Finally! Force-Free, Science-Based Dog Training in Toronto (Downtown AND Uptown)
When Hounds Fly is open for training and accepting new students! We work with all breeds and all ages and welcome all members of your family to participate.
If you are looking for the best force-free, science-based dog training school for your new puppy, new adult rescue, or looking to improve your relationship with your family dog, look no further.
Please take a look at "Why Choose Us?" for information on what makes us different than all the other Toronto dog obedience schools.
Here's a brief summary though:
Two locations! Our original location is located steps away from Trinity Bellwoods Park, on Dundas Street West at Ossington. Our newest location is located right in Upper Avenue, on Avenue Road north of Lawrence. Downtown or Uptown. Both locations are climate controlled, quiet, and private - perfect environments to learn how to train your dog in.
Classes are held both weekdays and weekends, and you're welcome to come to any class you wish when you're in our program (meaning you can mix and match classes every week for total flexibility) - take a look at the Class Calendar for either Dundas West or Avenue Road.
Outstanding training! Utilizing the techniques developed and advocated by Karen Pryor (www.clickertraining.com), our force-free methods are safe for all family members, strengthen (not damage) your relationship with your dog, and are scientifically proven to be the most effective. Also, compared to other Positive Reinforcement schools, we do not use food as a Lure, meaning that you can phase out food rewards faster (and avoid creating food dependency) . We do use a LOT of food as a reinforcer, but we don't dangle it around your dog's nose to lure him into behaviors. Huge difference!
Small Class Sizes with Personalized Attention - Foundation Skills has a maximum of 4 dogs per class per instructor, and Puppy Socialization has a maximum of 5 puppies per class per instructor. You and your dog will learn faster since the instructor will be watching you and can give you direct feedback as you train.
Last-but-not-least - When Hounds Fly's head dog trainer is proud to be a Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner - ensuring that you and your dog will have access to top-tier training delivered by an excellent teacher!
Want to learn more? Send us an email at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or call 647-993-2275.
Ready to get started? Click on Group Classes and complete an enrollment form.
Expecting Puppy? Must-Have Books
Monday, 23 April 2012 03:51
Puppy arriving soon?
Here are two books that we consider to be the absolute gold-standard in puppy raising/training books today.
We're sharing this because we want to make sure that our prospective students get started on the right foot. Many of the best selling books on dog training are actually full of inaccurate information, or place the emphasis on often irrelevant concerns.
Unfortunately, neither of these outstanding books are available at your local bookstore. Fortunately, both are easy to order, and one is available as an eBook.
Our Top Pick - Puppy Start Right by Kenneth Martin, DVM, and Debbie Martin, RVT, VTS (Behavior)
Ideal for puppies and dogs of all ages, this book is a must-have resource for dog trainers, puppy socialization class instructors, and dog parents.
Whether you are raising a new puppy or have an adolescent or adult dog, Puppy Start Right can help solve many common nuisance behaviors. Puppy Start Right is a positive approach to problem-solving, prevention, and training—without the use of punishment.
Foundation training exercises are perfect for the household companion dog or the future star in competitive dog sports. Exercises include teaching your dog to focus and offer attention, targeting behaviors including a place or bed cue, the recall, sits and downs (stay cues), loose-leash walking, and the "bring," "drop it," and "leave it" cues. Enjoy step-by-step instructions with corresponding photos!
A Close Second - Available as an eBook! - Perfect Puppy in 7 Days by Sophia Yin, DVM
With 176 pages and over 400 photos, Dr. Yin explains why puppies do what they do, how even minor modifications in their environment and your inter- actions can dramatically affect their behavior, and how quickly they can learn when you set them up for success. This visual guide provides readers with a step-by-step plan for bonding with their pup, learning to communicate clearly, and providing the pup with essential life skills.
Chapters include:
How Your Puppy Developed Before You Got Her
Why Start Training So Soon
A Foolproof Potty Training Program
Dr.Yin'sLearn to Earn Program for Puppies
Socializing Your Pup to Dogs, People, and Handling
Housebreaking Your New Puppy or Rescue Should Be Easy!
There are a lot of great articles on the web that describe how to housebreak and potty train a dog. Most of the new students at When Hounds Fly have read them and know the basics, but when asked about the details, we find there are a bunch of common mistakes that are missed. As with all dog training, the devil is in the details, and reading a book or watching videos to train your dog often allow for minute errors to slip in that make the training ineffective.
So, here are the top 5 mistakes we see (click Read More):
