Help your dog develop patience, focus, and self-regulation in everyday situations through fun, structured activities. In this single, drop-in class, we’ll practice helping dogs calmly settle on a mat, wait politely for things they want, offer you attention in a distracting environment, and making calm choices—even when excitement is high. With fun yet structured exercises in a controlled environment, this class is perfect for dogs who may seem “too friendly” towards other dogs or people, who are wiggly, excitable, easily distracted and learning how to manage their enthusiasm.
Help your dog practice calm, reliable greeting manners in a supportive and controlled training space. This 45-minute class focuses on teaching dogs to approach people without jumping or pulling — skills that can be hard to practice out in the real world. With structured setups, planned distractions, and plenty of coached repetitions, you’ll be able to work on polite greetings in a safe, predictable environment.
In this 45-minute, fun, easy class, we will channel your dog’s extra energy into calming sniffing games.
With guided exercises and exciting sniffing challenges, your dog will learn to concentrate on calming, scent-oriented tasks amidst distractions. Sniffing games are known to improve dogs’ self-regulation, problem-solving skills and boost their confidence. They can help your dog calm down after seeing an exciting squirrel on a walk, or they can help your dog play sniffing games when you have guests over at your hour. The class is perfect for exuberant or slightly worried dogs 6 months and up.
Tricks, skills, and lots of tail wags! Dogs 6 months and older practice fun and useful tricks like chin rests, spins, and army crawls. This class makes training exciting while boosting your pup’s focus, improving their body awareness and confidence. Handlers can refine their dog training and communication skills through learning training techniques like luring, shaping, capturing and marking. This is a great boredom buster class for a rainy afternoon or a hot day when you can’t take your dog out for their usual walk.
Is your dog constantly pulling on the leash or ignoring you the moment you step outside?
In this informative workshop, you’ll learn effective techniques to teach your dog to come when called and walk politely on a loose leash. Gain valuable insights and practical tips to make your walks more enjoyable for both you and your pup!
Our Training Philosophy
At Oregon Humane Society, our trainers focus on building a strong, healthy bond between pets and people through scientifically based positive reinforcement methods. We do not use fear or intimidation-based tactics, and believe that reward-based techniques and education is the best way to promote a trusting and respectful relationship.
For this reason, we ask that dogs do not wear prong collars, choke chains, or electronic collars to our classes. We also ask that dogs are on a regular, 6-foot leash—no flexi leashes, please. If you are currently using any of these, our trainers are always happy to suggest alternatives.
What to Expect
Signing Up for Classes
Our certified trainers want to ensure that you and your pet get the training help that you need. Not all classes are suited for every dog. If your dog barks and lunges at other dogs or has bitten anyone, please contact us to help determine the right class for you.
Registration fees are per pet. We use Mindbody for our scheduling software, which works best with Chrome. When you sign up for your first class, you will be asked to set up an account with Mindbody, using a login and password that is unique to you. Already signed up for a class? Access your training schedule here.
Attending Classes
- Classes are held at our Portland campus in the Animal Medical Learning Center and at our Salem campus in Canine Classroom. Get directions here.
- Attendance is limited to two people per pet.
- Bring your dog on a collar or harness and a 4-6 ft leash.
- Bring medium-high value treats cut into small pieces (like liver, cheese, chicken, or jerky).
- Bring a treat pouch, fanny pack, or apron to stash your treats during training to keep your hands free.
- Bring something on which your dog can lay down (like a towel, dog bed, or old yoga mat).
- Optional: Bring a water bottle and a chew toy for your dog to settle with between exercises (no squeaky toys, please).
More Training Help
Have questions about our training facilities or classes? Need more help for your pet? Check out our frequently-asked questions, use our interactive resource tool, sign up for a training class, or book a private training to find solutions.
Contact Us
Free Pet Behavior Helpline
(503) 416-2983
Training & Behavior
(503) 802-6729
