Training Classes
Pasadena Humane offers in-person dog training classes and workshops taught by experienced, professional dog trainers. Unless otherwise noted, classes are held at the Pasadena Humane Behavior & Training Center, located at 361 S. Raymond Avenue in Pasadena.
Puppy Playschool
Puppy guardians! Looking for a safe and fun venue to socialize your new best friend? Join the training staff and fellow new puppy parents at Pasadena Humane’s Puppy Playschool. This ongoing workshop welcomes vaccinated puppies who are over 8 weeks or under 16 weeks of age. Your puppy will be gently exposed to novel sights & sounds and our small sized playgroups are thoughtfully designed to help build your puppy’s confidence gradually. Skilled trainers and volunteers educated in dog body language will be on hand to guide you and your pup to learn about healthy play & positive training building blocks.
- Limit 15 pups per session
- Must have one adult pet parent present
- Puppies must be up to date on vaccines appropriate for their age
- Puppies must be wearing a collar and leash
- $25 per session
Available Dates:
September 23, 11-11:45 a.m.
September 30, 9:30-10:15 a.m.
October 21, 9:30-10:15 a.m.
October 28, 9:30 -10:15 a.m.
November 4, 10:30-11:15 a.m.
November 18, 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Puppy Manners 5 Week Course
Calling all puppies! Are you between 8 & 16 weeks old? Grab your guardian and come to Puppy Manners! During this 5-week class, our certified trainers will continue to guide you through puppyhood and help you avoid common mistakes such as chewing dad’s favorite slippers, ignoring your guardian, jumping up, peeing on the couch, and more. They will teach your human to use positive reinforcement techniques to help you learn valuable life skills.
This course includes off leash “recess” social time.
- Puppies must be between 8 & 16 weeks old at first class meeting
- Limit 10 pups per class
- Must have one adult pet parent present
- Puppies must be up to date on vaccinations
- Puppies must be wearing a collar or harness and leash
- Please bring at least 1 cup of your pup’s favorite bite-sized treats
- $250 per 5-week session
Available Sessions:
Saturdays, October 14-November 11, 2-2:45 p.m.
Adolescent Pups Workshops
Teenagers, am I right?! Adolescence (5-9months) can be a frustrating time for both pups and their people. This is also a critical time to keep guiding your young dog to make good choices. In these repeatable 45-minute workshops, we’ll continue building on the training skills that you started in Puppy Manners, but don’t worry if you’re just getting started – jump right in and learn with us! A revolving set of topics will include: leash handling, confidence building training games, staying calm for greetings, and more. Sign up for each one-day workshop individually.
- Dogs must be between 5-9 months of age at start of class date
- Limit 8 dogs per session
- Dogs must have one adult pet parent present
- Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations
- Dogs must be wearing a collar or harness and leash
- Please bring at least two cups of your pup’s favorite treats
- $40 per 45-minute workshop
Available Dates:
October 7, 11-11:45 a.m.
October 21, 11-11:45 a.m.
October 28, 11-11:45 a.m.
November 18, 2-2:45 p.m.
Basics 101
Don’t say “basic” like it’s a bad thing! Your dog could be basically awesome after taking Basics 101 at Pasadena Humane! This 5-week class covers level 1 core skills for adult dogs. Our certified trainers will teach you how to motivate and communicate with your dog in a fun, positive way. You’ll learn requests like lie down, follow me, go to place, and the foundations of important life skills like loose leashing walking. Dogs in Basics 101 should be comfortable enough to stand calmly and take treats within 10 feet of other dogs.
- Limit 9 dogs
- Dogs must have one adult pet parent present
- Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations
- Dogs must be wearing a collar or harness and leash
- Please bring least two cups of your pup’s favorite treats
- $250 per 5-week session
Available Sessions:
Wednesdays, October 18-November 15, 5:45-6:30 p.m.
Beyond Basics
Reliability and beyond! Ready to sharpen skills and continue to connect with your canine? This 5 week course adds duration and distance to familiar cues introduced in Basics 101. We will also coach you how to teach your dog new requests including Stay and Backup. Students should be able to perform cues Touch, Go to Mat, and Lie down around other dogs comfortably.
