Come and train your dog in a fun and positive way! Small group classes ensure that you will get lots of individual attention from nationally Certified Professional Dog Trainers Kathy Shea, Lil Clark, Stephanie Williams, Fran Zelladonis, Sandy House, and Brian Tippy.

If this is your first time at Paws 'N Effect, we recommend that you start out with Puppy Kindergarten if your dog is under 20 weeks, or Family Dog Training: Basics if your dog is over 20 weeks. Both classes start with a 90-minute information session without dogs to introduce you to the basics of positive training, as well as the policies and resources of our state-of-the-art facility.

However, if you feel a different class would be a better starting point for you and your dog, don't hesitate to call us at (203) 281-7150 to discuss the class that will be the best fit for you and your best friend.

For dogs and handlers who have taken Puppy Kindergarten or Family Dog Training: Basics, we offer a series of classes to help hone your canine communication skills and your dog's behavior. Whatever your goals for your team, we have a class for you! Navigate the class list to the left for full details or read on below for short overviews.

Practicing the Basics is for dogs & people who are looking for the opportunity to practice, practice, practice! Behaviors such as stay, coming when called, walking on leash, walking off leash, and greeting dogs and people, are practiced with distractions using creative, fun games & exercises.

Training Games is for dogs & people who have been through Practicing the Basics (or its equivalent) and who want to continue training through fun scenarios & games!

Connection, Cooperation & Control™ is based on the principles of Suzanne Clothier’s Relationship Centered Training™. It's designed to help you create mutual connection with your dog and bridge the gap between behavior at home and in public places.

Canine Good Citizen is a class that prepares you to take the evaluation for AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, part of a program that promotes responsible dog-human relationships and allows you to demonstrate that your dog should be welcome everywhere. 

Frustration 101 is a six class session exploring strategies and games to make your daily walks an enjoyable, relaxing event.

Dogs Just Want to Have Fun is drop in session for our friends who are tired of the same old sit!