Friends Fur Ever: The Classy Canine hosts recall training class

PALMER — Dogs of all shapes and sizes showed up to the Come When Called Workshop hosted by The Classy Canine Thursday, Jan. 5.

Local pet owners grow closer to their beloved furry friends by learning to work as a team.

"It's a lot of fun for everybody," The Classy Canine owner Heather Turri said. "I love seeing their progress."

This workshop focused on recall training, using keywords, treats, and other tools to reinforce obedience. Turri said that recall is the one of the most important skills one can teach their dog. Whether it's preventing dogs from getting hit by a car or simply keeping them from jumping all over house guests when they walk in, recall is the fundamental foundation every canine companions training is built upon.

"Training saves lives," Turri said.

Turri said her favorite part of training is showing pet owners how to read their dog's body language to recognize cues on how they're feeling.

"Find what motivates your dog," Turri said. "We can adapt for our dogs. It's such an easy fix. I'm here to help you learn how to talk to your dog."

Turri said they average about 20 to 30 classes a week.

"We stay busy," Turri said. "I would like to try to help as many dogs as possible," Turri said. "It takes a lot of work and it's really rewarding."

Joy Miller and her son Ethan brought a fuzzy, little dog named Dudley. Miller said they started Dudley with puppy training two years ago. She said these are great classes for any pet owner.

"It's fantastic. It's kind of what we needed to get her off to a good start. I highly recommend them," Miller said.

Now, they keep coming back to keep Dudley up with her training and reunite her with one of her closest friends.

"Heather is Dudley's favorite human," Miller said with a laugh.

Turri said that she's been training dogs for 12 years. She said that she opened The Classy Canine two years ago, just a year after moving to the Mat-Su Valley from Texas. She said that she didn't intend to live in Alaska, but she was ultimately won over by the widespread sense of kindness and support exhibited by Valley residents.

"I love the community. That's why I stayed," Turri said.

The Classy Canine offers classes in indoor and outdoor settings. Pet owners can participate in group classes, schedule a one on one session, or request a home visit. All dogs are required to be current on bordetella, distemper/parvo, and rabies vaccines to enter training.

The Classy Canine is located at 301 East Outer Springer Loop in Palmer. For more information, call 907-671-4696.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com