Modesto is the largest city in Stanislaus County, and most dog walks here happen on leash. Stanislaus County Code requires dogs off their owner’s property to be on a leash no longer than 8 feet unless they are in a designated off-leash area, such as the fenced dog park at Elk Park. That makes leash manners one of the most useful skills a Modesto dog can learn. Big Valley Dog Training is about 25 to 30 minutes south on Highway 99 in Delhi, and a lot of our work with Modesto dogs is about making those everyday walks calmer and safer.
City walking comes with its own set of problems. Here are the ones Modesto dog owners mention most:
Leash pulling. Even on an 8-foot leash, a strong dog can make a short walk tiring and hard on the owner’s arms.
Distractions. Dogs behind fences, bikes, traffic and other walkers can pull a dog’s attention away from its owner.
Leash reactivity. Some dogs bark or lunge at other dogs while on leash, which can lead owners to walk at odd hours or skip walks altogether.
The switch at the dog park. Going from leash to off leash and back again at Elk Park is a common sticking point, especially for dogs without a solid recall.
Heeling is a core skill in our Basic Obedience Course for dogs 7 months and up. The course runs eight weeks, one evening a week, and also covers sit, down and recall. Each session includes practice around other dogs and people, and classes are limited to 5 dogs so every owner gets coaching.
Dogs that react to other dogs do best with private training for reactive and dog-aggressive dogs. Sessions start with an evaluation and are booked ahead, which helps owners plan around a commute.
With 6 to 8 week board and train, the dog lives and trains with us full time. Along with the obedience skills, dogs learn a rug command, going to a mat and staying there until released. Follow-up classes help owners carry the training home.
The first step is a conversation about your dog, your walks and what you would like to change. From there we suggest the program that fits. Owners practice alongside their dogs in every format, and homework between sessions keeps progress moving during the week.
Small classes and private sessions mean a trainer is always watching the owner, not just the dog. Our program was built by Joel Monroe, an active dog sport judge and competitor who is well known in IGP. Meet the Big Valley team.
We also provide dog training in Ceres, dog training in Oakdale and dog training in Turlock.
Tell us what a typical walk with your dog looks like right now. We’ll reply with where we’d suggest starting.
