About Mountainside K9 Dog Training

A three-level ladder, not a single class

Mountainside K9 Dog Training works out of a facility at Rensselaer Falls, on the Oswegatchie in the west of St Lawrence County, and its published program is built as a sequence rather than a menu. Every group student starts with an evaluation. The Foundations class – "for those who have never taken a group class" – covers basic obedience, marking behaviors, communication and "keeping your dog focused on you." Intermediate requires a Foundations graduation or an equivalent run of private lessons, and moves to "learning how to work through distracting environments" plus an introduction to off-leash obedience. Advanced requires Intermediate, and is where off-leash obedience becomes public obedience "in stores, parks, and other high traffic environments." All three are prerequisites for the business's therapy dog certification route, which is a rare thing to see stated plainly: "must have completed all three group classes in order to complete our Therapy Dog Certification process."

The classes do not stay indoors. The business's own class photographs are captioned at Ogdensburg Free Academy – "they worked through students and a new environment with ease" – at Fort de la Presentation in Ogdensburg, and on local trails.

Board and train, in two tiers, and what it is not

Board and train is offered for owners for whom "private sessions and group classes are unachievable due to schedule," and it comes in two packages. The on-leash package is a three-week stay with two follow-up sessions included and covers sit, down, stay, place work, meeting other dogs and people appropriately, coming when called, crate and door manners and heel. The on-and-off-leash package is a six-week stay with three follow-up sessions, adds heel and place work off leash and recall off leash, includes all tools, and sends dogs home at weekends "to practice with owners." There is also a short-term day-to-day option for owners who are away briefly, and an evaluation is required before any of them can be booked.

The site draws a line under the whole category that is worth quoting, because it is the distinction most owners searching for boarding in this county actually need: "We are NOT a boarding facility, this service is priced as a board AND train. Availability is LIMITED."

Private work, in your home or at the facility

Private sessions are described as one of the most popular services, and the business is specific about what they are for: "From jumping on guests, aggression, reactivity of people and dogs, to confidence building, this is where you should start!" The published focus areas for private work are behavior modification – listed as aggression, reactivity and fearfulness – competitive obedience for owners aiming at AKC obedience, agility or Schutzhund venues, and a preferred one-on-one track for owners who, as the site puts it, "just don't like crowds." Owners can book an in-facility session directly, or ask for a trainer to come to the house anywhere within St Lawrence County.

Therapy dogs, and testing

Therapy dog preparation is the part of this business with the longest reach. The site claims twenty-five active therapy dog teams "all over New York State and beyond," and separately reports having certified more than twenty successful therapy dog teams across Jefferson, Franklin, Lewis and St Lawrence counties for several different school districts. Preparation is framed for work "in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, and beyond," and starts with an evaluation. Alongside it the business offers AKC testing – "all three levels of AKC Testing, as well as Trick Dog Evaluations and Temperament Testing."

The trainer

Michaela Lawton is named on the site as owner and head trainer. Her published education is a Penn Foster dog training certification and the Medaille College veterinary technician program, both dated 2016. She lists herself as an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator and, through the American Working Dog Association, as a therapy dog evaluator, a service dog evaluator and a personal protection dog evaluator; she also lists a place on the Alliance of Therapy Dogs alternative review committee. Every one of those is the business's own claim. Her competition record, also self-reported, runs across AKC titles, IGP and dock diving, and her published community work includes school presentations at Ogdensburg Free Academy and Lisbon Central School, a Canton Central School District agricultural program session and an interview with North Country Public Radio.

What to ask

The evaluator appointments above are appointments, not classes. If you are looking for a protection course or a service dog program, ask directly. The same goes for a puppy class. For prices for group classes, private sessions and board and train, the site routes you to a contact form or a phone call.