Our goal is to help dog owners gain the skills to better communicate with their dogs and to teach dogs the skills they need to be better companions. Our classes focus on teaching both people and dogs skills that help us all live in harmony. Our variety of classes offer availability to both wallets and schedules!
How to Register
To register for a class, click on the “Register” buttons below. For more class details and dates, click on “Learn more” where applicable.
Registration happens through a third party website, Book Your Pet. You’ll need to create a BookYourPet account to register for training classes and submit class payments.
Need Assistance?
Should you have any questions about what class is your best match, or any trouble registering, please email information about your dog and request to us at dogtraining@napahumane.org.
Class Location
All Classes are held at the Napa Humane Education Center:
Napa Humane Education Center
3149 California Boulevard, Suite K
Napa, CA 94558
A Workshop is a single class that focuses on a specific skill, more like a tutoring session. Our Workshops repeat monthly to allow you the opportunity to repeat the course as often as you need. We understand that not every dog or family need to complete a full course. We also understand that some dogs need a little extra assistance with specific tasks while they’re masters at others. These Workshops allow you and your dog to recover lost skills and level-up already-known skills. If your dog has attended the course before, your instructor will adjust your dog’s lessons for their skill set. All Workshops require pre-registration and will be held at the Napa Humane Education Center: 3149 California Blvd, Suite K, Napa, CA 94558.
Socializing for young dogs between 8–16 weeks old (must be 7 days post first vaccine).
Sundays at 10:00 am
(Sundays at 11:00 am from November to February)
Wednesdays at 6:00 pm
A focused monthly workshop for dogs who need work on “Come!” Workshops are held one Sunday a month from 12:00 – 12:45 pm.
Sundays, 12:00 – 12:45 pm
January 19
Join for Part 2 of our Recall Workshops
February 2
A monthly workshop focused on practicing and learning leash skills. Workshops are held one Sunday a month from 12-1pm
January 5
The next stage in skill building for peaceful leash walks.
Sundays, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
January 26
Single Class
Private Sessions are available for dogs needing to work on skills that are not addressed in group classes, or when the class schedule and the dogs needs aren’t in line.
Private sessions are offered in 30 and 60 minute sessions.
Single Class
Holiday season brings visitors, fun decorations and yummy-smelling presents.
Part 1: Nov. 24 at 12:00 pm, Dec. 15 at 3:00 pm
Part 2: Dec. 8 at 12:00 pm, Dec. 22 at 12:00 pm
A Group Class is a multi-week class designed to build your dog’s skills at each class. Each week your dog will learn a new skill, building off of what they learned in the previous class. These Group Classes are typically four, five or six weeks in length. All Group Classes require pre-registration and will be held at the Napa Humane Education Center: 3149 California Blvd, Suite K, Napa, CA 94558.
Socializing for young dogs between 8 and 16 weeks old offered
Mondays, 6:00 – 6:45 pm
Thursdays, 6:00 – 6:45 pm
Manners class for dogs of all ages and sizes.
Wednesday, 7:00 – 7:45 pm
Sundays, 2:00 – 2:45 pm
Manners class for “teen” dogs from 6 months to 2 years old.
Thursdays, from 7:00 – 7:45 pm
December 12 to January 16 (skip 12/26)
January 30 to February 27
Busy Buddy Basics is a 3-week course designed to cover important skills in a short amount of time. This class is for all dogs over 6 months.
Sundays 2:00 – 2:45 pm
Will return in February
A class for dogs who bark & lunge on leash at other dogs. First class is People Only.
Mondays 7:15 – 8:00 pm
January 13 to February 10
A manners class just for dogs under 30lbs/20″ tall held on
Sundays 1:00 – 1:45 pm
December 8 to January 12 (skip 12/15)
January 13 to February 10
A Class building on your dog’s manners skills with the goal of preparing your dog for the Canine Good Citizen evaluation.
Tuesdays, 6:00 – 6:45 pm
November 26 – January 14 (skipping 12/26 & 12/31)
February 4 – March 4
If you’ve ever been interested in trying out sports with your dog.