- Limit 9 dogs
- Dogs must have one adult pet parent present
- Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations
- Dogs must be wearing a collar or harness and leash
- Please bring at least two cups of your pup’s favorite treats
- $250 per 5-week session
Available Sessions:
Tuesdays, October 17-November 14, 5:30-6:15 p.m.
Large Dog Reactive Rovers
Is your dog making a scene when they see other dogs on leash, moving vehicles, or wildlife? Has all the barking, lunging, and growling become just too much for you to handle? In this 5-week course, our trainers will help you to build essential training and coping skills for your dog. Our classroom setup is designed to reduce visual contact and is limited to only 6 students. Appropriate for dogs 30 lbs. and over. We recommend that dogs with reactivity at distances of 20ft. or more seek private help from a certified professional dog consultant prior to attending this class.
- Limit 6 dogs
- For dogs 30 lbs. and over
- Dogs must have at least one adult pet parent present
- Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations & flea medications
- Dogs must be wearing a harness, collar, and on a 6-8 ft. leash
- Please bring your dog’s favorite soft, easy-to-chew treats
- $280 per 5-week session
- This class is not appropriate for dogs with a bite history
- This class is not suitable for dogs who are reactive to people.
Available Sessions:
Thursdays, October 12-November 9, 5:15-6 p.m.
Little Dogs with Big Feelings
Does your small dog seem to struggle on daily walks? Wondering why they seem to be fearful of some things, and aggressive towards others? You’re not alone! Join other pet guardians in this 5-week course. Our trainers will guide you and your small dog to become more confident and restore peace to your outdoor adventures. Using positive reinforcement and helpful management ideas, we can help build essential training skills for you and your dog. Our classroom structure is designed to reduce visual contact and is limited to only 6 students. Appropriate for dogs under 30 lbs. We recommend that dogs with reactivity at distances of 20 ft. or more seek private help from a certified professional dog consultant prior to attending this class.
- Limit 6 dogs
- For dogs under 30 lbs.
- Dogs must have at least one adult pet parent present
- Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations & flea medications
- Dogs must be wearing a harness, collar, and on a 6-8 ft. leash
- Please bring your dog’s favorite soft, easy-to-chew treats
- $280 per 5-week session
- This class is not appropriate for dogs with a bite history
- This class is not suitable for dogs who are reactive to people.
Available Sessions:
Thursdays, October 12-November 9, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Reactive Rovers 2: Beyond the Barriers
Attention Reactive Rover & Little Dogs with Big Feelings Grads! Are you ready to bravely step out beyond the barrier and into advanced learning skills? Pasadena Humane’s reactive graduates are invited to an exclusive class that will boost your skills. Dog handlers can practice in the presence of other graduates in a safe learning environment. From leash work to addressing real-life situations, you and your dog will feel more confident with the advice and guidance from our certified professional dog trainers. Successful completion of Reactive course is required.
- Dog handlers must have participated in all 5 weeks of Reactive Rovers or Little Dogs with Big Feelings
- Limit 6 dogs
- Dogs must have at least one adult pet parent present
- Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations & flea medications
- Dogs must be wearing a harness, collar, and on a 6-8 ft. leash
- Please bring your dog’s favorite soft, easy-to-chew treats
- $280 per 5-week session
Available Sessions:
Wednesdays, September 6-October 4, 7-7:45 p.m.
Rover-Robics
Gently exercise your dog’s body & mind in our judgement-free “dog gym”. Whether your dog is already a fit fido or is trying to stay trim, we’ve got you covered. Starting with gentle doga stretching, we’ll play around with some sporty dog equipment in this 3 week mini-course. Our trainers will introduce you and your dog to some fun, non-competitive agility & balance exercises. Humans are invited to take part in very gentle stretching with their pups during class. This mini course is for adult dogs (over 1 year of age) with no current physical injuries. Dogs must be comfortable with seeing and hearing other dogs from a distance of ~8ft.
Available Sessions:
Wednesdays, October 18-November 1, 7-7:45 p.m.
Thursdays, November 30-December 14, 5:45-6:30 p.m.
