Thanks to the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center, people can learn how to handle their dogs. AWC is offering PAWS for Obedience: Dog Training for Pet Owners, a three-day class for dog owners, starting Tuesday, May 15.
Conducted by professional dog trainer Kenneth Brown, a native Crucian who now lives in California, PAWS for Obedience will be offered in three sessions for the next three weeks. Classes run from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week at the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center in Estate Clifton Hill.
The cost for a three-day session is $75 for the first dog and $20 for each additional dog. Each dog must be accompanied by an adult.
“On Saturdays, Ken is dong special one-on-one sessions for ‘trouble’ dogs,” said Elizabeth Goggins, AWC executive director. These sessions are $35 per half-hour, with $10 more for an extra dog.
The obedience training is really “dog training for humans,” says Goggins. “The pet owner has to know what to do with the dog, You have to learn everything your pet is learning.” Brown, who while growing up on St. Croix was known as “Doggie” Brown, says owners should expect to develop “a better relationship with your dog, better communication with your dog and your dog paying better attention to you.” Success, however, depends on your investment in your pet – your time investment.
“I f you don’t make a deposit in the bank you can’t expect to make a withdrawal; if you don’t spend any time working with your dog you can’t have any expectations,” Brown explains. “My suggestion is that when you go home you work with the dog five to seven minutes per session. You should incorporate working your dog into your lifestyle.”
For information on PAWS for Obedience or to register for the class, call Nancy Wallace between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the AWC at 778-1650, e-mail her at administration@stcroixawc.org or visit the Web site — www.stcroixawc.org.
