Sterling Canine Academy, Inc.

Sterling Canine Academy offers group classes and private lessons. Group classes, such as Puppy and Beginner classes, consist of 8 one-hour weekly sessions held on Saturdays, with 8-12 dogs per class. Intermediate, Advanced, Open, Utility, Rally Obedience, and Trick Dog (on occasion) classes are also available. Conformation Handling classes are offered monthly.

Private lessons are one-hour sessions conducted at their facility. These lessons can address a range of needs, from changing typical unwanted behaviors to more complex behavioral issues such as reactivity to dogs and people. Private lessons can be scheduled during weekdays or evenings.

Pricing Summary

Group classes, which consist of 8 one-hour weekly sessions, are priced as follows: The first dog enrolled in a Saturday Puppy or Beginner Obedience class costs $150 for the entire session. An additional Saturday Puppy or Beginner Class for the same or a different dog in the same session is $100. Intermediate Obedience Class is $150 per session, and Advanced/Competitive Classes are $100 per session. An additional Advanced/Competitive Class for the same or a different dog in the same session is $75. Conformation Handling and Rally Obedience classes are $20 each per class or drop-in.

Private lessons are 60 minutes long. Regular Private Lessons are $60, while Behavioral Private Lessons are $80.

Sterling Canine Academy, Inc. is a dog training business owned and operated by Trish Gautier. They aim to enhance the human-dog relationship, helping owners create successful partnerships with their dogs to achieve goals, whether for a well-behaved family member or a competitive dog.

The academy offers both group classes and private lessons conducted at their facility. They specialize in various training areas including Basic Obedience, Competitive Obedience & Rally, Scent Work, and Conformation Handling Classes. They explicitly state that they do not offer board and train programs.

Trish Gautier brings over 30 years of experience to her training, having worked with more than 130 different breeds, and she works with all breeds and mixed-breed dogs. Her extensive background includes competing and titling dogs in numerous disciplines such as obedience, agility, Flyball, herding, conformation, rally, lure coursing, Fast CAT, and Barn Hunt. She is also an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator and an AKC Trick Dog Evaluator. The business has been recognized as “Best Dog Trainer in West Virginia.”

Accomplishments

Trish Gautier, the owner and trainer, has over 30 years of experience in dog training. She has worked with more than 130 different breeds and works with all breeds and mixed-breed dogs. Trish has a strong competitive background, having competed and titled dogs in obedience, agility, Flyball, herding, conformation, rally, lure coursing, Fast CAT, and Barn Hunt. She is also an authorized AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator and an AKC Trick Dog Evaluator. Sterling Canine Academy has been recognized as the “Best Dog Trainer in West Virginia.”

How to Get Started!

To get started, dog owners can check the online registration for Beginner and Puppy classes. New sessions for Puppy, Beginner, and Intermediate classes have specific start dates, such as January 18, 2025.