Obedience Training
Would you like for your dog to actually sit or come to you when told to do so? Tired of getting tackled for hello or chasing your dog around? If so, the dog obedience training program in TN and MS by Timber Creek Retrievers is just what you need. The program consists of five commands which must be mastered before being declared “finished.” At completion, your leash is no longer needed. All commands are off-lead. Wouldn’t it be nice for your dog to be under control, regardless of the situation, off-leash?
The obedience training commands taught are: “sit”, “here”, “heel”, “kennel”, and “ok” (a release command). We recommend pups be at least 7 months old to start formal training. Development of your dog begins when they are a pup. See the Puppy School section for details. Owners are welcome to visit to monitor progress as performance improves.
While staying with us, dogs are handled by different individuals to ensure they respond to others. They are worked around other dogs and different types of distractions to be sure they will respond to commands in various situations. In addition to standard commands, we can help coach you on individual issues you may be experiencing. Obedience training can be tailored to individual requests as well. If there are special commands or needs that you have, just ask. We’ll be glad to help.
We stress owner involvement. Put simply, no dog obedience training program is effective if life at home is not consistent with the training environment. In addition to teaching your dog new skills and perfecting existing ones, we will show you what needs to be done at home. We invite owners to watch or participate in their dog’s training. Local owners can come by to check in on the progress of their companion. Owners that are too far to visit in person get periodic video updates so that they can keep an eye on how things are moving and what their dog is being taught. Whether in a duck blind or the living room, working effectively with your dog is a team effort. Keeping owners involved helps insure that they understand what is being taught and that they are confident when they return home.
Developing your pup begins surprisingly early. Their little minds are like blank slates. It’s important to take advantage of this time in your pup’s life. It’s much easier to instill good habits early in their development rather than trying to correct them later. That said, their little ‘blank-slate’ minds can be an intimidating challenge to fill. We’re here to help.
Getting your pup off to a good start is a huge help for his development. Many owners end up shying away from doing as much with their pup because they’re scared they’ll “mess him up”. This causes them to develop more slowly and confidence to decrease on both sides. Wondering about what you need to do? Our Puppy School will show you everything you need to ensure you’re doing everything possible to get your pup headed in the right direction. Sessions are done on an individual basis and take 1-2 hours. You and your pup come by and we’ll walk you through everything to get started right. It is absolutely the best time you can spend with your pup. He gets a good start, you feel more comfortable knowing things are being done right, and later training either at our MS or TN location will move faster as a result. We tailor it to fit what benefits you best. For experienced owners, or older pups, we can do more advanced work. For new owners, or younger pups, we spend more time on the basics. Give us a call or email for details.
1-on-1 Sessions / Classes
We’ve helped countless owners work through tons of problems and questions. If the conversation starts of with “He’s a perfect dog…except for this one thing”…they’re probably a good candidate for 1-on-1 work. We can do everything from start to finish obedience to just a one-time troubleshooting session with a 1-on-1 format. With anything from an email to weekly instructional sessions, we’ll do our best to help with what you need. Call, text or email for details.
For all obedience training programs, it is critical that the dog see consistent commands and enforcement when they return home. We’ll work with you as much as it takes to ensure that you understand exactly what to do when you leave. With a little effort, you and your dog will have years of enjoyment ahead.
Don’t want to leave your dog with somebody else or have them stuck in a box at the vet? We can help with that. Timber Creek Retrievers offers boarding for all medium and larger breeds of dogs (15 lbs. and up). Dogs are kept in covered outdoor kennel runs (see details on Facilities Page). They will have daily exercise and special attention. Vaccination / fecal records along with current medications are required for boarding as with training.
Training and boarding policies
What we will need from you:
- Vet Records:Dogs are required to be current on all vaccinations, including bordatella, rabies and leptospirosis. Bring a copy of your vet records showing that all are current
- Fecal Exam: Within two weeks of arrival. Bring documentation from your vet showing a negative fecal test.
- Current Flea / Tick and Heartworm medications: We will administer them during training monthly. Dogs must be current on medication before training begins. Please provide enough medication to last for the time the dog will stay with us. Any unused portion will be returned.
You are welcome to come for a visit. Our obedience training center is located in Tennessee and Mississippi. Please call, text or email to schedule an appointment.
Payment for obedience training is due when the dog is picked up to go home. Invoices for retrieving are sent at the end of each month. Payment is due monthly.
