Dog Training
2026 Summer Class Schedule
**Puppy Start Right Class ($160 for 6-week session)
— For puppies 12 weeks to 5 months of age
— Introduction to attention and focus exercises, leash walking, sit, down, and coming when called
— Emphasis on socialization, management & prevention exercises, housetraining, mouthing, and appropriate play
Classes start Saturday, July 18 @ 1:30pm No puppies to first class Click here to register for the Puppy Start Right Class
**Canine Social Skills—Level 1 ($160 for 6-week session)
— For dogs 5 months of age and older
— Lesson plans include sit, down, stay, wait, come, leash walking, and more
— Using positive reinforcement, learn how to apply the basic skills to in-home and public situations
— Course includes relationship building and positive solutions to problem behaviors
Classes start Saturday, July 18 @ 12:00pm No dogs first class Click here to register for the Saturday Class
**Canine Social Skills – Level 2 ($160 for 6-week session)
— For dogs who have completed Canine Social Skills—Level 1
— This class will also prepare those who want to take the AKC Community Canine Test
— Learn new skills and how to apply them to real life experiences
— Flexible curriculum to meet the needs of the class
Classes start Saturday, July 18 @ 11:00am Bring dogs to first class Click here to register for the Canine Social Skills – Level 2
Future Class Options
Canine Social Skills – All Levels
— For dogs who have completed Canine Social Skills—Level 1 or Basic Skills Class
— Classes will blend everyday obedience skills with other dog sports venues with an emphasis on maintaining canine fitness
— Flexible curriculum to mee the needs of the class
No classes offered at this time
Rally Obedience Class
— Dogs should have completed a basic skills class
— Rally is a fun way to build teamwork and strengthen the bond between you and your dog
— We will focus on one social skill behavior each week in addition to practicing different rally signs
— Flexible curriculum to meet the needs of the class
No classes offered at this time
Reactive Dog Class
— The goal is to teach your dog to be calm and focused in the presence of other dogs and people
— We will teach you management, handling and training techniques to reduce the reactive behavior
— Learn to read dog body language, increase focus and how to replace negative behavior with positive associations
No classes offered at this time
About Town Walking Challenge
— Let’s take those leash walking skills to the next level and outside of the classroom
— Week 1 is brushing up on behaviors and concepts. From there we will go to a new area each week (neighborhood strolls, shopping centers, forest preserves, etc)
— This class is about problem solving, handling new situations in public with your dog and how to make good decisions about how to handle each new challenge
— Learn new skills
No classes offered at this time
AKC CGC & CGC Community Canine and Beyond
— This is a multi-purpose class proofing your dog in public areas and with distractions while preparing for the AKC CGC and AKC CGC Community Canine tests
— We will be working at the training center and off site locations. This will be a great class to work on public behaviors with a training coach.
— Dogs must be over 6 months of age and have passed a Level 1 training class.
No classes offered at this time
AKC Fit Dog Level 2 Class
— This class builds on the skills and concepts taught in Level 1 Basic Fitness & will continue learning new tricks that parallel the fitness exercises
— This class will continue to teach skills on the flat and with forelimbs elevated on balance equipment
— This class will also progress to rear limb targeting and performing exercises with rear limbs elevate on balance equipment
No classes offered at this time
Winter Boredom Class
— For non-reactive dogs who have completed a Level 1 class
— Each week we will concentrate on 1 or 2 basic skills plus introduce dogs to a different sport; such as agility, rally, tricks, etc.
No classes offered at this time
Summer Fun Class
— For dogs who have completed Canine Social Skills—Level 1 or Basic Skills Class
— This class will include tricks, games and field trips (weather permitting)
— Learn new behaviors and how to apply them to real life experiences
— Flexible curriculum to meet the needs of the class
No classes offered at this time
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Registration & Class Information
— Pre-registration and payment are required for each class. To register and pay for class, please visit the Paws for Companions website.
