Gutsy Mutts Confidence Building Class

• Coax your dog out of their shell – at their own pace.
• Read your dog’s body language, recognize signs of stress and/or fear, and help them cope with that fear.
• Use simple games to help your dog use their “think brain” rather than their “fight/flight/freeze brain”.
• Teach your dog to calm themselves.
• Make sure your dog gets enough mental stimulation – especially by using their nose!

Over this four week course, we’ll cover basic concepts like arousal, thresholds, trigger stacking, getting ‘consent’ or letting a dog ‘opt out’ (of meeting people and other dogs), the importance of mental stimulation, the value of structure and predictability, desensitization and counter-conditioning, being your dog’s advocate, and more. We’ll even practice saying no to people who want to pet your dog!

Dogs must be human and dog friendly. If your dog is reactive, email us at training@awla.org to schedule private sessions.