Thursday, February 16, 2023

Paws and Play Membership


Introducing the NEW Paws & Play Membership at the Yooper Paws Training Center!

Imagine having a gym membership for your dog!

That's the goal with the Paws & Play Membership at the Yooper Paws Training Center. Members have access to the Training Center whenever there are not classes, private sessions, or workshops taking place. We have Canine Coaches that will open the center for your Paws & Play Session mornings, afternoons, and evenings. And if you don't see a time available that meets your schedule, you can suggest additional times. We will do our best to accommodate the needs of all our members.

Members will be able to schedule time in the large Play & Train room to help get their dogs some exercise, build teamwork and engagement, practice skills taught in classes, use our parkour equipment and other supplies.

Members will also be able to access the Paws & Relax room filled with enrichment activities that allow the dog to sniff, lick, chew, and shred. This room will be set up in a calm, home like environment that dogs and owners can enjoy together. We will provide different scent articles based on your dog's needs, lickmats with a wide variety of toppings, and lots of cardboard and other materials that some dogs love to shred.

Families with multiple dogs can have one dog in the Paws & Rest Room while another is working in the Play & Train Room. This avoids leaving one dog home while the owner works with the other dog independently. This is helpful when there is an older dog that tires out more quickly then a younger pup! The rooms are separated by a pet gate that is easy to open to let dogs and humans move between the rooms as desired. Both rooms have outside access for any dog that needs to get outside for potty needs.

Paws & Play Members will also have access to our Treat Cupboard & Coffee Corner with snacks for both dogs and humans. We will have a Tips & Donations jar available to help keep these areas stocked for our Members to enjoy.

Membership will cost $20 per month or $200 if paid annually. That's a discount of 2 free months!
Clients who are enrolled in a Training Class or other Package can receive a discount for $15 per month or $150 annually.

To become a Paws & Play Member, fill out the simple form here:

Members will be required to fill out a Release Form on their first visit and once annually.
Payments can be made in person at the center or via PayPal or Venmo.

FAQ's

The Paws & Play Membership is a Family Membership! The month fee covers all members of the household including people and pets. While kids are always welcome, an adult must be present at all times. You can chose to bring multiple dogs in your household to play or one or two dogs to train. Basically the owner is able to arrange their session as they wish as long as they are being safe.

While members may invite friends to play at no additional costs, this will not become a Dog Park, free for all, place to play! Canine Coaches will not directly be involved in your session but they will keep on eye on safety letting you know if something you are doing is getting a bit too crazy.

Additional Questions will be answered here as we receive them!

For more information contact us at yooperpaws@gmail.com
 

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Announcement: Training Center Opens

Yooper Paws Training Center

611 N. Hooper St.
Kingsford, MI  49802

We are pleased to announce to our clients that we will soon have our very own Yooper Paws Training Center!

Friends & Family of Yooper Paws is quickly working together to bring this amazing opportunity to the Kingsford/Iron Mountain and surrounding areas.  Here is a line up of some of the things we have planned.

Positively Puppy Class

This class is geared for puppies under 6 months old. We practice setting up new experiences for our puppies with socialization to all the senses; smelling, hearing, seeing, tasting, & touching. We also work on the foundation skills that will lead to pups having the skills for the STAR Puppy & AKC Canine Good Citizen Test. Yooper Paws of Love does not give these AKC tests, but we train to the same goals by using positive reinforcement based training methods. We are currently finishing up a class and will have the dates for the next class ready very shortly. You can get on the wait list for the next class here!

Focus Around Distractions (1-3)

This class is geared for adolescents 6-24 months old. We spend a lot of time working on leash manners and recall and then build up those skills around various distractions including other dogs, traffic or crossing roads, navigating pet friendly events and locations. This class was designed by Yooper Paws of Love Canine Coach, Penny Beeman. The goal is for dog owners to learn how to read their dog's body language and learn to set up the environment for success as the dog learns how to control themselves in various real life situations. This is a games based training class where we learn about using games to teach the foundation skills that you want your dog to have as an adult. You can get on the waitlist for the next class here!

The Canine Care Club

This class is designed for dogs of all skill sets, but will focus mainly on dogs who might be a bit high energy, have some anxiety issues, or struggle when seeing other dogs. The training will take place in your car at various locations around town. For more information check out this link.

**NEW Paws & Play Membership!

This is something we are really excited about because we couldn't offer this without our own Training Center. The Paws & Play Membership will allow members to access the Yooper Paws Training Center for 1 hour private play sessions and calm enrichment sessions with their dog.  With the extremes in weather that we sometimes have, playing outside is not always possible. Some dogs are too overstimulated outdoors to work on training and can use this time to work on training in an environment that is set up for success. Members can sign up for as many sessions per month as they'd like. Sessions will be booked 3 days in advance and a Yooper Paws facilitator will be there to show you around and make sure you have access to all the great toys Yooper Paws has.

Register to become a Paws & Play Member. (Link coming soon!)
Paws & Play Members can schedule their session here: https://calendly.com/yooperpaws/paws-play-session

Private Sessions with a Trainer

Canine Coach Penny Beeman is a Certified Behavior Consultant that can work with you and your dog to tackle most behavior issues. Penny has extensive history dealing with over-reactive dogs and can help you understand the emotions behind your dog's behavior, learn about the reinforcement the dog is gaining from the behavior, and work on creating a starting plan to help desensitize your dog to the trigger that makes them over-react. 

Penny is also a Service Dog Handler and mentors other Service Dog Teams. The Training Center is set up to be handicapped accessible and provides a place where you can learn to navigate many of life's challenges with your Service Dog in Training. We will work to understand your disability and your needs to help you develop the skills you need to gain independence with the help of your Service Dog. Yooper Paws of Love does not "Certify" Service Dogs. Please refer to our SD Tips page for more assistance on Service Dog specific assistance.

Canine Coach Faith Weber specializes in helping dogs learn to share space safely. The Training Facility is set up to support allowing dogs to greet safely for the first time using distance and management to provide safety. Faith is skilled in reading Canine Body Language for various breeds and can help you learn to read your dog better.




Yooper Paws of Love staff are trained in reading Canine Body Language and developing safe habits for dog and owner to participate in training together. All dogs over 6 months of age must be evaluated before being allowed to participate in group classes. This is to unsure the safety of everyone in the building. Dog owners can book a free 30 minute session to have their dog evaluated and find out which class best suits their needs.

In addition to scheduled activities above, Yooper Paws of Love will be scheduling some new Events over the upcoming events. Here are a few ideas we are discussing:

  • Treat Baking Workshop - make and take home simple recipes with healthy ingredients to make your dog the happiest of pups.
  • Enrichment Feeder Prep Workshop - learn how to cook healthy options for lickmats, stuffed toys & bones, snuffle mats and other meals that add enrichment to your dog's life.
  • Paracord Leash Making Class - learn how to make custom paracord leashes of any length for your dog.
  • Toy Making Workshop - DIY toys that are sure to please even your picky dogs.
  • Cooperative Care Workshop - learn how to make trips to the groomer/vet less stressful and techniques to help you do simple grooming at home.
  • Canine Body Language Workshops - learn how to understand body language and what to look for meeting unknown dogs on the trail. Who's a Threat and Who's Not!
  • Canine Emotional States Workshop - learn how to understand your dog's emotions and how this applies to dog training.
Have another workshop idea or what to express interest in any of these ideas, 
reach out to us at yooperpaws@gmail.com.

Last but not least! The Yooper Paws Coffee Hour on Wednesday, Feb 15th will no longer be held at Burger King but will now meet at the Yooper Paws Training Center! Stop out and see the new facility and have coffee on us.

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