About St. Lawrence Valley Dog Club

A member club, not a commercial school

The St. Lawrence Valley Dog Club is a volunteer, nonprofit dog club in Canton that has been running since 1972. Its own description is short and worth taking at face value: "Established in 1972, the St. Lawrence Valley Dog Club is a nonprofit dog club dedicated to the responsible ownership of all dogs. We are an American Kennel Club licensed club and welcome owners of both purebred and mixed-breed dogs." That matters for an owner deciding where to go. There is no storefront, no weekday appointment book and no trainer on call; there is a term of evening classes taught by club members, and a club calendar of American Kennel Club trials.

What it teaches, and when

Classes run in terms rather than continuously. The fall 2026 term is seven weekly sessions beginning on Tuesday, September 8 and Thursday, September 10, held at the Potsdam Elementary School, and the club states the price plainly: "The fee for each class is $80. Proof of rabies vaccination is required." Two classes are offered. The Tuesday class is the S.T.A.R. Puppy Beginner class, in two sections, which "teaches you how to best communicate with your puppy and what it means to socialize your dog" and "is aimed at earning the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy distinction", covering beginning obedience along with the ordinary puppy-raising questions of housetraining and chewing. The Thursday class is an Adult Beginner class for dogs of twelve months and up, which "will focus on the basics of obedience: attention, sit, down, come, stay/wait, and walking on a loose leash". Sections are capped at six dogs and the instructors are named on the club's own page: Sandra Morris takes the puppy sections, Liz Donaldson the adult class.

Who it is not for, in the club's own words

The club is unusually direct about the limits of what it offers, and an owner should read it before registering: "Please note that these are group classes and are not appropriate for dogs with behavioral issues such as persistent barking or reactivity toward dogs or people. These issues are better suited for individual instruction with behavioral specialists." A dog that lunges at other dogs on a leash, or that cannot stay calm in a room with five other dogs in it, is not a candidate for this class, and the club will refund a fee rather than carry such a dog through a term.

Trials and testing

Alongside the classes the club sponsors American Kennel Club events, which is what its license is for. It has run two obedience and two rally trials a day over a September weekend at the Pine Street arena in Potsdam, and FETCH tests at retriever, advanced, intermediate and novice levels. These are competitions the club hosts rather than courses it sells, but they are the part of the club a sport-minded owner in St Lawrence County will care about most.

Where it is, and how to reach it

The club gives its base as Canton – "Located in Canton, New York" on every page of its site, and "SLVDC, P.O. Box 165, Canton, NY 13617" on its contact page – while its teaching venue is the Potsdam Elementary School, about ten miles away. Class enquiries go to the club registrar at registrarslvdc@gmail.com; the club also publishes Sandra Morris at 315-323-5112, noting that "text is best".