— Once registration and payment have been received, you will receive an email from pets@shelray.net to confirm the class, retrieve client and pet information and provide class directions and information.
— Proof of Rabies, Distemper, Parvo, and Bordetella vaccines due upon registration. Puppies under 4 months need proof of current puppy vaccinations. (Please email your pets records to pets@ shelray.net or have your veterinarian fax the information to 262-857-6949.)
— No dogs for the 1st class unless informed otherwise, but please bring a picture of your dog and lots of questions!
— All classes: Minimum 3 dogs, Maximum 5 dogs – (dog maximum may vary per class)
— No refunds unless approved by instructor. If you are unable to attend a class you registered for, class credit (to be used towards future class) will be provided if class is dropped prior to 2-Weeks before session start date. If a class is dropped within 2-Weeks of session start date, payment for class is forfeit.
–We want you and your dog to be successful in your training. Therefore, completion of a 6 or 8 week class does not guarantee that you will be automatically be advanced to the next level. You and your dog may need to spend more time maturing physically and/or mentally or focusing on overcoming certain challenging areas before they are ready to advance.
Meet the Trainer
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Deana Noonan, CPDT-KA, CPCFT, AKC CGC Evaluator, Puppy Start Right Instructor, AKC Fetch Judge, AKC Fit Dog Level 2 Instructor – Paws for Companions, Inc.
Deana has combined her life-long love for dogs with proven positive training techniques to create a training experience that both you and your dog will enjoy!
Certification, Associations and Education
Master Trainer Certification Program at the National School for K-9 Trainers in Ohio, 1986
CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed
AKC CGC Evaluator
Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT)
Puppy Start Right Instructor
AKC Level 1 Fit Dog Instructor
Professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
Continuing education includes seminars, workshops and webinars on dog training techniques and behavioral issues with instructors including Patricia McConnell, Pat Miller, Sue Sternberg, Ian Dunbar, Clicker Expo and others.
Training Classes
Puppy and Adult Dog Obedience and Manners Training
Behavior Modification and Problem Solving
Reactive Dog Training
AKC Rally
Canine Strength & Conditioning Classes
An important addition to Deana’s certifications and curriculum is the Professional Canine Fitness Trainer Certification that she received in 2017 through the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy program. When her German Shepard, Journey, began experiencing serious health issues in his life and needed rehab after numerous hip surgeries, Deana discovered she had a passion for canine fitness. She now incorporates canine fitness into all her classes, knowing that a healthy dog is always eager to learn.
Awards
Deana has earned titles in AKC Obedience and Rally
Training Philosophy
Deana believes that training is one of the most important things you can do with your dog. It is training that establishes communication and trust between a dog and its family that will continue through the dog’s life. We communicate with our dog every day through our body language and actions. Her goal is to help each family establish a clear and consistent language with their dog in a positive, force-free manner that will create a happy, rewarding, supportive environment for them all to live in. While there is no true “easy” button for dog training, Deana has found that positive reward-based training is the most effective way to train puppies and adult dogs alike. She blends operant training techniques (where the dog learns that his behavior controls the outcome) and classical conditioning (where the dog learns to associate events with specific responses).
Getting To Know The Trainer
Deana and her husband, George, started Paws for Companions Dog Training in 1998. They reside in Illinois with their dog, Violet, CGC, CGCA, RN, TKN, FDB. In addition to pursuing her AKC Rally and Fit Dog titles, she also enjoys swimming and tracking!
In addition to teaching dog training and fitness classes, Deana also serves on the board of Noah’s Rest, Inc., a non-profit organization whose mission is to arrange temporary shelter for pets of domestic violence victims. Noah’s Rest believes no one should be forced to choose between abandoning a beloved pet or staying in an abusive relationship. For more information, or to get in contact with Noah’s Rest, please visit www.noahsrest.org.
Deana’s sensitivity to your dog’s personality, combined with her training experience and your family needs is a recipe for training success, leading to an opportunity for you and your dog to live happily-ever together.
