• Yes. Foundations is designed for dogs of any age. Whether your dog is a young adolescent or an older dog who never had formal training, the goal of Foundations is to build consistency in your communication with your dog. Dogs don’t age out of learning. In many cases, older dogs benefit from training just as much because it provides structure and clearer expectations that may have been missing.

  • Many dogs “know” commands but don’t perform them consistently. In Foundations, we focus on improving reliability and communication so your dog understands what skills like sit or loose leash walking actually mean. This shift in understanding is often what makes the biggest difference in day-to-day behaviour.

  • Yes. Many dogs in Foundations struggle with over-excitement rather than true reactivity.

    We focus on helping dogs build patience, improve focus, and learn how to stay more regulated around distractions. While this program is not designed for severe behavioural cases, it is very effective for dogs who become overly excited around people, dogs, or in outdoor environments.

  • Classes begin at our training facility and progress into real-world environments. The first classes take place in our outdoor training yards, where dogs can learn in a more controlled setting. The final class is held in a public park in the Calgary area, where we work with real-life distractions such as other dogs, people, and movement. This helps ensure that the skills learned in class carry over into everyday situations.

  • Foundations is designed to be a focused, high-impact program that delivers the most important training concepts in a short period of time. Rather than spreading lessons out over several weeks, classes are held more frequently so you can apply what you learn right away, receive feedback, and continue building skills without losing momentum.  

    This structure helps both dogs and owners learn more quickly and effectively. You’ll develop a clear understanding of the skills and training concepts needed to improve behaviour, along with the ability to continue progressing on your own.  Foundations provides the essential skills and understanding needed to move forward with confidence, whether continuing into more advanced training or building on these skills at home.  Many clients come to Foundations looking for immediate help, and this format allows them to start seeing meaningful results quickly.

  • Many dogs can perform skills at home but struggle in more distracting environments.

    Foundations helps bridge that gap by gradually introducing distractions and teaching dogs how to stay engaged and responsive outside of familiar settings. This is an important step in helping training carry over into real life.

What clients are saying about
Foundations at Clever Canines!

  • “I recently completed Jumpstart (Foundations) with my one-year-old rescue dog. He is much better on leash and if I continue to be consistent with what I was taught he will be perfect! I also took advantage of the day school that was offered with Jumpstart (Foundations). When he got home he was the calmest I have ever seen. I am still working hard to ensure I apply the skills I learned and I often call the office to get more advice which has helped me so much! Thanks for taking my calls Clever Canines!!!”

    ~ Sarah + Brewster

  • “We did Jumpstart (Foundations) with Mary & Bobby and I couldn’t say more amazing things. From the first class we felt like we were already connecting with our dog. Mary and Bobby took time to individually work with dogs who were having a tough time concentrating. After 4 classes we already noticed a difference in our dog. We’ll always work at the skills we’ve learned but we feel like we know what we’re doing, so we show our dog a confidence we didn’t have before. We’re thinking about doing another program through Clever Canines to go beyond the basics. Thank you so much!”

    ~ Jenna + Penny

  • “We had tried 2 other methods of training with our extremely energetic and strong willed chocolate lab with absolutely no signs of improvement. A friend told us about Clever Canines so we gave the jumpstart classes a shot. We put the time and work in and began to see results within weeks. Our lab is now 4 years old and our lab behaves better than we could have ever imagined which gives us the confidence to take her anywhere! Great company run by great people!”

    ~ Jordan+ Zoey