Tierra Acres

Group classes include a six-week Puppy/Beginner course covering socialization, potty training, sit, stay, recall, heeling, and manners, with therapy dog basics included. Advanced obedience classes prepare dogs for AKC Novice, Open, and Utility titles, incorporating Rally elements. Conformation classes meet bi-weekly to teach show ring handling. Private lessons address specific behavior issues at home or facility. Therapy dog private lessons include field trips to public venues. Classes run year-round with new sessions starting every 6–8 weeks. Summer classes are held in Hartland.

Pricing Summary

Puppy/Beginner class: $175 for six weeks ($150 for 5-week summer class). Advanced obedience: $20 per class. Private lessons: $90/hour, $130/1.5 hours, $165/2 hours, plus $1/mile one-way travel. Conformation classes: $15 per class. $10 discount for rescue dogs in beginner class. No registration fee mentioned.

Policies

Registration requires downloading and completing four documents: Summer/Fall-Winter Class Information, Registration Form, Hold Harmless Waiver, and Rules and Regulations. Private lessons incur travel fees. Fees subject to increase for long distances or difficult cases. No cancellation or rescheduling policy is explicitly stated.

Tierra Acres is a dog training business located in Fenton, Michigan, offering group classes and private lessons to help dog owners train their pets using up-to-date, proven methods. They specialize in teaching owners how to train their dogs, emphasizing handler education alongside dog behavior. Services include Puppy/Beginner obedience classes, advanced obedience for AKC competition (Novice, Open, Utility), conformation handling, therapy dog training, and private in-home sessions for behavior issues like aggression or recall problems. They also offer summer classes in Hartland and maintain a dedicated facility for training. Their senior trainers, Patty Terrio and Pat Murray, bring over 25 years of combined experience in obedience and conformation showing, with Patty recognized for helping dogs with severe behavioral issues and Pat as a professional AKC handler and judge. The business has been serving Livingston, Genesee, and Oakland counties for over 20 years.

Patty Terrio leads obedience and therapy dog training, while Pat Murray specializes in conformation. Classes are held at their Fenton facility and a summer location in Hartland. Private lessons are available at the client’s home with a travel fee. They offer a $10 discount for rescue dogs in beginner classes and provide all necessary registration materials online.

Their approach focuses on customization, with training adapted to each dog’s needs, and they emphasize long-term handler skills over quick fixes. They are recommended by local veterinarians and have helped hundreds of dogs earn titles in obedience, utility, tracking, and Canine Good Citizenship.

They also provide links to trusted local pet services including boarding, veterinary care, and rehabilitation.

Note: The website is dated 2014 and may contain outdated information, but the core services and trainer credentials remain consistent.

Accomplishments

Patty Terrio has over 25 years of experience training dogs and has helped students achieve success from basic obedience to top-level competition. Pat Murray is a professional AKC handler, Bouvier breeder, and judge whose dogs have won championships in multiple countries. Both are recommended by veterinarians and have trained hundreds of dogs to earn AKC titles in obedience, utility, tracking, and Canine Good Citizenship.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients must download and complete four registration documents from the website, then contact Patty Terrio for obedience classes or Pat Murray for conformation classes. No online registration form is available; registration is done via mailed or submitted documents.