Dog Training Classes on a Working Farm in Richmond, Maine
Farm-based Small-group Obedience Classes
Led by the same trainer and on the same farm behind our board and train programs.
If you want professional-level obedience training but prefer to be the one handling your dog, this is for you. You'll learn to train your own dog under direct, step-by-step guidance — on 15 acres of working farmland with real distractions, real challenges, and a maximum of three participants per class.
These aren't dog training classes at a pet store. There's no circle of folding chairs. No twelve dogs in a fluorescent-lit room. Three dogs. One trainer. A working farm. And by the end of the program, you'll have the skills and the tools to maintain the training yourself.
Classes run spring through fall. Launching May 2026.
Dog Training Classes With Personal Attention — 3 Dogs Maximum, 20+ Years of Experience
Obedience Foundation Class — For puppies and dogs that need foundational skills and clear communication.
This class builds the behavioral foundation that prevents the problems most owners hire a trainer to fix later. No e-collar. The approach is reward-driven, and focused on building a communication system between you and your dog. This is the right starting point for any dog — young or old — that needs foundational skills before advancing to off-leash work.
What you'll learn to train:
-
Heeling position, Sit, Down, Kennel, Place, Recall
-
Impulse control and leash pressure response
-
Communication conditioning: Yes, Good, No, Nope
-
Professional-level socialization and desensitization protocols
-
Early behavior modification: mouthing, jumping, demand barking
How it works:
Four weekly sessions on the farm. You start with the communication language and foundational cues, build complexity and distraction each week, and finish with a refinement session where
you troubleshoot and prepare for independent practice at home.
Details:
-
4 sessions, 1.5 hours each, over 4 weeks
-
3 participants maximum
-
Equipment package purchased separately ($149)
-
Spring through fall
Investment: $699
*Reactive and aggressive dogs are not suitable for this program. If you're not sure if your dog qualifies we can discuss that during a free phone consultation. We don't take serious human aggression cases. Reactivity cases are taken in our Board and Train Programs.
Off-Leash Obedience Class — For dogs ready for e-collar conditioning and off-leash reliability.
This is the flagship class. Over five weekly sessions on the farm — plus one real-world field trip — you'll learn to train your dog in off-leash obedience using professional e-collar conditioning,
the same methodology used in our board and train programs.
What you'll learn to train:
-
Recall (come), Sit + Stay, Down + Stay, Heel, Place, Kennel
-
Communication language: Yes, Good, No
-
E-collar conditioning using low-level pressure
-
Behavior modification: jumping, demand barking, counter-surfing, threshold manners
-
Real-world proofing on a field trip to a town, store, or public space
How it works:
Sessions 1–3 are on-farm instruction — foundation behaviors, e-collar introduction, and increasing distraction levels around livestock, varied terrain, and other dogs in the class. Session
4 is on-farm refinement and troubleshooting to make sure every handler is confident and competent. Session 5 is a real-world field trip to proof the training where it actually matters.
Details:
-
5 sessions, 1.5–2 hours each, over 5 weeks
-
3 participants maximum
-
Equipment package purchased separately ($349)
-
Spring through fall
Investment: $1,099
*Reactive and aggressive dogs are not suitable for this program. If you're not sure if your dog qualifies we can discuss that during a free phone consultation. We don't take serious human aggression cases. Reactivity cases are taken in our Board and Train Programs.
Professional Equipment Packages
Obedience Foundation Package — $149
Professional elevated place cot, Rapid Rewards training pouch, and Herm Sprenger training collar.
Off-Leash Obedience Package — $349*
E-Collar Technologies EZ-900 e-collar, professional elevated place cot, rapid rewards training pouch, and Herm Sprenger training collar.
*Foundation graduates who later enroll in Off-Leash Obedience pay only $200 for the e-collar upgrade — no need to repurchase equipment you already own.
What Makes These Dog Training Classes Different
Which Dog Training Class is Right for Your Dog?
Start with Obedience Foundation if: Your dog is a puppy, is new to structured training, or needs foundational communication and impulse control before attempting off-leash work. This class is also the right fit for older dogs that missed early training. No previous training required.
Start with Off-Leash Obedience if: Your dog already understands and can reliably perform the basic obedience behaviors on leash, and is ready for e-collar conditioning and off-leash reliability. Your dog should be comfortable on leash in the presence of other dogs and not display aggression toward people or dogs. Not sure which fits? A free phone consultation will sort it out.
Looking for Board and Train Instead? Our classes are built for owners who want to train their own dog with professional guidance. But if you'd rather have the training done for you — fully immersive, residential, on the farm — our board and train programs may be the better fit. Same farm, same trainer, same standard.