About Dolce Vita Retrievers

All-breed training in Belton

Dolce Vita Retrievers is an all-breed dog training and boarding business in Belton. Owner Anita Twomey qualified for the 2005 National Open, the 2009 National Open and the 2009 National Derby List, and she spent several winters learning to train field trial retrievers before retiring from a landscaping career and moving to Belton to grow hay and train dogs. She uses gentle reinforcement with treat rewards to build a bond with each dog, and she helps owners keep up positive reinforcement and repetition after a program ends.

Classes

Basic obedience classes run at several levels. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is a class of at least 6 weeks that earns a certificate and medal. Canine Good Citizen prepares dogs for the 10 step CGC test, and AKC Community Canine builds toward the advanced CGCA title. Urban Training covers city skills such as crossing streets, ignoring food on sidewalks and behaving in lobbies and elevators. Dogs are also trained for AKC hunt tests and dove and duck hunting. In-house obedience is available, as is boarding.

What to ask

Ask about class dates, how boarding and training work together and what each class costs.