Frequently Asked Questions

Puppy class is a four week course for dogs between the ages of 6 weeks and 12 weeks. It is the perfect time to socialize your pet to other humans (men, women, children, people in wheelchairs), new situations and experiences. There will be an off leash play period in which your puppy will be able to interact with other puppies of a similar age. The instructor will also give tips on common training issues such as housetraining, teething, mouthing hands and management of resources (feeding schedules, toys and play). Basic instruction on training the beginning of sit and down will be given. Your puppy will be ready for Level I classes when you graduate from this class.
Tweeners class is a four week course for dogs that are 13 weeks to 20 weeks old and have not had the opportunity to attend a puppy socialization class. The focus of this class is management of the dog and basic manners. Tweener dogs are neither a very young puppy or a young adult. The tweener dog is adventuresome and beginning to become an independent thinker. Class participants will learn how to get the dog to settle, not jump up on people and to accept strangers. Each week, some time will be used to teach the beginning of sit, down, and come. The tweener dogs will have short off leash play sessions. Dog handlers will learn how to safely release and collect the dog during play. Your puppy will be ready for Level I classes when you graduate from this class.

 It is rarely necessary for you to take both of these classes. Ask your puppy class instructor but most of our dogs graduate puppy class after the first 4 weeks and do not need to go on to Tweeners.

Your puppy only needs to be 12 weeks old to start regular Obedience classes. We highly recommend our Puppy classes if your pet is under 12 weeks or our Tweeners class if your dog is between 12-20 weeks old and we do not have any openings available in Level I classes.

Your veterinarian will give you the proper protocol for the vaccinations your puppy requires. Your puppy may be too young to have received all the Minnesota required inoculations such as rabies, distemper, Parvo Virus and Kennel Cough (Infectious Tracheobronchitis- Bordetella inoculations).  Follow the recommended protocol for inoculations for the age of your dog by your veterinarian. Dogs 6 months and older are required to have a rabies vaccination.

For new students wishing to begin training at advanced levels: Obtain an obedience skills evaluation. Obedience evaluations are held on Tuesday evenings from 6:00pm-7:30pm. Contact Jane Jacobson  at least 24 hours in advance to sign up for an evaluation.  This is a simple assessment tool to let the instructor place you in an appropriate class. You will be asked to heel your dog, use verbal commands, demonstrate any hand signals you use and talk about your dog's current obedience work. We do not expect any dog or handler to be perfect so please relax and do your best so that we can place you in a class where you both will be comfortable and can continue to train to your own goals.

Unfortunately, this will not work because at TCOTC, we try to offer at least one new class of Level I every month or less. That means, Monday night might be on week 2 of Level I, Tuesday morning may be on week 8, Wednesday night might be on week 3 and Thursday night might be on week 5. Your class instructor will mail the homework sheet to you when you are gone OR you may request the next week’s homework sheet if you know you cannot make the class.

To save a spot in one of our Level I classes all handlers must pay in full in advance and the fee is non-refundable. For this reason, we rarely have anyone cancel out of a full class. You may put a full class down as your first choice on your application on the chance someone may cancel but always put down a 2nd and 3rd choice also. You must pay in full to be considered for the full class. If the class remains full, you will be put in your #2 or #3 pick.

First, look at our web site. We try to keep it updated as timely as we can. If it does not say that the class is full there, then call our front desk during regular class hours and ask the desk volunteers. There are notes at the desk that are updated several times a week that list how many openings there are left in each upcoming class. Just be aware that there may be applications that have been hand-delivered that day that have not been processed yet. If your class is close to full, it is best to hand deliver your money and form and have the desk person sign your form and note the time they received it. You will be notified within 48 hours by phone or mail if you are in the class or not. Always note a 2nd and 3rd choice in case your 1st pick is full.

We require payment to be received with your registration and therefore do not accept registrations via fax or email. We do have an online registration option for Level 1 Obedience classes.

We take cash and checks. We also offer a PayPal payment option for obedience level one classes if you register online.