About Force Free Pets

What they offer

Force Free Pets is the training and education program run from a kennel shop on Union Street in Bangor. Its founder has worked with dogs since 1995, and the program offers in-person and online education for dog and cat owners, including classes, webinars, a blog and a podcast.

Classes

Puppy and Rescue Headstart is an online class for people getting or raising a puppy or rescue dog, covering house-training, play biting, chewing, jumping up, handling and alone training. Basic Manners is six semi-private sessions with no more than two dogs, held in the upstairs training room or outdoors in the training field, and teaches attention, give, sit, down, come and heel along with how dogs communicate. Further levels include Advanced Basic and Clicks and Tricks, plus a class on sniffing.

Private training and behavior help

Private training works on everyday skills such as loose-leash walking and leave it. Dogs struggling with fear, separation anxiety, aggression, resource guarding or reactivity are referred to private behavior consultations in person or on Zoom; the site says new behavior clients are currently taken after the Basic Manners class.

Approach

All training is reward-based, with no shock, prong or choke collars.