Tuesdays, 7:00 – 7:45 pm
email to add to the waitlist
A Human-Only Class covers a specific topic with the goal of educating the human end of the leash. Leave your pup at home so you can give your full attention to the day’s lesson. All Human-Only Classes will be held at the Napa Humane Education Center: 3149 California Blvd, Suite K, Napa, CA 94558.
If you’re preparing to bring home a puppy or having trouble potty training, join us for a great discussion to learn new tips and tricks and to ask your questions!
To be notified of offerings for this class, please email us at dogtraining@napahumane.org
Learn about Body Language, the Basics of Learning and the Power of Choice and Enrichment.
To be notified of offerings for this class, please email us at dogtraining@napahumane.org
Learn about managing and preventing aggression and intense fear. A great option when your dog isn’t a candidate for group training.
To be notified of offerings for this class, please email us at dogtraining@napahumane.org
You’ll learn how to manage holiday stress, keep your dog safe around decorations, and avoid common holiday hazards like dangerous foods and toxic plants.
Wednesday, December 11
7:00 – 8:30 pm
Join us for some Family Fun! It’ll be a night of learning and crafts.
Monday, December 30
5:30 – 7:00 pm
Where are the Classes?
All classes are held at our Humane Education Center at 3149 California Blvd Suite J. Parking is limited, please park in the spots assigned to C, J, or K. Unmarked parking spaces are available as well. Please do not park in spots assigned to our neighbors, or in the parking lot of Health Quest. There are more parking spaces available on California Blvd. Another option would be to park at our Spay/Neuter Clinic located at 3265 California Boulevard, a short .2 mile walk away. A walk to class might even help your pup get their wiggles out before training. This option is not for puppies who are not fully vaccinated.
Is there financial assistance for classes?
We hope to be able to offer income-qualified assistance and scholarship options to students soon, but we are not able to offer this just yet. Students looking for a more economical option are encouraged to attend our workshop classes.
How do I know which class I should take?
You can choose a class for your pup based on their size and maturity, or based on their specific behavior challenge.
There are many class options to provide a wide availability for students. For example, if your puppy will be six months during their class time, they can attend either Puppy Preschool, Teen Manners, Basic Manners or if they’re small, Small Dogs, Big Manners. Dog Parents are encouraged to pick the class that best suits their availability or focuses on your dog’s skill needs best.
If your dog needs a refresher on their skills or you’re not sure how they might feel in a group class, try attending on of our one-day workshops.
What is the Training Philosophy?
Napa Humane believes in setting dogs up for success and providing them with skills that help them live more seamlessly with their owners. We do not use or promote the use of punishment, pain, force or intimidation as means of training. We believe in utilizing positive reinforcement methods and a hierarchy of least intrusive interventions. We train in alignment with the guidelines approved by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB): “Based on current scientific evidence, AVSAB recommends that only reward-based training methods are used for all dog training, including the treatment of behavior problems.” The AVSAB’s Position Statement on Humane Dog Training provides more information about why they – and we – embrace this philosophy. You can read it for free online here.
My dog barks at other dogs all the time when s/he is on leash; can I still take one of your classes?
Dogs may bark for a number of reasons, especially with other dogs. Our classroom setting generally has around 6 students, and while we do have room for separation, not all dogs benefit from a group class in an enclosed space like ours. If you’re unsure whether your dog is a candidate for a class, please contact our trainers at dogtraining@napahumane.org to discuss further. Our Leash Monster to Mild-Mannered Class is specifically designed for dogs who are stressed, frustrated or agitated in the presence of other dogs, while leashed. In this class we work on helping your dog bark less and gain comfort and confidence around other dogs, creating a much more peaceful walking experience for everyone.
The class that I'm interested in is full, how can I be added to your wait list?
We are always working and building upon our schedule of classes. Review our calendar for alternative classes that you and your dog can attend. If you cannot find a class to attend, please email us at dogtraining@napahumane.org
What are your Puppy Class Cleanliness and Vaccine Protocols?
We’ll ask that all puppy parents carry their puppies from the car all the way into the classroom, until their puppies have completed their full series of vaccinations. We also ask that all puppy parents sanitize their feet on their way into the classroom. Our classroom is sanitized before each puppy class and messes are cleaned and sanitized immediately. All puppies must be up to date, for their age, on their vaccinations in order to attend class. Puppies can attend our classes and Puppy Play Dates 7 days after their first round of DH2PP vaccine.
