Dog Obedience Training

The doctors and staff at the Knoxville Veterinary Clinic are proud to offer a beginner dog obedience course on location at our clinic! The development of this course was a long time goal of our clinic after listening to many discouraged clients complaining about the lack of availability for obedience courses. It is frustrating for us as well to see disgruntled owners that don’t have the means to fix their dog obedience concerns in their own home, and unable to travel out of town for classes as well. We have completed several dog obedience sessions to date, and we are pleased to report amazing results.

A disturbing statistic in the U.S. is that approximately only 30% of puppies adopted will remain in their original homes by the age of 2 years. One of the biggest reasons for this is unresolved behavior or obedience issues. At Knoxville Veterinary Clinic, we have made it our mission to help pet owners maintain a lifelong bond with their dogs.

What will my pet learn in this class?

This course is designed to help teach your dog basic commands and socialization skills.

How old does my pet have to be?

Pets of all ages are welcome to enroll. We also offer puppy socialization classes for younger pets. See below for more information.

Who is instructing this course?

The course will be instructed by registered veterinary technician Donna Flattery, who has completed her certification as a dog obedience instructor through Penn Foster. In addition to her obedience training, Donna has had over 30 years of experience working with animals as a technician and has taken her own dogs through the courses necessary to become certified therapy pets. She has also had the privilege of assisting all three of her children while they trained dogs through 4-H dog obedience classes in Knoxville.

How long is the course and when is it?

The course runs for 6 weeks and classes are held on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm.

How many pets are in each class?

Class is limited to 6-8 dogs per session. Registration is on a first-come first-serve basis.

Where can I sign up?

You can download the Beginner Dog Obedience Class Registration Form and send it to us by postage or fax (641-842-2524). Forms should be addressed to Knoxville Veterinary Clinic, Attn: Donna Flattery; 1600 S. Lincoln St; Knoxville, IA 50138

How much does it cost?

Cost is $150 for the 6 week course.

What else should I know?

We do require that your dog be up to date on it’s Distemper-Parvo vaccination, Rabies vaccination, and Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccination. If your dog is less than 16 weeks old, the rabies vaccination is not required to start. We also require that all dogs enrolled in the class are free of both external and internal parasites. Dogs are required to have a fecal analysis performed within 6 months before the first class. This test can be Knoxville Veterinary Clinic, or you can bring record of your vaccination history and a current fecal test with you to the first meeting.

You do not need to bring your dog with you to the first meeting, as this is an introductory meeting that will focus on goal-setting and leadership training. At the first meeting, you will be given a training packet along with several important handouts. It is important to understand that you will be expected to work with your dog for a minimum of 10 minutes per day at least 5 days a week at home while enrolled in this obedience class. Dogs have homework too! Our objective for this course is to help you develop and maintain a good working relationship with your dog. We are here to help you!

Please feel free to call us with questions (641-842-3316) or stop in during our regular business hours with any questions you may have about our classes!