Our Philosophy
We teach you how to live with your dog.
And we teach your dog how to live with you.
It all starts with great communication.
With over 45 years of experience, we’ve developed a learning method based initially on positive reinforcement (food, toys and praise). We establish a language between the dog and owner that gives the dog a clear understanding of the positive consequences associated with certain behaviors. At the appropriate stage of training, we use negative reinforcers to teach the dog consequences of unwanted behavior. In the end, it’s about creating a mutual understanding between dog and owner that will last a lifetime.
Need help booking an appointment? Watch our tutorial videos here before you book
Our Programs
Board and Train Programs
Our most popular and most effective service! Your dog stays with us on-site learning new skills or brushing up on past behaviors. Staying with us at Cedar Valley Canine allows your dog to receive the adequate repetition needed to instill good behaviors.
Please note: All dogs must be 16 weeks of age and/or have completed all vaccinations including Kennel Cough
2-Week Basic Level Board & Train Program - $2,500.00
2-Week Base Level Canine Board & Train Program
$2,500.00
1 week of Halo Collar Training can be added to this program for $1,350.00
*Dog must be at least 5 months old for Halo Collar training
Our most basic training where your dog will “learn how to learn.” Your pet will have a system of communication and work ethic.
Your canine will learn several new training skills including: Sit, Down, Rest, Wait, Come Through (Door/Threshold Manners), Recall, A Release Command, Leave It and more.
Your dog will have 4 - 5 training sessions throughout the day as well as 2 supervised play periods with other dogs.
Includes an intensive “go-home” lesson with your dog’s trainer as well as two follow-up sessions at Cedar Valley Canine for training reinforcement.
3-Week Intermediate Level Board & Train Program - $3,400.00
3-Week Intermediate Level Canine Board & Train Program
$3,400.00
1 week of Halo Collar Training can be added to this program for $1,350.00
*Dog must be at least 5 months old for Halo Collar training
Includes all of the benefits and training from the Basic Program
The 3-week intermediate program includes E-Collar training for off-leash obedience reinforcement (pricing does not include cost of E-Collar technology). Please review the E-Collar FAQs.
Includes an intensive “go-home” lesson with you and your dog.
Includes three follow-up sessions at Cedar Valley Canine for training reinforcement.
4-Week Advanced Level Board & Train Program - $4,250.00
4-Week Advanced Level Canine Board & Train Program
$4,250.00
1 week of Halo Collar Training can be added to this program for $1,350.00
*Dog must be at least 5 months old for Halo Collar training
Our four-week dog board and train program is our most complete package and includes Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced programs. The Advanced fourth week of the program is used to enhance and reinforce all of the previous weeks.
The 4-week advanced program is the ideal amount of time for your dog to really get the full benefit of our training methodology.
Includes an intensive “go-home” lesson with you and your dog.
Includes four follow-up sessions at Cedar Valley Canine for training reinforcement.
Maintenance Board & Train Program - $975 per week or $140 per day
Maintenance Board & Train Program
$975.00 per week
or $140.00 per day
For pets who have already completed Basic Board and Train, but could use a refresher course of basic training skills.
Includes 2-3 training sessions throughout the day as well as 2 supervised play periods with other dogs.
A “go-home” lesson is not included with this program.
Need help booking an appointment? Watch our tutorial videos here before you book
On-Site Training Session Programs
We offer on-site training sessions at Cedar Valley Canine. Each program includes five one-hour lessons with one of our staffed trainers.
Basic Lesson Package (On-Site) - $775.00
Basic Lesson Package (On-Site)
$775.00 for 5 One-Hour Sessions
Includes five one-hour sessions on-site with one of our staffed trainers.
Ideal for new puppies or dogs that haven’t received any training or older dogs needing a refresher course.
Your dog will learn leash training, manners, housebreaking plus basic commands such as “sit, “down,” and “here.”
Basic Puppy Lesson Package (On-Site) - $775.00
Basic Puppy Lesson Package (On-Site)
$775.00 for 5 One-Hour Sessions
Includes five one-hour sessions on-site with one of our staffed trainers.
Geared towards the abilities of a puppy as young as 8 weeks. The busy puppy translates into a young dog that can easily develop bad habits and become a nuisance to the family, so it is important to direct the natural energy and curiosities of the dog into practical training and living scenarios.
