Family Dog Classes
Our family dog classes are designed to help you build a strong, joyful partnership with your dog in a supportive, low-pressure environment. With small class sizes (no more than six dogs), we’re able to tailor lessons to the dogs and people in front of us, ensuring everyone feels comfortable and successful.
We focus on practical skills, clear communication, and positive reinforcement—helping your dog learn to love learning while strengthening the bond between you. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to deepen your connection, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Sessions are 6 weeks long, 45 minutes per class.
$165
Little Learners
Little Learners is the perfect first step for puppies 8 weeks to 5 months old. In this fun and supportive class, we focus on socialization and exposure to help your puppy grow into a confident, well-mannered companion. You’ll learn how to curb common puppy challenges like biting and potty training while teaching your pup essential skills like attention, leash and harness comfort, settling on a mat, and even a few tricks to make training a blast. Start your puppy off on the right paw and build a strong foundation for a lifetime together! Start smart. Grow confident.
Begins 4/19 at 10:00 a.m. at T & T Pet Care Services (Madison, North)
Dream Teen
Adolescence can be a tricky time for dogs—and their humans! Dream Teen is a class created specifically for puppies and adolescent dogs ages 5 months to 2 years, focusing on the skills that matter most during this developmental stage. We work on impulse control around food and environmental distractions, attention and focus, polite greetings, and recalls (and more!)
Your dog will also enjoy enrichment games and activities designed to strengthen the bond between you and your adolescent pup.
Good Dog Basics
Good Dog Basics is the perfect starting point for dogs over six months who are ready to build real-life manners in a supportive, low-pressure environment. In this class, we focus on the foundational skills that help dogs become thoughtful, responsive companions: impulse control around food and distractions, attention and focus, reliable stays and recalls, and the building blocks of loose leash walking.
Our goal is to help you understand how your dog learns, strengthen communication between you, and make training a joyful, confidence-building experience.
Intermediate
Intermediate is the next step for teams who have completed Good Dog Basics or Dream Teen and are ready to add more challenge and polish. In this class, we build on foundational skills like loose leash walking, stays, recalls, and impulse control while increasing difficulty through added distance, duration, and environmental distractions.
We’ll also add more real-life utility to skills like mat work, leave-it, and waiting at doors, helping dogs learn how to stay cool, focused, and thoughtful even when things get exciting.
Agility Classes
Agility at Busy Dog is all about fun, confidence, and teamwork! Our intro and continuing classes teach the foundations of the sport—adhering to real agility rules while keeping the focus on safety, learning, and joy. Small class sizes ensure each dog feels comfortable as they explore new equipment, build skills, and move with their person in a supportive, low-pressure environment.
Sessions are 6 weeks long, 45 minutes per class.
$165
Michael Summers
Designer
Leah Little
Engineer
Intro to Agility
Intro to Agility is a fun, confidence-building class where dogs learn the foundations of the sport in a safe, low-pressure environment. Your dog will be introduced to equipment like tunnels, jumps, and low contacts while you both practice clear communication, teamwork, and movement together. We focus on helping dogs feel comfortable, curious, and excited to try new things!
Begins 3/31 at 6:30 p.m. at Passion for Paws
(Madison, West)
Agility Fundamentals
Agility Fundamentals builds on the skills from Intro to Agility, giving dogs and handlers more experience, confidence.. In this class, dogs continue safe exposure to new equipment while teams begin practicing foundational handling skills—like turns, sends, and staying connected in motion. We also start stringing multiple obstacles together. With small class sizes and a supportive atmosphere, this class helps you and your dog grow as a team while keeping agility fun and accessible.
Begins 3/31 at 7:30 p.m. at Passion for Paws
(Madison, West)
Beginning Handling
Beginning Handling takes your agility training to the next level by combining obstacle fluency with real handling strategy. In this class, dogs continue building confidence and consistency on equipment—especially weave poles, teeters, and contact obstacles—while handlers learn how to read and dissect course maps, plan their lines, and run short sequences with purpose.
By Instructor Invitation Only
Nosework Classes
Our nosework program introduces dogs to the exciting world of scent detection, a confidence-building sport where dogs learn to use their nose to solve puzzles, search new environments, and work independently. Nosework is accessible to dogs of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds, and is especially wonderful for dogs who enjoy using their brains, need a low-impact activity, or thrive with one-on-one problem solving.
