Services

In-Home Training & Problem Solving

Puppy Training (puppies 6 months and under):

Don’t wait until your puppy is six months old! The first few months are a critical development time for puppies and building a solid foundation during this time is the best way to prevent bad habits. Your puppy is learning from Day One, either good habits or bad ones!

We’ll start with an information session/consultation where we’ll talk about everything Puppy. We’ll discuss Housetraining, Nipping, Chewing, Jumping Up, Socialization, Exercise, Bite Inhibition, and more! We’ll learn how to teach a couple commands that you can start right away.

In the following in-home sessions, we can learn commands Sit, (Lie) Down, Stay, Leash Walking, Leave It, Drop It, Come, Wait to Eat, Wait at the Door, and Door Greetings. We can also work on other issues such as excessive barking, counter surfing, digging, and more. Due to Covid-19, we will wear masks and do as much as possible outside. 

Basic Training (dogs older than six months):

Oh no! Bad habits have set in! Or your pup is just very exuberant and you want to rein her in a bit and/or learn some manners. We can work on Sit, Stay, Down, Come, Leave It, Drop It, Wait to Eat, Wait at the Door, and Leash Walking. We can also work on not Jumping, Counter-Surfing, eliminate Begging, Digging, Staying Off Furniture, not Destroying Property, and more. We will wear masks and be outdoors as much as possible.

Problem Solving

Sadly, many dogs are in shelters because of preventable, or solvable, behavior problems. Joy for Dogs hopes to reduce the numbers of dogs in shelters by helping them stay with their families in their “forever home”. Joy for Dogs will work with you to achieve your goals and eliminate those annoying behaviors so that you can develop the bond with your dog that you were meant to have and enjoy your best friend!

Sessions are tailored to your needs and can also include any training cues such as: Come, Sit, Stay, Down, Leave It, Drop It, Wait to Eat or Wait at the Door. Sessions take place in your home. Due to Covid, we will wear masks and be outdoors as much as possible.

Behavior Consulting

Joy for Dogs can help with more complex behavior issues, such as separation anxiety, resource guarding and leash reactivity towards other dogs. Please email for more information.

Pricing

The following pricing applies to puppy training, basic training, problem solving and behavior consulting. Weekday and evening/weekend times are available, with weekday times being preferred and less expensive. You can purchase a package ahead and save some money, or pay as you go.

Day Training

Does your pup need training but you have no time? Day training to the rescue!

Joy for Dogs will come to your home while you are at work (or at home!) and work directly with your dog on certain skills.

We can come to your home up to 3 times per week, for 45-minute sessions, on most Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, between 9am & 2pm.

Day Training is offered in Sudbury, Framingham and Wayland.

Please email for pricing and more information.

Canine Good Citizen Training/Testing

Are you interested in earning the AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate for your pup? Joy for Dogs can help you train for the test, and is an approved Evaluator, so can also administer the test.

From AKC’s website:
The AKC’s Canine Good Citizen program is the gold standard of behavior for dogs in our communities. Almost one million dogs, both purebred and mixed breed, have participated in the program since it began in 1989.

Canine Good Citizen is part of the AKC Family Dog Program and many dog owners choose CGC as their first step in training their dogs. It also provides a great foundation for getting started in dog sports.

As you work with your dog to teach the CGC skills, you’ll discover the many benefits and joys of training. You’ll enhance your bond with your dog, and dogs with basic obedience training are a joy to live with—interacting well with other people and dogs and responding well to household routines.

The CGC program offers many practical advantages too. The CGC award is a prerequisite for many therapy dog groups. Some homeowner’s insurance companies encourage CGC testing, and an increasing number of apartments and condos require that resident dogs pass the CGC test. The tagline of the CGC program is, “Responsible Owners, Well-Mannered Dogs,” and that is what CGC is all about.

Contact Joy for Dogs for more information or to set up training or a test!