Basic Lesson Package for Puppies Purchased from Cedar Valley Canine (On-Site) - $500.00
Special Pricing for Puppies Purchased from Cedar Valley
$500.00 for 5 One-Hour Sessions
Special Pricing for Puppies Purchased from Cedar Valley
Includes five one-hour sessions on-site with one of our staffed trainers.
Geared towards the abilities of a puppy as young as 8 weeks. The busy puppy translates into a young dog that can easily develop bad habits and become a nuisance to the family, so it is important to direct the natural energy and curiosities of the dog into practical training and living scenarios.
*This package must be completed before the puppy is six months old.
Need help booking an appointment? Watch our tutorial videos here before you book
Specialty Training
We’re proud to offer speciality training services for owners and their pets. Please inquire about cost and availability for these services.
*E-Collar Conditioning and Training - $1150.00
*does not include the cost of the e-collar
We are a licensed E-Collar Technologies dealer and trainer. With over 30 years of experience training with e-collars, Dave has mastered the correct use of the collar as a behavioral reinforcer.
E-collar conditioning and training is implemented after basic obedience and can be incorporated into other programs and packages for an additional fee.
E-collar training is a one week program either as a stand alone after basic obedience is completed or can be added onto the Basic Board and Train
Please note: price of E-Collar technology collar is not included in the pricing.
Odor Detection/Response Training/K9 Nosework - call for price
Training services for (but not limited to) Peanut Oil Detection, Bedbug Detection, Narcotics Detection, Explosive Detection, and Cell Phone Detection. In detection training, dogs learn how to search for a specific odor or odors and find the source. Dogs start by searching for their favorite food or toy reward hidden in a variety of environments, increasing the challenges and adding new search skills as the dog progresses.
We also offer K9 Nosework classes for sport training. Inspired by working detection dogs, K9 Nose Work is a fun search and scenting activity for virtually all dogs and people. This easy to learn activity and sport builds confidence and focus in many dogs, and provides a safe way to keep dogs fit and healthy through mental and physical exercise.
*Watch Dog/ Personal Protection - call for price
Canine Good Citizen - call for more information
Dave has extensive experience training police and military K9 as well as years of work as a Protection Decoy in Schutzhund and IPO trails. Lead trainer Perry Chapman also is an experienced highly trained professional decoy.
Beginning with introducing the dog to the elements of protection training up to the finished adult, we offer a variety of services tailored to the level of training your dog has achieved
You can read more about what our standards are for a proper protection dog here.
Please note that not every dog is meant for personal protection and will need to go through an evaluation with Dave prior to training.
The Canine Good Citizen certification (CGC) is an AKC sponsored program that’s open to all dogs–purebred and mixed breed. It is a ten-skill training program that focuses on teaching the basics of good manners and obedience, instilling the values of responsible ownership, and strengthening the bond between you and your dog at home and out in the community.
After mastering the ten skills, passing the CGC test together, and taking the Responsible Dog Ownership pledge, you and your pup will join the proud ranks of over 1 million dogs who have earned their Canine Good Citizen award.
Evaluation Appointment - $100
Can’t decide which program is best for you? Or just want to see if we are a good fit? Our Evaluation appointment is a perfect opportunity to come meet the team at Cedar Valley Canine so we can evaluate the needs of your pet (please note: this is mandatory step for all Specialty Training dogs).
Need help booking an appointment? Watch our tutorial videos here before you book
Frequently Asked Questions
Many of your commonly asked questions about Cedar Valley Canine boarding and training programs can be found here in our FAQs!
Getting Started with Cedar Valley Canine Training
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For our Board and Train Programs: Your dog should be a minimum of 16 weeks of age for the board and train programs and if their required vaccines have been completed.
For our On-Site Training Lessons: Your dog must be at least 12 weeks of age for the on-site lesson program.
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First of all, it is not true that you can't teach an old dog new tricks!
We have had dogs that are 9 years old come through programs with us.
For adult dogs, we take a personalized approach with a case-by-case basis and evaluate your dogs' age and health, and your training goals before any commitments are made.
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We work with all breeds!
If you are having problems with aggression or resource guarding, we will always do an evaluation with you first to decide the best next steps.
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Required vaccines are:
Bordetella
DA2PP
Rabies vaccines.
We require that documentation is sent to our email address prior to your arrival.
