Group classes allow you to practice new skills or improve existing ones in a controlled environment and utilize various distractions. We offer classes ranging from a puppy, basic obedience, manners, fun, and games to performance classes like rally obedience and agility. We also offer specialty courses, including a loose leash walking course, topics, and classes for individuals who enjoy trick training.
Training takes place primarily in our spacious indoor daycare rooms under A/C. However, we often hold classes in different environments like our parking lot and back play yards. Agility classes held at the Sarasota location only run on a grass field that is fully fenced. Our equipment meets AKC regulations for competition. For safety, we went the extra mile by providing you with rubberized contacts and a breakaway tire.

Current and upcoming classes are organized by location below.
To sign up for a class, please call the location’s reception team.
Saturdays with Joan
Jan. 7 to Feb. 11 Agility Foundations 9:30am
To register for any classes listed below, please call us at (941) 244-4930.
Jan. 9 to Jan. 30 Puppy Kindergarten 5:30 (off 1/16) 4 week class
Jan. 10 to Feb. 14 Basic Obedience 1 5:30
Jan. 11 to Feb. 15 Basic Obedience 2/Canine Good Citizen 5:30
Jan. 12 to Feb. 16 Agility/Rally Intro. 5:30
Obedience Classes
(6 Week Courses)
$120 /4 Weeks / 1 Hour
Eligibility: All breeds of puppies, ages 12weeks – 6 months
What is Puppy Kindergarten?
This class is an enrichment program designed to help your pup develop into a confident puppy that becomes a well-adjusted adult dog through work and play. Through basic obedience exercises, your puppy will learn basic social skills such as how to meet a new person properly, to wait at the door, to walk on a leash without pulling, and to listen to commands while in the presence of distractions. This class requires owner participation both during class and at home between classes, as communication and consistency are the keys to success!
Each class will a lot of time for free off-leash playtime, focused basic obedience work, and Q &A from owners
Vaccine Requirements
Puppies are required to have all the vaccines appropriate for their age, including Bordetella.
What to bring to class?
- Food treat: Any kind your puppy really likes, try to avoid large hard crunchy treats
- Treat bags or waist aprons are recommended but not required
- 6-8ft flat leash (retractable leashes and bungee leashes not acceptable)
- Flat (snap or buckle) collars are preferred, but If using a training aid please bring that as well to discuss with the trainer (e.g. no-pull harness or head halter)
- Close-toed shoes for safety
- Favorite toy (optional if puppy not food motivated)
$120 / 6 Weeks / 1 Hour
Eligibility: All breeds of dogs, 6 months and up. Aggressive behaviors are not permitted in class, if there is a concern contact the trainer.
What is Basic Obedience l?
This is the first level of obedience classes offered here at Bayside Pet Resort for adult dogs. This class gives both dog and owner a great foundation in communication and obedience to build on throughout your dogs’ life. Through positive reinforcement and basic obedience exercises, your dog will learn basic social skills such as how to meet a new person properly, to wait at the door, leash manners, build impulse control, and listen to commands while in the presence of distractions. This class requires owner participation both during class and at home between classes, as communication and consistency are the keys to success!
In each class session, you will learn and have time to practice one-two command at a time as well as ask your trainer any questions you might have. Some commands you will learn are:
- Come
- Sit
- Down
- Place
- Heel
- Leave it
- Drop/Take
Vaccine Requirements
All dogs are required to be fully vaccinated, including Bordetella.
What to bring to class?
- Food treat: Any kind your puppy really likes, try to avoid large hard crunchy treats
- Treat bags or waist aprons are recommended but not required
- 6-8ft flat leash (retractable leashes and bungee leashes not acceptable)
- Flat (snap or buckle) collars are preferred, but If using a training aid please bring that as well to discuss with a trainer (e.g. no-pull harness or head halter)
- Close-toed shoes for safety
Favorite toy (optional if puppy not food motivated)
Basic Obedience II/Canine Good Citizen
$120 / 6 Weeks / 1 Hour
Eligibility: All breeds of dogs, 6 months and up who have completed a basic obedience course
What is CGC?
CGC stands for Canine Good Citizenship. Our CGC course builds on what you and your dog already know. This class is the next step for those who want some peace of mind when taking your dog out into public, need proof of your dogs’ knowledge of appropriate behavior for housing purposes, or for those who just want something fun to do with your dog. In this class, you and your dog will learn to respond appropriately and reliably during exposure to a number of different distractions and will develop a more thorough understanding of each behavior.
