Riverside Canine Center

Riverside Canine Center offers real life obedience classes and agility classes for every training level. Pet Obedience includes Beginner I (basics, positive techniques, for dogs 16 weeks+, covers leash pulling, sit, stay, come, behavioral issues) and Beginner II (builds on Beginner I, distractions, loose lead heeling, prepares for AKC Canine Good Citizen).

Agility classes include Agility I (foundations, obstacles), Agility II (obstacle discrimination, handling skills, short sequences), Competition Agility (Open/Advanced or Excellent/Master level, handling skills, teamwork, ongoing/drop-in), and Skills & Drills Drop-In (spot check skills, specific skill assistance, three different drills each week). They also offer Puppy Preschool for puppies up to 5 months focusing on socialization and manners, and Reactive Dog Group Classes for dogs that react to other dogs or strangers, teaching threshold management and confidence building.

Pricing Summary

Daily and weekly rates are available for dog daycare. Agility workshops have specific pricing, e.g., $175 for a working spot and $125 for an auditor spot. Some agility classes offer a $12 drop-in rate for a miscellaneous class.

Policies

Beginner I obedience class is not appropriate for dogs displaying dog aggression. Agility seminars and Competition Agility classes have participant limits. For agility trials, policies include mask requirements, social distancing, no spectators, and specific crating options.

Founded in Nashua, New Hampshire in 1998, Riverside Canine Center and its staff are fully committed to assisting you in the proper care and training of your canine companion. They provide doggie day care services, private lessons, and group evening classes in obedience and agility during the week.

On weekends, they host seminars featuring top national and international agility competitors and instructors, and put on agility trials at local event sites. Their 7000 square-foot training facility is fully heated with ample space for crating and a full complement of agility equipment. The training area floor is covered with “Great Mats” for safety and comfort.

The day care area features three spacious, outdoor, shaded kennels for compatible dogs to socialize and play, with an indoor play area for bad weather. They also offer Reiki & Massage services and ring rental.

Accomplishments

Riverside Canine Center was founded in Nashua, New Hampshire in 1998. Joan Lawson, the owner and operator, has over 20 years of experience teaching pet obedience, competition obedience, and agility in both private sessions and group classes. She competes with Border Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, and Papillons, primarily in agility, but also has experience in competition obedience, confirmation (with four champion dogs), and sheep herding.

Patricia Bodan holds a KPA-CTP certification. Kristy Williams, a CVT, has been teaching classes since 1996. Amy Campbell is CSAMT and CPDT-KA certified. Mary Jolly, owner of Elite Performance K9 & Equine, is a K-9 Sports Massage Therapist, K-9 Kinaesthetics Practitioner, (IMT) Integrative Manual Therapy Practitioner, and Reiki Master-Teacher. She is noted as the only certified K9 Kinaesthetics practitioner on the East Coast and one of the few Animal Integrative Manual Therapy Practitioners in New Hampshire.

How to Get Started!

To get started, clients can download a registration form for various classes. For Reactive Dog Group classes, contact Patricia Bodan via email or phone. For Reiki & Massage or conditioning programs, clients should call to make an appointment or inquire about full evaluations. For dog daycare, contact them to book a slot.