Group classes are suitable for dogs who are able to work and focus safely and calmly in the presence of other people and dogs. If you feel that this may be a challenge for your dog, beginning with private lessons might be the best choice. Class fees are non-refundable. If a dog is determined by the instructor to not be ready for a group class setting, class fees may be applied to a private lesson or online learning package within 2 months.

Start dates may be changed if there are weather related cancellations in the current session.

Clever Dog

Clever Dog class is an obedience and life skills class for puppies 8 weeks and over and adult dogs. We will introduce basic obedience cues like sit, down, come, and leash walking as well as introducing the puppies and dogs to new socialization and body awareness experience, adding progressive distractions over time. This class will give a great start to your dog’s training, whether he is destined to be a dog sports star or a great family companion.

Clever Dog class includes:

• Six weekly small group classes in the indoor training center at Godfrey’s Welcome to Dogdom.
• Weekly homework handouts with detailed lesson plans and video demonstrations.
  Access to The Clever Hound LLC Student Facebook Group.
• The opportunity to take the AKC Star Puppy, Canine Good Citizen, or Novice Trick Dog tests at graduation if you and your dog are ready.
• Graduates of Clever Dog have the opportunity to enroll in a wide variety of advanced classes like Advanced Clever Dog, All Around Hound, Clever Hound About Town, Rally Novice, and Introduction to Agility.

Class is $180 for the six week session.

Upcoming classes:

Mondays at 6 pm with Kristina Schaeffer, starting October 5, no class October 12.  

Thursdays at 11 am with Stephanie Mays, starting October 15

Thursdays at 6:30 pm with Kristina Schaeffer, starting October 29.

All Clever Dog classes are held at Godfreys 4267 New Holland Rd, Mohnton, PA.

Clever Dog is a prerequisite for rally, agility, Advanced Clever Dog, All Around Hound, and Clever Hound About Town classes.

Advanced Clever Dog

Advanced Clever Dog is for successful graduates of Clever Dog class. We will continue to grow the foundation skills introduced in Clever Dog class and work towards the Canine Good Citizen Test.

Advanced Clever Dog class is $180 for the 6 week session. The new session will begin on October 14 at 6:45 pm.  This class is full with a short waitlist. Registration is open now for the session beginning January 6 at 6:45 pm.

Advanced Clever Dog class includes: 

• Six weekly small group classes in the indoor training center at Godfrey’s Welcome to Dogdom. 
• Weekly homework handouts with detailed lesson plans and video demonstrations.
• Access to The Clever Hound LLC Student Facebook Group.
• The opportunity to take the AKC Canine Good Citizen or Community Canine tests at graduation if you and your dog are ready. 
• Graduates of Advanced Clever Dog have preference for enrollment in popular classes like Clever Hound About Town and Introduction to Agility. 

To register, please email us at cleverhounddogtraining@gmail.com . Online registration is not available for classes with prerequisites. 

 Scent Work 

Scent Work is for dogs eight weeks and older.  We will introduce the dogs to the odors and searches that will be used in the AKC and CPE Scent Work programs.  Experienced teams will perform searches and prepare for scent work competition. No previous training is required.   

Scent work class is $150 for the six week session.  Drop in space may be available for experienced teams only for $30 per lesson.  Odor kits are available for $40 and are highly recommended for new students. 

Beginning September 2026, all Scent Work Classes will be held at Godfrey’s. 

Mondays at  2:15 pm and 7:30 pm starting  November 9. No class November 23.  This is a 3 week session, the cost is $75.

Fridays at 6 pm starting November 6  with Krissy Schaeffer. 

Tuesdays at 4:30 pm, starting November 10. This is a 4 week session, the cost is $100. 

Rally

AKC Rally Novice is for dogs 6 months and older who can reliably sit, lie down, and walk on a loose leash.  We will focus on training the behaviors and handling skills required for AKC Rally Novice, with course work included each week.  The foundation behaviors required for Rally Advanced and Excellent may be introduced as well.  Clever Dog class or equivalent experience is a prerequisite for this class.

AKC Rally for Competition is for dog and handler teams who have earned a Rally Novice title and graduates of Rally Novice class with permission from the instructor.  The focus will be on skills needed for advanced, excellent, and master courses.  Topics such as pivots, jumping, spins, and backups will be covered.

Rally class is $150 for the six week session. Drop in space may be available for experienced teams only for $30 per lessons. 

All rally classes are held at Godfreys.

Upcoming classes:

Starting Wednesday October 14. Competition Class at 5:30 pm. No class November 18 or 25.

Starting Monday November 9. Novice Class at 3:30 pm, Competition Class at 4:45 pm. No class November 23.  This is a 3 week session, the cost is $75.

Agility

Agility Foundation Skills is for graduates of Introduction to Agility. We will focus on introducing obstacle performance and handling fundamentals.  This class is held on Tuesdays at 2 pm at Rocky Creek Dog Agility, beginning October 20.

Agility Trial Preparation class is for dogs who are comfortable on agility equipment and preparing to enter trials.  We will be focusing on longer sequencing and preparation for competition.  This class is held on Tuesdays at 3 pm at Rocky Creek Dog Agility. The next session will begin on October 20.

Agility classes are $180 for the six week session.

Introduction to Agility is offered once each year, usually in January. This class is only open to graduates of Clever Dog, with preference given to graduates of Advanced Clever Dog. No exceptions will be made to this policy.  The next session will begin January 7 at 5 pm. Registration opens November 9 for graduates of Advanced Clever Dog and November 16 for graduates  of Clever Dog. Payment of class fees will be required to hold spots in class.

Agility is a very complicated and difficult sport for both dogs and handlers. Please be aware of the following before registering for class.

The next level class will be held on Tuesday afternoons at Rocky Creek Dog Agility in Ephrata. I am not able to offer evening agility classes. If daytime classes aren’t a good fit for you, I recommend that you contact Kim at Rocky Creek Dog Agility to see if she has a class opening that will better suit your schedule.

Agility requires a great deal of concentration and confidence from dogs. If your dog is not comfortable eating and working for a variety of different food treats in a distracting environment, they are probably not ready for this class.

Dogs must be crate trained. Agility is an off leash sport, so once we pass the foundation level dogs will be required to wait quietly in crates while the other dogs are taking their turns.

Agility classes are not suitable for dogs who display any aggression towards dogs or humans or for dogs with significant fears. I am happy to help you with behavior challenges in private lessons.

Dogs should have a stay while you walk across the room, an off leash recall in the presence of distractions, and be comfortable loading up on a variety of surfaces.

Fit Dog Walks

We will be holding Fit Dog walks!  These one mile group walks will meet the requirements for AKC Fit Dog titles.  

Please note that this group activity is a social event and not a training session. This is not appropriate for dogs who are reactive or aggressive towards dogs or humans. In keeping with our training philosophy, dogs may wear flat buckle or martingale collars, harnesses, or head halters.  No choke, prong, or electric collars please. Leashes should be no longer than 6 feet and each handler should walk no more than one dog. Treats to reward good behavior are always a great idea. 

The trails will include uneven terrain and may be wet in places. Humans should wear appropriate footwear and everyone should consider tick prevention. Please bring water for yourself and your dog and be prepared to clean up after your dog. 

Walks are planned for October 14 at 4 pm, November 4 at 4 pm, and December 2 at 4 pm.

The walks will be held at Shiloh Hills Park. Register here or email cleverhounddogtraining@gmail.com.

Fit Dog Level 2 class will begin on January 5 at 5:45 pm. Graduates of Fit Dog 1 will have preference for registration.