About Golden Rule Training Classes

Positive obedience training will enhance the bond between you and your dog. Dogs that have a solid obedience education are a joy to live with, they respond well to household routines, have good manners in the presence of people and other dogs, and they fully enjoy the company of the owner who took the time to provide training.

Kathryn Baines is Homeward Bound’s volunteer dog trainer, certified through CPDT. She is also a canine behavior consultant.

Kathryn offers classes at Homeward Bound, open to the public, adopters, and volunteers. Classes include adult and puppy obedience training for all medium to large breeds including beginning and intermediate classes as well as the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) Canine Good Citizen (CGC) preparation class and evaluation through Kathryn Baines’ Golden Rule Training. The classes are all held at Homeward Bound in groups with approximately 10 dogs and their owners (all family members are welcome) to ensure personalization for specific training needs.

Golden Rule Training – Group Class Cost

Puppy Class, Beginning, and Intermediate group classes include 6-weeks of obedience training and socialization for $120.00 ($90.00 for Homeward Bound adopters and volunteers).

A senior discount is available for those 65 years and older; $60.00 for the Beginning class only.

AKC Canine Good Citizen® preparation class (CGC), the AKC Community Canine, Advanced (CGCA) class, and the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® classes are $120.00 ($90.00 for Homeward Bound adopters and volunteers).  An additional fee of $25 is applied for testing/certification.

Workshops are $120.00 ($90.00 for Homeward Bound adopters and volunteers).

Training Methods Used

• All training is science-based and only positive reinforcement techniques (operant learning, classical conditioning, shaping, etc.) are used.
• All medium and large breeds are welcome whether or not they’re Homeward Bound adoptees. Small breeds are done on an individual basis as it is not safe to have large and small breeds in the same class.
• We focus on the dog’s specific needs and challenges to ensure success.
• We educate clients on dog behavior and communication.
• We teach training games to encourage learning while having fun!
• Socialization is offered for dog-friendly dogs after group classes.
• STAR Puppy, CGC and advanced Canine Community preparation classes and testing for certification are available.

To register for a group class or private session, please visit: grdogtraining.com or register on the first day of class.

To use a credit card for payment, please use grdogtraining.com class registration. You can pay using your PayPal account, or a credit card through PayPal (without an account). See the bottom of the web page.

To make a private consultation appointment, or if you have a training question, please contact Kathryn at grdogtraining@gmail.com.

Puppy Kindergarten and AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Class

Whether you’re looking for a basic puppy class or the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Class, we provide both! The class is held on Saturdays at 11:45 am to 1:00 pm.

Puppies must play and socialize so they learn confidence and how to read the intent of other dogs as they grow. We offer play time, and then we work on basic skills, such as: sit, down, stay, leash skills and recall. In both options, we stress the importance of socialization and obedience cues to help you shape your puppy into a healthy, happy, well-balanced dog.

American Kennel Club S.T.A.R. Puppy® Class

This program is designed to get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start. The AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® Program is an incentive program for loving dog owners who have taken the time to take their puppies through a basic training class.

The training class is six weeks long and will teach you how to best communicate with your puppy. Organized training classes also provide an opportunity for your dog to socialize with other dogs. In classes aimed at earning the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® distinction, you’ll be able to get information on all of your puppy-raising questions including house training, chewing, and the most effective way to teach practical skills such as coming when called. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy® training is a natural lead into the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program. This class is scheduled as needed.

For more information see: www.akc.org/starpuppy/about_the_program.cfm

Golden Rule Training: Beginning Class

This six-week class is held on Saturdays from 10:30 to 11:30AM and is open to dog-friendly dogs. The first 20 minutes are dedicated to dog-to-dog socialization to allow the dogs to expend some energy. Then, we focus on learning the basic obedience cues such as: focus, sit, down, stay, leash skills and basic recall. The following 10 to 15 minutes provide more time for socialization.

