Crossroads School of Dog Training

Crossroads School of Dog Training employs a method proven successful over 40 years of training experience, focusing on repetition, consistency, and patience. Training typically begins with one-on-one private lessons to establish a strong foundation before introducing distractions.

For Adult Dog Obedience, the program consists of ten 30-minute private lessons to be completed within 4 weeks, including a training collar, leash, and a supplemental DVD. After completing private lessons, clients can attend Saturday group maintenance classes to proof skills around distractions.

Puppy Preschool consists of 5 one-hour classes held once a week for 5 weeks, teaching proper socialization, common problem-solving, and foundational commands. The READY ONE Therapy or Service Dog program includes ten private obedience lessons, additional off-site sessions customized to duties (for therapy dogs) or task training and public access sessions (for service dogs), and attendance of at least 4 group classes, culminating in a certification test.

Pricing Summary

Adult Dog Obedience training costs $1685 (cash or check) or $1740 (credit) for 10 private lessons. Puppy Preschool is $350 for 5 one-hour classes. Saturday Group Classes for obedience alumni are $20 each. The READY ONE Therapy or Service Dog program costs $3,600 for dogs over 6 months old and $3,850 for puppies starting at 10-16 weeks old.

Crossroads School of Dog Training aims to improve dogs’ behavior by teaching owners how to communicate effectively with their pets, fostering a well-trained and happy family member. Their primary goal is to teach owners how to train their dogs while strengthening the bond between pet and owner.

They utilize the Pace Method of dog training, a balanced approach that incorporates both positive and negative feedback, emphasizing the use of leash and collar for direction, and verbal and physical praise for motivation. This method, developed by master trainer Ron Pace, has been used by Cara Putnam since 1998 and is designed to teach dogs to see their owners as trusted leaders, leading to happier and more balanced behavior.

Crossroads School of Dog Training offers professional services for puppies and adult dogs, addressing a wide range of behaviors from basic obedience to aggression. They emphasize consistency and integrating training into daily life for lasting results. They also provide guidance on dog nutrition, recommending specific premium dog food and supplements.

The business is frequently referred by local veterinary clinics and the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society for dogs with behavior problems. They also offer specialized training for Therapy and Service Dogs, preparing both the dog and owner to be a “READY ONE” team capable of assisting people in need.

Accomplishments

Cara Putnam has been a Professional Dog Trainer/Instructor since 2003, using the Pace Method since 1998. She has experience with over 80 dog breeds and has exceeded 10,000 hours of professional dog training instruction with over 700 clients. Cara is certified by nationally known master trainer and author Ron Pace. She is also a Breeder/Handler/Trainer of GSD Canyon Crest Foxy Roxy, CD.

Crossroads School of Dog Training is frequently referred by many local veterinary clinics and the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society for dogs with behavior problems. Bre Edmonds, another Professional Dog Trainer/Instructor, completed a 450-hour Student Trainer course under Cara and is certified by her.

How to Get Started!

To get started with Puppy Preschool, clients need to request placement by completing a form on the website. For Adult Dog Obedience, clients can register directly. For the READY ONE Therapy or Service Dog program, candidates must first pass a formal temperament test of the dog and an assessment of the handler, undergo a health screening for the dog, and complete a registration packet before team training begins.