Call Today to Book Your FREE Training Evaluation!
Our Approach
Imagine your dog listening to you every time, coming when called, sitting to greet friends, and behaving even when faced with distractions. This dream is reality at A Closer Bond!
Every training program is finely tuned for your dog’s unique personality, aptitude, and attention span. Just like humans, dogs learn best through positive reinforcement, ample motivation, and guidance. These techniques are proven to help your dog through life’s distractions. All of our programs are designed to bring out the best in your dog as well as teach you and your family the skills needed to maintain their great behavior for life.
Getting Started with Training
Every dog training program is customized for your unique situation. During the initial training evaluation, you’ll meet with one of our professional trainers to discuss your concerns and goals. Since every dog is unique, we offer a variety of training options to suit your needs. We want you to feel confident about the training and see firsthand the possibilities you and your dog can have with us. Call us today to get started for free!
Dog Training Options
A Closer Bond offers a wide range of training options to suit your schedule and needs, including:
- Residency Training
- Puppy Training
- Private lessons
- On-leash and off-leash training
- Behavior modification
- Rehabilitation
- Group enrichment classes
- Therapy training
- AKC Canine Good Citizen
Looking for something specific? After almost 40 years training dogs, we’ve seen it all.
Call us to see how we can help.
Residency Training
Training is such an important component of living well with your dog, and we know you want to trust your dog’s training to a highly skilled professional. We hire experienced trainers and certify them in obedience, behavior modification, and specialty training through our A Closer Bond school for dog trainers. You and your pup can rest assured you’re in great hands!
Residency training is a dynamic, comprehensive training experience proven to produce excellent, lasting results. This training program takes place at our lodging facility, and our expert trainers will work with your pet multiple times a day to help them master the most important obedience and manners skills, including but not limited to:
- Sit, down, and place
- Come when called (the first time!)
- Stay (2 minutes or longer)
- Leash walking
- Polite greetings
- Impulse control
- Social skills
Are there specific behaviors and skills you’d like us to work on with your dog?
Give us a call to discuss how we can help.
What’s included in Residency Training?
This all-inclusive program comes with everything your pet needs for a wonderful training experience:
- A comfortable accommodation in our climate-controlled lodging area
- Multiple daily training sessions tailored for your dog
- Comprehensive daily wellness checks
- Food, meals, treats, and fresh water
- Follow-up lessons with you and your family
- Take-home training exercises and informational materials
- Ongoing phone support well beyond the program’s end
- Access to post-program group classes to keep your pet’s skills sharp
Puppy Training
Puppies learn most of their lifelong beliefs during the first four months of their life! Socializing your puppy and teaching them skills during this time period help ensure a strong and rewarding relationship for life. A Closer Bond’s exclusive puppy training programs give your young one broad exposure to new people, places, objects, and sounds. Your puppy deserves the best opportunity to learn about the world in a safe, controlled environment in order to develop into the most confident and happy adult! Our fun-filled puppy training programs include Puppy Preschool, Puppy Play & Learn, and our Perfect Pup Program.
Private Lessons
For pet parents who prefer a more hands-on approach, our private lessons are the perfect solution. Our certified trainers will work closely with you and your dog. Tailored private training sessions are built to address your pup’s needs whether it’s obedience training, behavioral adjustment, or advanced training. Build a stronger bond with your pet in this truly one-of-a-kind bonding and learning experience.
On-Leash and Off-Leash Training
Both on-leash and off-leash training are vital for a well-rounded dog. Training on leash instills obedience and safety habits in the real-life scenarios where a leash would be used. It also promotes better leash walking habits and reliability in public spaces. Off-leash training is equally important, ensuring your dog responds quickly and positively in off-leash situations. This promotes better confidence and trust and reinforces proper recall. Both types of training contribute to a well-balanced, happy canine companion!
Behavior Modification
Certain negative canine behaviors and habits can be a significant stress on you and your family, and it’s not always easy to determine how to address them. That’s where our team of experts comes in. We specialize in identifying the root causes of undesirable behaviors and helping your dog overcome them. With nearly 40 years of experience training dogs of all kinds, we’ve seen it all. If you’re having behavioral concerns with your pet, don’t hesitate to call us to see how we can help bring you and your dog to better peace and harmony.
Rehabilitation
Have you just adopted a dog from a troubled or uncertain past? Take a transformative journey together at A Closer Bond with our comprehensive dog rehabilitation program. Designed for dogs with advanced behavioral challenges or past trauma, this program focuses on building trust, positive reinforcement, and customized strategies to get to the bottom of specific behavior issues. From fear, reactivity and aggression to anxiety and social skills, we provide a safe, positive learning environment to help your dog develop better behavior and thrive in your family.
Group Enrichment Classes
Training doesn’t end once your program is complete, it’s an ongoing activity that sharpens your dog’s skills and reliability as they continue to develop mentally and physically. We offer a variety of fun group enrichment classes to hone their skills and introduce new ones. These classes are designed to expand your dog’s mind and provide more rewarding bonding experiences for you both. Many of our group enrichment programs are designed to build upon your pet’s existing skills and behaviors or give you a new, fun bonding experience, like canine sports or a new discipline!
Our group enrichment class offerings include:
- Agility
- Rally Obedience
- Therapy Dog & Handler Team Training
- Dog & Owner Fitness Classes
- Tricks
- Nose Work and Scent Detection
- Confidence Class
- Puppy socialization
- Canine Good Citizen
- Distraction Classes – for obedience reinforcement
- And much more
Therapy Training
Led by certified dog trainers, our therapy training classes focus on developing dogs into compassionate, comforting pets for therapy work. Through gentle techniques in a positive atmosphere, dogs can learn to provide emotional support to those in need. Therapy dogs are incredible forces of good in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and more.
AKC Canine Good Citizen
Canine Good Citizen is a certification program designed to promote model canine behavior. Dogs undergo education and testing in various situations to assess their obedience, manners, recall, and ability to interact positively with people and other dogs. Upon passing the test, your pup will receive a certificate from the AKC recognizing their success.
Dog Training FAQ
What vaccinations are required for training?
How do I set up a training evaluation?
Call us at (847) 358-7312, email us at support@acloserbond.com, or contact us through the form on our website. We look forward to hearing from you!
What should I bring for my training evaluation?
Will my dog learn to be obedient?
What can you teach my dog?
Do you offer puppy training?
What will my dog do during the day?
Will my dog listen to me after Residency Training?
What should I bring when I drop my dog off for training?
