Teaching since 1975, offering Delaware residents a positive reinforcement-based alternative since 1988

Our Foundation group course meets an hour a week for 8-weeks and is designed for the beginning dog-handler team. The AKC has developed a 'STAR Puppy Program' which our Foundation class already exceeds. You and your pup (dogs begining class before their first birthday) may also test for this award at the end of class!

Emphasis is on developing training skills with the best use of positive reinforcement. This course is appropriate for puppies (3 months of age and older), newly adopted older dogs (of any age), or any dog in need of training / re-training in the basics. It’s a highly interactive class that provides the fundamentals of dog care, manners and basic obedience in a relaxed, easy to learn environment.

Our Foundation course provides dogs with socialization opportunities while teaching the handler to train their dog to pay attention, sit, come when called, lie down, walk on a leash without pulling, and stand for grooming or examination. We introduce clicker training, how to meet other dogs and/or people, how to avoid confrontations with other dogs, "go to your place" cue and "take it/leave it/drop it" exercise. We give tips on housebreaking, grooming, veterinary care, and common problem areas (jumping up, mouthing, biting, chewing, and more), as well as information on the many activities available to you and your well-behaved dog.

Family members are encouraged to attend. This course is limited to 6 dog-handler teams. No dogs at our first class please!

Click PetersonsPositivePups@gmail.com to email Beth for more information or an application for upcoming classes.

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(Fundamentals, ADPT CLASS, AKC CGC, Intro to Visiting)

Classes begin Saturday 02 April & Monday 04 April Saturday Mornings, 10am AND Monday Evenings, 730pm/b> indoors in Smyrna

Beth has been an American Kennel Club (AKC) certified Canine Good Citizen evaluator since the program began. Our course offers CGC-specific work to help the dog-handler team successfully test for the Canine Good Citizen Certification on the last day of class. We further develop the basic cues of attention, stay, loose-leash walking and coming when called - adding distractions and increasing length of exercises. All dogs, mixed breeds and pure bred, at least 4 months of age are welcomed to attend. Graduation from Foundation, or similar type class, is beneficial but not mandatory. We sill also introduce the skills needed to begin volunteer visiting with your dog!

The CGC Test Exercises are: Accept a stranger, sit for petting, appearance & grooming, walk on a loose lead, walk through a crowd, sit, down and stay, come when called, proper reaction to another dog, proper reaction to distraction and supervised separation. This is an 8 week group class - limited to 6 dog/handler teams.Please bring your dog to all AKC CGC classes.

Click PetersonsPositivePups@gmail.com to email Beth for more information or an application for upcoming classes.

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Introduction to Tellington TTouch Bodywork with Reiki, Flowers & Clicker

We have one class Wednesday 06 April at 6pm in Dover

Beth will introduce you to the philosophy, principles and playground of the Tellington TTouch Method, and Clicker Training during this 8-week semi-private group class. Throughout the session, you will be guided and coached. You will practice your newly learned TTouch skills on yourself, classmates, animal companions and our TTouch Pals (plush, life-sized animals), while being invited to share your thoughts and ask questions. By introducing you and your animal friend to touches, lifts and strokes, Beth teaches you how to induce a state of relaxation and increase body awareness to help build confidence in your pet. Tellington TTouch® Method can deepen the bond between you and your companion animal with this unique approach to training developed by internationally known animal expert, Linda Tellington-Jones.

This class teaches you how to use a variety of gentle touches, non-binding 'comfort' wraps, and positive collars/leads/harnesses, combined with focus and attention exercises, to reduce or eliminate inappropriate behaviors, help your pet relax and focus, assist with recovery from medical treatment or surgery, while enhancing the quality of your animal's life. Class size is limited to 6 dog-handler teams due to the nature of TTouch. Please remember - no dogs the first night of class.

Beth has held TTouch Workshops, and has shaired this gentle work privately, throughout the Mid-Atlantic as well as in Germany. For more information or to enroll in an upcoming Tellington classes or workshops, please email Beth at PetersonsPositivePups@gmail.com for more information or an application for upcoming classes.

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Private Consultations & In-Home Sessions

Beth has a limited number of Private Consultations (or in-home or barn) available for the pet/handler teams in need of specialized attention. The initial evaluation/consultation lasts 1-1/2 hours (90 minutes). These individualized sessions vary as they are developed to fit the needs of each team. Often, this one-on-one session, skills taught, booklet to look back at, and email conversations are all that are needed to guide your pet to being outstanding. Once in a while, it's more comfortable to have Beth back a time or two. Once the team is working well, and comfortable, they're invited to join one of Beth's ongoing group classes to further develop their skills.

Based on her findings, Beth may suggest (and teach) a course of action involving use of the Tellington Method to aid in inducing relaxation while increase body awareness to assist in building self-confidence, tools for foundation training, the proper use of positive reinforcement (these aids are also known as desensitization and classical counter conditioning methods), how to recognize and reduce triggers that invoke inappropriate behavior from your companion animal.

Positive reinforcement is taught with Clicker work and appropriatly timed praise. Emphasis is placed on developing the handler’s training skills by way of the best use of positive reinforcement to encourage appropriate actions while eliminating inappropriate behaviors.

Please click Petersons PositivePups@gmail.com to email Beth for more information or to discuss your animal's behavior.

Companion Animal Emporium is the retail branch of Beth's lifelong love of, and work with, all species of animals. She's the instructor, coach and evaluator for Positive Pups & Ponies with over 40-years of animal husbandry experience and resulting in multiple certifications and licenses awarded for her knowledge and abilities.

Beth realized her clients would be better served with access to quality, interactive, educational, teaching -- yet still just plain fun -- toys for their animal companions.

This realization lead to a business partnership with entreprenuer Jerry Jarman and the development of Companion Animal Emporium as the outlet for supreme quality toys and supplies -- a Potpourri of Provisions for Particular Pets.

Our product line centers with outstanding interactive toys of Premier Pet Products, Premier's Easy-Walk harnesses, Fine Braided Leather collars & leads (Weaver, J&J, custom), and Tellington TTouch Step-In harnesses and their double-ended leads. We carry a great selection of Kitty Toys, with equine, sheep, goat and pocket pet supplies coming this fall.

Please contact us by email at Companion Animal Emporium@gmail.com or take a look at our online shop.

Does the thought of sharing your pet with others touch your heart? Have you wanted to include your pet in your volunteer activities byt didn't know it was possible? Are you willing to participate in local trainings, evaluations and annual registrations for this volunteer activity?

If your answer is YES to these questions, we want you to contact us at Ahh PUPS - Animals Helping Humans, Pets Uplifting People Society.

Ahh PUPS offers opportunities for the public to learn more about Animal Assisted Activities - from social visitation at nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, maturity centers, schools and daycares, to reading education assistance dogs, to animal assisted therapy under the direction of licensed practitioners and more.

Learn how and why we visit facilities, the differing needs of those facilities requesting pet visits, the needs of our visiting pets, and the usefulness of involving animals in our children's learning processes. National (and local) testing, reasons why we promote registration with a visiting Pet Organization, and what all great volunteers need to know are also discussed.

Click AhhPUPS@gmail.com to email Beth for more information or an application for upcoming classes.