Fun Out of the Sun
Is your husky hot? Frenchie feelin’ fried? Beat the doggone heat this summer at the coolest workshop in town! We will introduce your dog to entertaining indoor training games including beginning scent-work and amusing tricks. Get ideas and advice from our certified trainers on how to provide your pup with alternatives to daily walks on days when the paws aren’t suitable for the pavement. All participants will receive a pupsicle recipe to make at home.
No prerequisite training required; however, dogs should be comfortable around the sight and sound of other dogs at an 8ft. distance.
Available Dates:
September 23, 2-2:45 p.m.
September 30, 2-2:45 p.m.
Kitten Kindergarten
We’re litter-ally not kidding – we’ve got a training class for kitties! Whether you’re a first time cat guardian or already a pawsome pet parent, this workshop is for you. Get up-to-date behavior advice for your 8-14 week old kittens from a Certified Cat Behavior Counselor. Safely socialize your pet with other kittens and new people in a clean, managed environment. Our cat training “purrfessors” will cover topics including litter box habits, mouthing, scratching, harness training, & much more! Kindergarten is not appropriate for kittens who are still learning to build trust with humans. Not sure if this class is right for your kitty? email animaltraining@pasadenahumane.org with your inquiry.
- Limit 10 kittens per class
- Kittens must be between 8 – 14 weeks of age
- Must have one adult pet parent present
- Kittens must be up to date on vaccines appropriate for their age
- Kittens must arrive in a fully enclosed, sturdy fabric or plastic carrier
- Please bring treats for your kitten (Churu brand is what we recommend)
- $25 per 45 minute workshop
- This repeatable workshop has rotating topics each week
Available Dates:
September 23, 9:30-10:15 a.m.
Rockstar Recalls
Buddy, come! Come! Buddy! Buddy?… Oh, Buddy.
Can’t recall the last time your dog came running back the first time you asked? In this 45-minute workshop, we’ll show you how to build a recall so solid your dog might even ignore that squirrel! The best part? It’s all about positive reinforcement, and we’re going to have so much fun learning. This workshop is repeatable, and our trainers will help you work to advance your dog’s skill level from beginner to rockstar! To participate in this workshop your dog must be comfortable enough to stand calmly and take treats within 10 feet of other dogs.
- Limit 8 dogs per session
- Dogs must have one adult pet parent present
- Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations
- Dogs must be wearing a collar or harness and leash
- Please bring at least two cups of your pup’s favorite treats
- $40 per 45-minute workshop
Available Dates:
October 7, 2-2:45 p.m.
November 15, 7-7:45 p.m.
Walk This Way
Is walking your dog a drag? In this repeatable 45-minute one-time workshop, we’ll guide you on how to teach your dog (ages 6 months and up) to walk on a lead without dashing forward. Improve upon your leash handling skills with us in our large training room and practice around distractions at your dog’s comfort level. Get informed, professional advice about pain-free equipment that will work best for you and your dog.
- This class is not appropriate for dogs who growl or lunge when seeing other dogs within 8-10 feet.
Available Dates:
October 7, 3:30-4:15 p.m.
November 16, 5:45-6:30 p.m.
Howl-iday Manners
‘Tis the season for holiday house guests and surprise visitors! Do you want to eat, drink, and be merry, but all your dog wants to do is bark at your favorite uncle and attempt a high jump onto the dessert table? In this 45-minute workshop, we’ll work on polite greetings, mat relaxation, learn to keep all four of those paws firmly on the floor, and even some “just in case” skills like “drop it.” To enroll, your dog must be comfortable enough to stand calmly and take treats within 8 feet of other dogs and comfortable when approached by a friendly stranger.
- Limit 6 dogs per session
- Dogs must have one adult pet parent present
- Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations & flea preventative
- Dogs must be wearing a harness, or collar and a 6-8ft. leash
- Please bring at least two cups of very small soft treats
- $40 per 45-minute workshop
Available Dates:
November 8, 7-7:45 p.m.
November 16, 7-7:45 p.m.
November 18, 12:30-1:15 p.m.
November 30, 7-7:45 p.m.
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Questions? Contact us at animaltraining@pasadenahumane.org
