Updates | livingwithdogs

News & Updates

Please see scroll down to see Safety Class Rules below.

7/15/20: We will be adding a new class at 6:30 PM on Tuesday evenings starting 7/28/20 and going until we loose the evening light in about mid September.

New classes will be posted as soon as we possibly are able.

Hot Tip! Check the Class Calendar frequently for updates! People often cancel and leave an open spot at the last minute.

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6/15/2020 - Statewide mandate: Masks must be worn outdoors and in public. Masks save lives. Everyone's plan was extended by two months.

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The 6/2/2020 and 6/4/2020 newsletters explain how to check your expiration date.

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6/13/2020 - New classes scheduled Monday evening 6/15 and 6/22. Check back, these classes may be extended.

Email Update sent 6/14/2020

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6/4/2020 - Email Update: Important Temporary Changes to Your Plan

These are challenging times and they call for new approaches. Here are the main changes:

You will be able to reserve one class a week
You will be able to cancel 24 hours before a class (instead of 12 hours)
You can reserve space in a Family Dog 2 class if a Family Dog 1 class is not available
You can make reservations up to 12 hours in advance of a class
Please know that we are working very hard on your behalf to make safe changes as quickly AND as safely possible
Read the 6/4/2020 Email Newsletter for details

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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6/2/2020 - All indoor classes have been changed to our outdoor Aptos Field location, Online OR TBA for the foreseeable future. We are making these changes one month at a time and have competed through July. In late June, we will make decisions about August classes as we have more information.

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Read the 6/2/2020 Email Newsletter

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5/20/2020 - In-Person Family Dog 1 & Puppy Classes resuming on a limited basis on June 1 only at our outdoor facility in Aptos. (Depending on County & State Health Metrics/Directives) Grab your spot!
We will have 4 classes (6 students per class) in the first week and add more the following week if they fill up.
Online classes will be continuing as well, should you need to include family members or are still quarantined.

PANDEMIC SAFETY CLASS RULES

Our goal is to keep everyone as safe as we possibly can.
Attending In-Person classes is At Your Own Risk.
Assuming there is asymptomatic spread, we will do everything we can to reduce risk (see below), but it is not possible to eliminate all risk.
If you have any symptoms of illness or have been in contact with anyone who has been or is ill, please stay at home and take advantage of our online classes.
ALL human attendees will need to wear masks covering their nose and mouth. Wearing masks in public is mandatory by local and state law.
If anyone refuses to wear a mask, class will be delayed until all students are wearing masks.
You will need to supply your own mask.
Each adult attendee will need to sign a waiver indemnifying Living with Dogs and our staff before attending each class.
ONE adult person only accompanying each dog. Additional persons will need to wait in the car, if they come. We suggest you consider reviewing the online recorded video of the class and the handouts available on our Client Portal with your family, friends, partners, dog care professionals and roommates.
Adults over the age of 18 may attend. 18 is the legal age of consent. Children and teenagers under the age of 18 will not be able to attend.
Walking traffic will be one way, including on Potty Lane please follow the one way signs.
Cars will be parked at least 1 car width from each other.
All classes, where possible, will be held in the sunshine. UV rays are one of the best ways to kill viruses and germs.
Dogs can get hot in the sun, please be prepared with your own bowl and water.
A limited number of person & dog teams will be allowed in a class.
Each person and dog team should be stationed at least twelve feet from the next team.
All dogs will be on leash at all times.
There will be no off-leash play time in puppy classes.
Classes will be held in the Treibball Ring and 100 feet away in the Paddock.
Family Dog and Puppy Classes will be held at different times to minimize traffic.
We will NOT be resuming INDOOR classes in the near future. Classes held at Aptos Grange, Live Oak Grange & Westside Feed are indoor classes.
Please do not linger after class.
No dog-to-dog greetings.
No patting or touching of other people's dogs.
Hand sanitizer will be available in pump bottles but please bring your own as well.
If you need to sit down, please bring your own chair. We will be reducing the number of surfaces to reduce risk of infection.
We suggest bringing your training supplies in a backpack during class. Try to bring everything you need so you will not need to go back to your car during class.
The Porta Potty will not be open. Please prepare before leaving your home.
If you cannot or will not abide by these rules, you will be asked to leave the premises immediately.
Classes may be changed to online recorded classes if environmental conditions, safety or local, state or federal officials require us to quarantine.
Questions? Please contact us.