Enrollment & Attendance
You can register for all our classes through the Napa Humane website. Our booking site will ask you to create an account with your information, as well as your dog’s. Once that’s done, you can register for any class you’re interested in – but please read the class descriptions, requirements and cancellation policy carefully. If you have any trouble getting registered, send an email to dogtraining@napahumane.org with your information and the class you’re interested in. We can help register you on the back end.
Full payment is required at the time of enrollment. Please look closely at your calendar before registration to ensure that you’ll be able to attend all classes. It is not possible to offer make-up classes, so we ask that you choose dates that best work for your calendar.
If you are going to miss a class, please let the trainer know. We do not provide make up classes, however the trainer can provide you with the homework that you missed from the specific class.
Vaccinations
Proof of current vaccinations, as detailed below, is required for class attendance. These can be entered on your Book Your Pet Profile when you register for class, scanned and emailed to dogtraining@napahumane.org, or brought to the first class.
Cancellation
If the minimum enrollment for a class or workshop is not met 3 days prior to the first session, the class may be cancelled or postponed. You will be contacted via telephone or email to see if you would like to enroll in the rescheduled class, receive credit toward a future class, or receive a full refund.
Refunds & Credits
Refund Policy – In order to qualify for a full refund, you must contact Napa Humane via email at dogtraining@napahumane.org 3 days before class begins. If you miss this window, you may qualify for credit for another class. See the below class credit policy. If your dog is injured or otherwise unable to attend the remaining class(es) due to health reasons, you may qualify for a 50% refund of your course; however, you’ll need to notify the training team as soon as possible. If your dog has completed the first two classes, the 50% refund is not available. We strongly recommend considering your schedule and availability before registering and paying for classes to eliminate refund and credit challenges.
Credit Policy – Credits are available to students prior to the start of the class. Credits can be applied to future classes after the student attends the first class. If your dog attended the first class of their series but is unable to attend the remaining classes due to health or behavior reasons, you are eligible for a 75% credit of your class fees. This credit can only be redeemed through registration for another class within 90 days. Please be sure to contact the training team via email at dogtraining@napahumane.org so that they can apply your credits; registering through the website does not allow you to apply credits to an upcoming class registration.
Behavioral & Health Appropriateness
Dogs that are exhibiting signs of illness (coughing, diarrhea, lethargy) should not be brought to class and Napa Humane reserves the right to ask owners to remove potentially ill dogs from class.
Dogs who cause an increased risk of injury, or who make other students feel unsafe may be removed from the class or asked to move into another training space. If classroom adjustments still cause an increased safety risk or distress to the dog, they may be asked to leave class for the day, or for the remainder of classes. Should a student be asked to leave class, the trainer will schedule a call to discuss next steps, training suggestions and the possibility of credit or refund.
Children in Class
Children are welcome to join the class, though we ask that children remain near their own dogs. There is a table for younger children to sit, color and read during class. As a precaution and to maintain the comfort of the other dogs in the classroom, children should be managed by their families and instructed not to approach other dogs, run, scream or yell.
First Class
Owner Liability
I expressly agree to be held responsible for any injury, expense, costs or damages, including but not limited to destruction of furniture, gates, walls, as well as any damage or injury inflicted upon another human or dog, arising out of my own actions or negligence or the actions of my dog.
Occasionally, the Napa Humane team will photograph and/or film our training classes for promotional purposes. I understand that if I don’t wish to be photographed or filmed, I should inform the instructor prior to class. I have read this fully and understand and agree to all of its terms.
Update to Policies due to COVID-19
Due to frequently changing regulations and guidelines, masks may be required in your classroom. Please defer to your instructor for details about the current requirements for your class. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms (coughing, shortness of breath, chills, sore throat, unexplained muscle pain, loss of sense of taste/smell), please do not attend an in-person class.
For questions regarding the classes, please email us at dogtraining@napahumane.org.
All classes are held at:
Napa Humane Education Center
3149 California Boulevard, Suite K
Napa, CA 94559
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