The APS Lifeskills Program

• $50 for 4 classes plus an orientation
• Lifeskills Orientation Saturdays from 1:00pm-2:00pm (for humans only,
  please come without your dog)
• Adult Lifeskills (older than 5 months) 9:30am-10:30am
• Puppy Lifeskills (younger than 5 months) 11:00am-12:00pm
• to reserve a spot, call or email Sharon Ashe at (919)304-2300 ext 233 or dogtraining@animalprotectionsociety.org

Lifeskills is an ongoing class given on Saturdays that is offered FREE for anyone adopting a dog from the APS of Orange County.  The class is open to all other dogs if room is available.  The classes are ongoing so that new adopters do not have to wait 4 to 12 weeks for a new class session to start.  The APS
recognizes the need to get dogs into classes as soon as possible to help them transition into their new homes.  We want to provide dogs and their new owners with as much support as possible.

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about Lifeskills:

What do you teach in Lifeskills?
The behaviors that we teach are:  Sit, Down, Attention, Name Recognition, Come, Wait, Leave it, walking politely on Leash, and appropriate greeting behavior. In Puppy Lifeskills we also address handling, socialization with other dogs and humans, puppy mouthing, and jumping.

Do I have to take all 5 classes consecutively?
No, once you have taken the orientation (offered at 1:00 on Saturdays), you will have 8 weeks in which to take your remaining 4 classes.

Do I have to register every time that I want to come to class?
No, you only need to register once.  Once you have attended the 1:00 Saturday Orientation you do not need to call us and tell us which classes you'll be coming to.  

I adopted a dog from the APS.  Do I still need to register?
Yes, you will need to register by calling or emailing Sharon Ashe, the Dog Training Program Manager. Puppies need to have had at least 2 rounds of their parvo/distemper vaccine before they can attend the class.  Your adoption counselor can tell you if your Puppy is ready to attend Lifeskills classes.

What is the difference between Lifeskills and the regular Family Dog classes?
While there are some small differences in what is taught between Lifeskills and Family Dog 1, the biggest difference is that Lifeskills is an ongoing class and Family Dog 1 is a class that starts and ends at a specific time.  This means that Family Dog 1 has a very structured curriculum with certain behaviors being taught in a certain order and the same people are in the class each week.  Lifeskills classes will vary each week depending on the dogs that attend.

If my dog graduates from Lifeskills can they move on to Family Dog 2?
It depends on the owner and the dog.  If you both feel confident with the Lifeskills material (especially sit, down, and name recognition in the presence of distractions and without a visible food lure), then you are welcome to move on to Family Dog 2 or one of our other classes.  If you are still working on sit and down or if you have a very young dog, then Family Dog 1 may be the best next step for you.  Your instructor can help you to make the best choice for you and your dog.