The ideal document to send us is usually called the “Reminder Report” and includes:
The dogs’ name
The owners name
The date that each vaccine was given
The due date for each vaccine.
Please Note: The due date for each vaccine is important, as each one has its own expiration date, ranging from 6 months to 3 years.
General Training and Tools Information
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We have several trainers here on staff and we generally assign the dogs to a trainer as they come in. It depends on which trainers have openings on their list at the time!
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We start with a nylon slip leash / collar, a flat nylon buckle collar, a chain slip collar or a fur saver collar.
(If your dog is in a protection training program, we generally use a 2-inch wide leather agitation collar and/or a leather harness.)
Then, we use prong collars for the on-leash training and e-collars for the off-leash training with most dogs.
We take the time to fairly introduce each collar to the dogs based on the training program they are enrolled in.
Our goal is to create a positive association with these training tools. We want the dogs to see them and be excited to get to work!
We use a specific brand of e-collar with our training dogs (E-collar Technologies / www.ecollar.com).
These collars have 100 levels, so we are able to fine-tune until we find setting that each individual dog needs!
The models we use most frequently are the ME-300 (for toy-sized dogs), the ET-300 (for small dogs) and the ET-400 (for medium and large sized dogs).
We generally recommend upgrading to the bungee collar strap option, as this allows for more flexibility in the collar when the dogs are exercising.
If your dog has a long or thick coat, we generally also recommend purchasing the long titanium contact points (3/4”).
These collars are not included in any of the training program packages, and they must be purchased separately.
Please reach out to us with any questions you have before placing your order!
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Generally, training collars are to be used for maintenance training for the life of the dog, especially in new environments or areas with new stimuli.
We always recommend putting the collar(s) on the dog first thing in the morning and then taking them off before bedtime if you will be home throughout the day.
For safety reasons, we also recommend taking the collar off when you leave the house, when the dog is in the crate, and overnight.
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Absolutely!
Maintenance training at home is extremely important. During the go-home lesson on pick-up day, we will talk with you about how to incorporate short training sessions into your daily life.
We compare this to athletes - they are practicing frequently to be sure that they perform well during competitions / games.
If they do not practice, they will gradually lose those skills over time.
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Yes! Our 2, 3, and 4-week board and train programs include follow-up lessons!
You will accrue one follow-up lesson per week of training to be used after the dog completes the program.
You can request a day and time for your follow-up lessons through your online account.
We always recommend returning for your first follow-up lesson about two weeks after you take the dog home from a program.
The credits do not expire!
Board and Train Procedures
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Your dog will stay in a 5ft x 10ft outdoor covered kennel run with a dog house and access to a 2.5-gallon water bucket.
Please note: In the case of inclement weather, we crate all dogs indoors.
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We do not allow you to visit during your dog's board and train program.
Most dogs take a few days to settle in once they arrive.
If you visit in the middle of their program, it will generally take them another few days to settle after you leave, which can interfere with training momentum.
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We give updates by request!
You can text or call the office number for an update and/or request to receive photos of your dog.
Board and Train Program
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All dogs go out in the yard to go potty first thing in the morning. If they are friendly with other dogs, we try to pair them with a playmate to go out with during this time.
Each of the trainers generally has around three or four board and train dogs on their list at any given time.
The trainer will get one of their dogs out for a 10 - 20 minute training session and then put the dog back in a play yard, in a crate for some crate training, or back in their kennel to rest.
Then, the trainer will get the next dog on their list out for a session and repeat this process, cycling through their list several times throughout the day until each dog has had the number of training sessions they need depending on the program they are enrolled in.
At the end of the day, the kennel staff come in for their second shift to turn the dogs out for play / potty time again while their kennels are being cleaned.
During the two days when the trainers are off per week, the dogs each get out several times for potty and play breaks and go for leash walks with the kennel staff.
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The dogs that are enrolled in our full training programs (2, 3 and 4 week) are trained 5 days per week, 4-5 times per day.
The dogs enrolled in our maintenance training programs are trained twice per day.
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We have several trainers on staff, and we generally assign the dogs to a trainer as they come in. It depends on which trainers have openings on their list at the time!
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If they are friendly with other dogs, we try to pair them with a playmate or put them in a small supervised play group.
They will go out in these pairs and groups at least a couple of times daily while their kennels are being cleaned.