Humane Society of South Central Michigan




	The Humane Society is incredibly pleased to offer individual behavioral counseling, Puppy Kindergarten and Dog Obedience classes to the community. All sessions are held in the agency's NEW Binda Education and Training Center at the Humane Society, 2500 Watkins Road, Battle Creek, Michigan. Individual Behavioral Counseling Sessions are held in hour-long increments, by appointment only, at a rate of $40 per hour per dog. A trainer will be assigned to match the needs of you and your dog (trainers are Lois Phelps and Bille Wickre. To schedule an appointment, please call 269.963.1796. Puppy Kindergarten Six-week course $60 per dog ($5 discount if puppy was adopted from HSSCM) Puppies ages 12 - 18 weeks Maximum eight puppies per class Sessions available on an ongoing basis Next session starts Saturday, July 31 Lois Phelps, HSSCM behaviorist, will be offering Puppy Kindergarten classes based on the program designed by Dr. Ian Dunbar. The classes are for puppies 12 to 18 weeks old, and focus on topics such as bite inhibition, socialization and crate training.Families are encouraged to attend together - puppy training is a family endeavor! We selected this curriculum after careful analysis of the reasons owners gave us for surrendering their pets. The majority of dogs surrendered to HSSCM in the past 18 months were released because of socialization ssues, including fearful reactions to new people, dogs or venues, lack of confidence, inadequate self-control and the inability of both dog and family to blend their unique needs into a functional family unit. Age 12 to 18 weeks is the optimum time to address these issues. Lois Phelps has earned 123 of the required 160 credit hours for her Level I, Professional, Certified Professional Dog Trainer (C.P.D.T.) certification, issued through the Nnational Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Focusing on dog aggression and behavior modification, she has taken seminars from Dr. Patricia McConnell and Dr. Karen London (U of Wisconsin), Patricia Bollen (Cornell University), Suzanne Clothier (national German Shepherd and Search and Rescue trainer), Trisha King (Director of Animal Behavior, Marin County, CA.), Brenda Aloff (author of Aggression in Dogs; Practical Management, Prevention & Behavior Modification), Sue Sternberg (Roundout Kennels, NY), and Dr. Emily Weiss (A.S.P.C.A.). Click here for registration form. Puppies must have received all three sets of puppy vaccinations to participate. Dog Obedience Six-week course $80 per dog ($5 discount if dog was adopted from HSSCM) Dogs six month and older Maximum six dogs per class Sessions available on an ongoing basis Next session starts Saturday, July 31 Dog Tricks Six-week course $75 per dog ($5 discount if dog was adopted from HSSCM) Dogs six month and older Maximum four dogs per class Sessions available on an ongoing basis - must have attended basic dog obedience classes first. Click here for registration form.