Socialization is critical for a well-behaved and happy dog, and it is just as important as teaching obedience. If your dog is shy around other dogs, we will work with you to help your dog slowly gain confidence. If your dog is dog-reactive, we recommend private sessions to desensitize your dog.

Golden Rule Training: Intermediate Class

This six-week class is also held on Saturdays from 10:30 to 11:30AM. The beginning and intermediate classes are held together, but for the intermediate class, we focus on learning skills such as settle, loose-leash and heeling skills, and reliable recall, as well as increasing reliability in the basic cues listed in the beginning class. In addition, we introduce some of the 10 requirements for the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen certification.

The class starts with 20 minutes of socialization, followed by working on the skills listed above, and ending with another short session of socialization.

All classes are dedicated to building confidence, manners, and having fun through dog-to-dog socialization and learning obedience skills. Classes are open to all dog-friendly dogs.

American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen® Preparation Class and Evaluation

Many dog owners choose the AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) training as the first step in training their adult dogs. The CGC program lays the foundation for other American Kennel Club (AKC) activities such as obedience, agility, tracking, and performance events. As you work with your dog to teach the CGC skills, you’ll discover the many benefits and joys of training your dog. Training will enhance the bond between you and your dog while teaching your dog good manners around people and other canines.

The Canine Good Citizen Preparation class is a six-week class held on Sundays from 10:00AM to 11:30AM. The first five weeks will focus on practicing for the test. On the sixth week, your dog will be tested. All dogs passing the 10 tests will receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of an intermediate obedience class.
For more information see: www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm

NEW! American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen® (CGCA) Preparation Class and Evaluation – Advanced Certification

As with CGC, AKC Community Canine has a 10-step test of skills that dogs must pass to earn the official AKC Community Canine title. This is a title that appears on the dog’s title record at AKC.

The goal of AKC Community Canine is to test the dog’s skills in a natural setting. For example, rather than the dog being tested in a ring, in AKC Community Canine, the “walks through a crowd” test will involve the dog walking through a real crowd at a dog show, on a busy sidewalk, in a therapy dog setting, or at a training club.

The class is scheduled as needed, Sundays at Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the AKC, CGC preparation class and passing the AKC, CGC evaluation.

Golden Rule Dog Training Workshops:

Reliable Recall Workshop (scheduled as needed)

This is a three-session workshop focusing on recall skills. The workshop is scheduled as needed.

Fearful Dog Workshop (scheduled as needed)

This is a six-week workshop focusing on the needs of fearful, shy and submissive dogs. We work with puppy mill survivors and dogs from hoarding situations, as well as those that have never been properly socialized and have fear behaviors. The goal is to help you bond with your dog, learn what your dog is trying to tell you through body language, and to increase his or her confidence.

Private Consultations

Sessions are held at either Homeward Bound or in-home sessions within the greater Sacramento area (Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Carmichael, and Citrus Heights).
$70.00 per hour for Homeward Bound alumni, by appointment, with a possible $10 travel fee for in-home training.
$85.00 per hour for all others, by appointment, with a possible $10 travel fee.

Most private session are requested when the dog exhibits undesired behavior (s) such as excessive barking, general fear issues, lack of confidence, separation anxiety, and possessive behavior with food, toys, or a family member. We can help with the behaviors listed as well as any others your dog exhibits, and basic skills if needed.

Reactive Dog Training – Private Sessions

Is your dog lunging, barking or growling at other dogs while on leash? It could be reactivity. Reactivity is typically a fear of other dogs, but can also include people, objects and noises. Understanding the behavior, why it happens, and learning how to desensitize your dog is key.  We use confidence-building techniques and a maintenance plan to teach your dog how to remain calm and become a more balanced, confident dog. We find more progress is made in private sessions vs. a group class.

The private sessions are typically given at Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, where we can practice around other dogs in a safe environment. Private in-home session(s) are also available for the greater Sacramento area.