Canis Sapiens Dog Training

Canis Sapiens offers flexible dog training classes with rolling admission, allowing clients to join at any time and pick up where they left off if they miss a week. Advancement is based on task sheet completion, providing a low-pressure learning environment.

Class offerings include Puppy Kindergarten for puppies 7-20 weeks old, covering basic obedience, socialization, house training, nipping, and leash walking. Puppy First Grade is for dogs 6 months or older, focusing on strengthening outdoor obedience skills like loose leash walking and preparing for the Canine Good Citizen title.

Introduction to Reward-Based Training is for dogs over 5 months, teaching basic obedience, attention, polite greetings, and addressing issues like discomfort around other dogs/people, separation anxiety, and inability to relax. Agility classes (Beginning Agility and Agility) focus on off-leash control and building confidence with obstacles. Intermediate Obedience is based on Sue Ailsby’s Levels.

Specialized classes include K9 Nose Work® for developing scenting abilities, Pup Crawl for in-home/neighborhood training addressing specific behavioral challenges like barking or jumping, and Outdoor Manners for leash pulling, reactivity, and barking at distractions. Private lessons are available in-home, in the neighborhood, or via Zoom, covering basic obedience, leash manners, polite greetings, managing reactivity, replacing attention-seeking behaviors, and addressing anxiety or fear.

Pricing Summary

Group classes range from $100 for a 4-week course to $195 for an 8-week course. Private lessons are available at $75 for an hour, or in packages: 4 hours for $276, 2.5 hours for $185 (to be used in up to 4 lessons), and Zoom 2.5 hours for $165 (to be used in up to 4 lessons). The business aims to offer competitive rates to fit client budgets.

Policies

Many courses have rolling admission, allowing clients to join anytime, and weekly attendance is not mandatory. Clients can resume classes where they left off if they miss sessions. Advancement to the next level is based on completing a task sheet.

For 8-week courses, clients are encouraged to finish within 4 months, but can continue attending after this deadline if needed. Puppies can attend Puppy Kindergarten, Puppy First Grade, Introduction to Reward-Based Training, and Outdoor Manners classes without extra charge until they are 6 months old. For 6-week agility courses, clients have 2.5 months to attend all classes, and for Intermediate Obedience, 6 sessions should be completed within 4 months. Outdoor Manners classes will not meet if the temperature is below 35°F or above 80°F, or if it is raining.

Canis Sapiens Dog Training aims to help dog owners build a great relationship with their dogs by fostering understanding and trust. They believe that obedience driven by fear is outdated, and instead focus on methods that encourage a dog’s willingness to listen through positive reinforcement.

The business helps owners understand their dog’s body language and motivations to resolve problem behaviors without damaging the bond. They offer both group classes and private lessons, guiding owners through protocols tailored to their personal needs and goals.

Canis Sapiens emphasizes that dogs and humans learn differently, and they teach owners how dogs learn, focusing on clear communication. They use a verbal “yes” followed by a reward (usually a treat) at the exact moment a dog performs correctly.

The school maintains small class sizes to provide individual attention, helping owners discover what rewards work best for their dog and improving timing for effective reinforcement. Their philosophy, “Festina lente” (Hurry slowly), means they advance tasks only when the dog consistently understands the current level.

They also address issues like fear or over-excitement in dogs first, as learning is difficult in such states, often using food rewards to help dogs relax. The ultimate goal is to equip owners with the tools to “talk dog” and achieve a well-trained companion who trusts and listens to them.

Accomplishments

Jane Masterson, Ph.D., has been training and walking dogs for nearly fifteen years. She studied animal behavior and evolutionary biology, and taught evolution, genetics, and behavior at the University of Chicago, Columbia College, and Northwestern University.

Britni Ratliff, Ph.D., is a CPDT-KA and a Certified Nose Work instructor (CNWI) through the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW). She completed a comprehensive Canine Behavior and Training program from CanineLink Academy and is a Chemistry instructor at the University of Chicago, where she earned her Ph.D. and received multiple student-nominated teaching awards.

Karen Banks is an agility and flyball instructor who has titled dogs in obedience, agility, and flyball. She also teaches agility, flyball, and greyhound classes at Best Friends’ Windy City K9.

How to Get Started!

To get started, clients can sign up for specific classes or private lessons via direct links provided on the website. Many classes offer rolling admission, allowing clients to begin whenever convenient. The business also encourages interested individuals to join their email list or submit questions, suggestions, or concerns through a contact form.