestrians, dogs, critters).
  • Structured drills will be used to promote impulse control and engagement.

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Next Classes:

Starting in March

Scent Detection

Scent detection is sniffer dog training for pets. All dogs are born with the ability to follow an odour to its source, so any dog can play this game.

• No prior training is required, so it is suitable for dogs of any age, from puppies to seniors.
• It is low-impact brainwork, so it is good for dogs with physical limitations.
• We train the dogs one at a time in a low-distraction environment. This means that dogs that cannot work around other dogs can also play.

Level 1

Foundations and Containers:
7 weeks
Cost: $260.00

Suitable for all dogs: any age, including puppies

The goal of this class is to teach your dog to find a specific odour and tell you when he’s succeeded in finding the source and to promote your relationship with your dog by working as a team

 

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Next Classes:

Starting in March

Level 2

Interiors and Exteriors
6 weeks
Cost: $220.00

For dogs with some experience with scent detection. If you have done scent detection training elsewhere, please contact us to discuss the appropriate class for your dog based on your experience.

 

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Next Classes:

Starting in March

Level 3

Advanced Searches
6 weeks
Cost: $220.00

For dogs with some experience with scent detection. If you have done scent detection training elsewhere, please contact us to discuss the appropriate class for your dog based on your experience.

 

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Next Classes:

Starting in March

What our students have to say

Testimonials

Lisa & Wisely

Sarah is extremely professional, knowledgeable and caring.  She was able to give me advice in many different areas to help my dog and make his life better.  I learned a lot from her classes and recommend her highly.

Shelly & Stig


We started scent training with Sarah at the suggestion of our puppy obedience trainer when he was 8 months old. To say that our Golden Retriever puppy, Stig was “energetic” would be a massive understatement. We are not novice dog owners (we also have a senior Golden and have had several German Shepherds) but this pup was a handful. I couldn’t imagine that my over the top pup could possibly focus on finding the smell of anything except his dinner. But, was I wrong!

Sarah uses her professional teaching background and her experience as a trainer and handler to develop do-able yet challenging activities that ALL dogs (any age/breed) and handlers can enjoy. Regardless of whether you are exploring scent training for fun or if you have an interest in competing in this internationally recognized dog-sport, Sarah’s small group classes make the activity fun for everyone. The take home activities helped Stig and I build confidence and skill. It has also greatly helped him to focus and to progress in his obedience work. I highly recommend this program to all dog owners.

Louise & Jozi

My dog and I attended several training courses with Sarah and we both enjoyed every minute of it.

Alice & Buddy

Katly & Mikey

Training Resources

Check out some tips and support from Sarah

Contact Us!

[email protected]

(250) 713-5582

Training Location

North Oyster Community Center
13467 Cedar Rd, Ladysmith