Since all training and behavior builds on itself, each class will be looking at more advanced forms of the basic obedience you and your dog have already learned. You will learn how to practice a concept called proofing, which simply means to test your dogs’ comprehension through using distractions, adding distance, and increasing durations while listening to commands. At the end of our 6-week course, your dog will be eligible to take our 10 step test given by one of our AKC certified CGC evaluators.
Additional Information
Please make sure you have an AKC, PAL, or Canine Partners registration number. You will need this number in order to make the title official (You have up to a year to submit paperwork). All breeds including mixed breeds are eligible to take the test and can obtain a registration number from AKC.
Vaccine Requirements
Dogs are required to be fully vaccinated, including Bordetella.
What to bring to class?
- Food treat: Any kind your puppy really likes, try to avoid large hard crunchy treats
- Treat bags or waist aprons are recommended but not required
- 6-8ft flat leash made of leather or fabric only (retractable leashes and bungee leashes not permitted during testing)
- Flat (snap or buckle), martingale, slip collars, or body harnesses only (made of leather, fabric, or chain) as no other options are permitted during testing
- Close-toed shoes for safety
- Favorite toy (optional if puppy not food motivated)
What to Expect for the CGC Test
What behaviors are covered during the test?
- Accepting a friendly stranger
- Sitting politely for petting
- Appearance and grooming
- Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)
- Walking through a crowd (3 people at mini.)
- Sit and down on command, and stay in place
- Coming when called
- Reaction to another dog
- Reaction to distraction
- Supervised separation
All sections of the test must be passed to graduate. If one section is failed, then the participant can try that one section again at the end of the test period. If they pass then they can graduate. If they fail again, or if they fail more than one section during the testing period, then they will need to retake the entire test at a later date.
Eligibility: All ages and all breeds welcome
Fun & Games class is unique in that it combines what you love about obedience, agility, nose work, rally, and tricks classes all into one! Each week we use an array of obstacles, training techniques and have a ton of fun. This is a class you can enroll in over and over again. We routinely add or change up games keeping things new and exciting for those looking to have fun with their dogs on a regular basis. Our goals are to help you develop a working relationship with your dog while having so much fun you don’t even realize your training. Here is a breakdown of our weekly class curriculum.
Bravery Day – We introduce your dogs to various obstacles that wobble, make noise, are elevated off the ground. Interesting items/smells will be available for your dogs to investigate, touch, and interact with. Dogs will also have a chance to enjoy a variety of canine fitness equipment such as the peanut, balance ball, inflatable pods, and discs. Create a more confident dog with these fun interactive games.
Group Game Day – Let’s play a group game of tic tac toe utilizing our dog’s ability to sit stay and down stay. Other favorites are lassie says, musical pups, cavaletti races, red light green light, Olympic Games, and more!
Tricks Day – Let’s find out what your dog’s individual strengths are and turn them into fun tricks you can show off to your family and friends. Learn how to achieve almost anything using a clicker to shape behavior.
Obstacle Course Day – We review behaviors already known and learn some new and fun ones involving obedience, tricks, and agility. We then set a course with signs similar to the rally. Each dog and owner team will have fun attempting the fun yet challenging course.
Hide & Seek Day – We will perform two scent exercises. Using a variety of scent obstacles and articles we will teach them to search for their treats. Recall games are a favorite where you hide and your dog finds you to make coming when called more fun!
Skills Day – Want your dog to cooperate and pose for pictures? Attempt a performance skill like agility or retrieve a dumbbell? Perhaps there’s a fun game or trick we covered previously that you want to continue to work on with your dog? This day is all about you and your dog. Let’s explore new, interesting and useful skills.
Specialty Classes
(4 Week Courses)
This course is designed to teach you how to take control. We will arm you with the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to successfully train your dog to walk politely and not pull while on a leash. You may find pulling to be manageable and just settle for a harness but keep in mind, over time leash pulling can manifest into more problematic behaviors like aggression or lead to serious health problems. Learn what type of equipment to use and more importantly how to use it. Dogs that learn not to pull when on leash are a pleasure to take out and as a result, they enjoy exercise, freedom, socialization, and much-needed mental stimulation.
Download Full Course Description for Loose Leash Walking (PDF)
Eligibility: All ages and all breeds welcome
Topics class is designed to cover the most commonly sought-after training lessons and give Basic Obedience and Real World Etiquette graduates another opportunity to improve on their skills. Here is a breakdown of our weekly class curriculum.