Dogs start by learning to search for food and build value for the game itself before progressing to target odors used in AKC and NACSW scent work. Each class expands your dog’s search skills with thoughtful setups, gradually increasing challenge.
Sessions are 6 weeks long, 45 minutes per class.
$165
Michael Summers
Designer
Leah Little
Engineer
Intro to Nosework
A fun, engaging introduction where dogs learn to search for food in progressively more complex search areas. Perfect for dogs new to the sport, dogs needing enrichment, or teams who want an exciting indoor activity.
Intro to Odors
For graduates of Intro to Nosework. Dogs are introduced to the birch target odor (used in AKC & NACSW) through food pairing, then gradually learn to search for birch alone while tackling more challenging setups
Outdoor Nosework
Outdoor Nosework takes the skills your dog has already developed and brings the search outside. Each week we’ll meet in an outdoor location and explore how scent behaves in the real world—where airflow, larger spaces, and competing odors add new layers to this fun sport.
Begins April 20th at 7:00 p.m. at various Madison (North, East) locations
More Sports & Enrichment
At Busy Dog, we believe that happy, well-rounded dogs need exercise for both their brains and their bodies. Our sports and enrichment classes are designed to tap into your dog’s natural strengths—sniffing, climbing, problem solving, moving with purpose—and channel them into fun, confidence-building activities you can enjoy together.
Classes are six weeks long, 45 minutes per class.
Hybrid Parkour
Ready to get outdoors and begin exploring with your dog? Join us for this fun, six week class with a new twist. Each Saturday for six weeks you’ll receive a lesson plan teaching you how to teach your dog parkour basics like 2 paws on, 4 paws on, around, back-up, under, in, (etc). Then, on Friday evenings, join us for an optional parkour walk in novel locations (east, north locations) with our dogs. It’s the best of both worlds! Class includes a dedicated Facebook group so you can share videos for instructor/classmate feedback throughout the week.
Class is taught by a certified Parkour Instructor/Evaluator with the International Dog Parkour Association.
Begins April 11th with our first walk on April 17th
Barks and Rec
Fit Dog Trail Walks
Join us for our free Fit Dog Trail Walks—casual community outings for dogs and the people who love them! We’ll explore some of our favorite dog-friendly parks and trails around the area, enjoy time outside together, and let our dogs experience new sights, smells, and terrains.
These walks are open to everyone, and while some locations may have entrance fees, the fun (and the company!) is always free. Grab your leash and come adventure with us!
AKC Canine Good Citizen Classes
Our AKC Canine Good Citizen® (CGC) classes are all about building solid, real-life skills while enjoying the training process together. We offer all three levels—CGC, CGCU (Urban), and CGCA (Advanced)—with each class including six weeks of preparation and the option to take the AKC test with one of our certified instructors. Training is always rewards-based and force-free, with an emphasis on consent, communication, and working as a team. These classes are practical, supportive, and genuinely fun—and even if earning a title isn’t your goal, they’re a great way to strengthen everyday skills and confidence.
Classes are six weeks long with a 7th week test, 45 minutes per class.
Canine Good Citizen
Canine Good Citizen (CGC) is the first step in the AKC’s CGC program and prepares teams to earn the official CGC title through the American Kennel Club. This class focuses on refining real-life skills your dog already knows, including polite greetings, loose leash walking, calm separation, grooming and handling, stays, recalls, and more.
This class is best suited for dogs who already have a solid foundation in these behaviors, are friendly with people, and are neutral or friendly around other dogs. The emphasis is on polishing skills, building reliability, and working confidently as a team.
Begins April 19th at 11:00 a.m. at T & T Pet Care Services (Madison, north)
Gift Certificate – $25
$25 Gift Certificate. Good for any of our in-person or online classes, workshops, or webinars.
Gift Certificate – $50
- $50 Gift Certificate. Good for any of our in-person or online classes, workshops, or webinars.
Gift Certificate – $100
- $100 Gift Certificate. Good for any of our in-person or online classes, workshops, or webinars.
Gift Certificate – $165
- $165 Gift Certificate. Good for any of our in-person or online classes, workshops, or webinars.
Online classes
Need more flexibility in your schedule, or want to work from home? For our online offerings, please visit our Online Classes page for class descriptions and registration.
More classes are on the way!
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Articles and Resources
Looking for some quick tips, fun games, or just a good read? Make sure to stop by our free Articles and Resources page to see what else we can offer! Classes are six weeks long, 45 minutes per class.