About Dogwood Do No Harm Dog Training

<h2>A boarding lodge run by a certified trainer</h2><p>Dogwood Pet Lodge's home page lists a CPDT-KA certified trainer at 1293 E. 1000 North Road, Taylorville. The lodge describes itself as "Providing cozy, clean &amp; safe lodging for your furry best friend" and boards cats as well as dogs – the vaccination requirements are given separately for each: rabies, distemper, hepatitis, lepto, parvo, corona and Bordetella for dogs, and rabies plus a feline combination shot for cats. Verification from the owner's veterinarian is required.</p><h2>Finding it, and getting in</h2><p>Directions are given as three miles south of Taylorville off the Nokomis Highway on the Lakeshore Golf Course Road. Hours are narrow and worth reading before driving out: mornings Monday to Friday with an evening window by appointment, two short windows on Saturday, and Sunday evening pick-up by phone after 5 PM. The lodge is closed afternoons, Sundays and federal holidays. It also closes a few days in the spring and around ten days in the fall, which the page attributes to dog training seminars, an annual conference and vacation time – continuing education on the owner's part rather than a service offered.</p><h2>Training classes and lessons</h2><p>The site's Training Services page sets out the training offered at the lodge. A five-week Head Start Puppy Class takes puppies "about 8 to 14 weeks old" and covers socialization, the stages of development, basic good manners and help with house training, toenail clipping and teeth cleaning. An eight-week Basic Obedience Class is a small group for dogs five months and older – "There is no age limit!" – teaching sit, down, stay, walking on a leash, come and leave it, with help for jumping up, dashing out the door, not coming when called, destructive chewing and begging. Private lessons suit one-on-one work, a behavioral problem or a dog that does not do well in a group, with daytime and evening appointments. AKC Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. puppy programs and testing are offered – call for details – and a Canine Confidence Course, an obstacle course the site calls "a purely positive experience" that is especially good for shy or fearful dogs, runs in the spring and fall. The training room is handicap accessible, with seating upstairs for anyone who wants to watch.</p><p>The home page also links news pages – Matchmakers, Important News, Upcoming Dog Events – and outside resources such as APDT, AKC, American Humane, DogStar Daily, Dogwise, Jean Dodds DVM and a DNA test. Those news pages are headed Summer 2011 and Spring 2009, so the site has not been maintained in a long time; phone before assuming anything on it is current.</p>