Canine Academy

Canine Academy offers a variety of training programs including group classes, private lessons, and intensive “Boot Camp” programs like Board and Train and Daycare and Train.

Group classes address common issues like pulling on leash, chewing, and jumping, with convenient evening and weekend options. Basic Obedience classes are 8 one-hour lessons for dogs 5 months to 15 years old, covering commands like Watch, Leave it, Place, Settle, Walk nice, Sit, Down, Stay, and Recall, while also addressing minor behavioral problems. Class sizes are limited to 7-9 dogs for individual attention.

Puppy Preschool is a 4-week, one-hour group session for puppies 8-20 weeks old, focusing on socialization, confidence building, and basic commands like stay, walking nice, and come when called. It also covers puppy problem-solving for play biting, jumping, and housebreaking, and includes a virtual class code.

Agility classes are available at Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels, teaching dogs to navigate obstacles. Puppy Agility is offered for puppies 4-10 months, using scaled-down equipment for safe introduction and confidence building. Private agility lessons are also available.

Advanced Obedience classes are held seasonally at local parks and bike paths, encouraging off-leash work, higher distractions, and precision, with CGCA testing available. Canine Good Citizen is a 3-group class program preparing for the 10-step AKC test.

Intensive programs include Board and Train, an overnight “boot camp” for 3-4 weeks, tailored for behavioral issues and teaching basic commands, with follow-up lessons included. Daycare and Train offers intensive training without overnight stays. Jump Start Puppy is designed for puppies under five months needing extra help. Private Lessons provide one-on-one instruction at their facility or in the client’s home.

Pricing Summary

Pricing for Board and Train programs is determined on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the dog’s issues and length of stay. Pricing and length of stay for these intensive programs are determined during a complimentary evaluation. Discounts are given to clients who took puppy class with them or have adopted a dog from a rescue, requiring proof of rescue paperwork.

Canine Academy is WNY’s Premier training facility, with more than 25 years in business and over 50 years of combined experience. They focus on providing dog training services with high levels of customer satisfaction for both humans and canines. They believe one size does not fit all for learning and offer a wide variety of training programs that can be tailored to individual needs.

Their goal is to do more than just train dogs; they aim to improve the relationship between dogs and their owners, emphasizing that well-behaved dogs enjoy more of life and can go more places. They offer programs ranging from group classes to in-house board and train options.

They are conveniently located on Main Street in Clarence, NY, and are passionate about their work and the results they achieve.

Accomplishments

The business has over 25 years in business and more than 50 years of combined experience. Their students have earned numerous agility titles, including CPE CATCH and AKC MACH’s.

Owner Colleen Hitchcock is a graduate of National K9 training and a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) and National K9 Dog Trainers Association. She competed in USDAA and AKC agility and obedience, and her dogs have been featured in Front and Finish and Borderlines magazines.

Trainer Alex de Foucault is a professional member of the IACP, an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and a board member of Amherst Working Dog Club. She has raised seven successful guide dogs for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and competes in IGP/Schutzhund, AKC obedience and rally, dock diving, and UKC conformation, and NACSW nosework.

Trainer Gretchen Buckles is a TDU evaluator and active TDU member, competing in Rally, Obedience, and scent work. Trainer Paige Fiorella is an AKC CGC evaluator and active in various dog sports. Lisa Eagler teaches agility and has various titles on her dogs.

How to Get Started!

To get started, interested clients can contact Canine Academy. For intensive training programs like Board and Train, a complimentary evaluation is offered by appointment to determine the best fit for the dog and situation. Early registration is highly recommended for group classes as they fill quickly.