We look forward to the day when we have less restrictions. We would rather be safe than sorry!

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5/4/20 - New Live Online Classes: Impulse Control and Puppy Parenting 101. These have been so successful that we are hoping to record them soon.

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4/29/2020 - We are paying attention to the California State Directives with regard to reopening In Person classes. Here is a link to the state's COVID-19 FAQ page. We are not considered an essential business, even though many of us need more help in the essential job of training our dogs to be good citizens. Home schooling will continue for a bit longer. Please try one of our awesome new online classes.

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4/28/2020 - Email newsletter sent out.

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4/27/2020 - Online Live and Online Recorded sessions are currently available. Since we now have a full selection of online family dog 1 training options, we made the decision to restart your subscription date on May 17, two months after we started sheltering in place. Online options are effective and efficient. Remember, we are here to help you with questions via email and our Live Online classes.

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4/23/2020 - All FD1 Online Training Topics have been completed. We are working on Family Dog 2 classes and they should be up within a few days. Thank you for your patience.

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4/15/2020 - We are now offering Live Online and Online Recorded classes. The Live Online classes are in Olive Green on the Class Calendar.

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4/10/2020 Online classes are listed on our Class Calendar. Sign up for a class and we will send you a link to view the class. You can view it at any time. FD1 Classes will cost 1 credit. The "Be A Better Dog Trainer" series of four videos is free on our Online Training page. We are working hard at producing content for the online classes.

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4/6/2020 We will be postponing classes until further notice. You can check this page (Updates) for any news and updates. We can't wait to see you again!

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4/1/2020 New Online Training Center created.

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3/31/2020 Santa Cruz County extends Stay at Home order until the end of April. State of California's Stay at Home order does not have an end date.

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3/21/2020 Living with Dogs Be A Better Trainer Program

New Online Classes are ready. Clients may access the following online video classes for free. Upcoming classes will be posted on the calendar and will cost one or more credits.

Our goal is to give you the information you need to live your best life with your best dog friend.

Part 1: The Basics of Reward Based Training - Approx. 13.5 min.

Part 2: The 3 Pillars of Reward Based Training - Approx 8 min.

Part 3: Canine Communication: About Using Behavior Markers - Approx 20 min.

Part 4: Choosing the Right Dog Training Equipment - added Tues 3/24/20, Approx 20 min.

Puppy Socialization in the Time of COVID-19: Read Puppy Culture's excellent article on how to socialize your puppy.

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3/19/2020 California Governor Newsom announces statewide Shelter in Place order without a defined end date.

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3/16/2020 8PM: CLASSES ARE CANCELLED

We are cancelling all live classes for the next couple of weeks to comply with the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency Shelter in Place Order.

The Shelter in Place Order is a legal order. The order takes effect midnight 3/17/2020 and is in effect until the health department changes it or 4/7/2020.

We will resume live classes as soon as it is safe to do so.

We are currently working on communicating with everyone and will post updates on our newly created News & Updates page. Please come to this page for all new information. We may not be able to get back to you by phone or email right away, so we are asking you to use the Updates and thank you for your patience.

Your credits are safe and your subscription will be extended. We will be working on returning your credits for classes between 3/17/2020 and 4/7/2020.

We feel it is very important to give your dogs some stimulation and training while you are sheltering in place. We will be working on online courses within the next week or so. Please give us some time to come up with a plan and material. We will be posting these classes on our Class Calendar.

We look forward to working with you and your dog after this unprecedented period is over.

Please check here for any updates on the situation. We will be posting all news here , working to create online content and may not be able to return every email.

Stay healthy and stay safe!