Impulse Control Workshop – This week we will cover a variety of exercises geared towards improving your dog’s self-control. Dogs by nature are impulsive creatures and it takes a good deal of training to overcome some of them. Learn how to utilize the dog’s desires and show them the appropriate behavior needed to acquire it.
Reliable Recall – Let’s play a series of games designed to maximize your dog’s willingness to come when called. This is hands down the most beneficial behavior you can teach your dog. For safety purposes, dogs should learn to respond quickly to a recall. It may just save their life someday.
Heeling and Loose Leash Walking – Learn the basics of polite leash walking. You will learn about the different training gear and find what works best for your individual needs. We also teach our dogs to defer to you for direction, the basics of heeling at our left side, develop an automatic sit when you stop, and discuss how to deal with distractions.
Skills in Public – We will meet either at a designated dog-friendly park, restaurant, or at a local Pet Supermarket. Together we will tackle common problems one faces in public with their dog including greeting strangers, handling human interactions, leash pulling, high levels of distraction, impulse control, sniffing, and/or inappropriate urination. You’ll also learn how to get your dog to be calm and polite while you are making a purchase, eating, or conversing with other people.
Is a Basic Obedience I a prerequisite for this class?
Though it is strongly advised the answer is no. However, it’s to your benefit that when choosing to enroll in this class, your dog already knows the basic behaviors such as sitting, down, and staying.
Eligibility: All ages and all breeds welcome
Our Sports Sampler class is unique in that it introduces you to 5 fun performance activities: competition obedience, scent work, tricks, rally obedience, and agility. Let’s discover what activity you and your canine partner find enjoyable together. Each session starts with a demonstration. Afterward, you will have an opportunity to give it a try.
Eligibility: All ages and all breeds welcome
Do you love to play with your dog? Do you want to learn how to teach your dog to do all those amazing tricks you see on T.V. or online? Then this is the class for you! The class curriculum is designed to be enjoyed again and again. There’s always something new to try and many titling levels to work towards. You will also have an opportunity to earn the AKC Trick Dog titles.
Dog Sport Classes
(6 Week Rally & Agility Courses)
Looking for a fun class that goes beyond basic obedience? This class teaches the fundamental skills needed for these two exciting sports. The class will cover focus, target work, handling skills, start line stays, and more. Teams will learn to read novice rally signs and be introduced to fundamental agility obstacles.
Eligibility: All ages and all breeds welcome
Think of an AKC Rally® event as a team sport: You and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer your dog through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. The dog and handler move continuously throughout the course with the dog under control at the handler’s left side. Runs are timed and winners are chosen based on the highest score. When teams earn the same score, time will be the deciding factor for placement. Some of the challenges include 360° turns, serpentine weaves, jumps, signal exercises at a distance, figure 8 with distractions and so much more. There are a grand total of 111 different signs and five competition levels in Rally. This is known for being a highly addictive sport due to its fun upbeat nature. Rally will be taught using only highly motivating games and reward-based methods.
Eligibility: All breeds and puppies ages 3-10months
Puppies will have a chance to experience safe ground-level equipment such as the wobble board, ladder, mini teeter, ground table, tunnel, and more. Equipment is designed to build bravery, rear-end awareness, and get the pups accustomed to unstable surfaces. They will also learn the power of play, self-control, and basic obedience for agility.
Drop-In: YES
Foundation agility is designed to make the introduction to the sport as enjoyable and safe as possible. You’ll start by teaching your dog the basic groundwork such as target training, start-line stays, impulse control, foundation jumping, flatwork, focused attention, and recall. Wobble boards and plank boards will be used to start before introducing your pup to the actual obstacles.
Download a Full Class Description
Eligibility: Ages 10 months and up. All breeds welcome.
You have the foundation work, now it’s time to start stringing obstacles together to create a course. Each week you will have the chance to practice on a newly designed course that targets different strategies and techniques to succeed.
Is there a prerequisite for this class?
Though we do not have prerequisites for any of our classes, it is to your benefit and for your dog’s safety that you and your dog already know the foundation skills necessary to be successful when choosing to enroll. Consult with your trainer as to the best route for your current level and goals.
Download a Full Class Description
Not sure where to start?
A training assessment is the first step in developing your pet’s individual education plan. Our experienced staff of certified dog trainers will develop a plan specific to your pet’s needs and your goals.
For your convenience, the assessment can be done in three ways. By phone, email or you can set up an appointment that will take place at the Bayside Pet Resort location nearest you and will last 20-30 minutes.