Cedar Ridge Farm: Welcome

Check out our Events page for Training Seminars & Dog events

Etiquette 101-Sept 13 (Mon) at 7pm. Sign up now!

Puppy Etiquette 101-Sept 13 (Mon) at 6pm. Sign up now!

DOGA with Darci: Yoga with your dog-Sept 28 (Tues) at 6:30pm. Sign up now!

More details on DOGA the Events Page.

Basic Agility-Call or email to be placed on the list

Puppy Agility-Call or email to be placed on the list

Drop-in Agility-Call or email to be placed on the list

Drop-in agility is for those who have already taken one of our classes or somebody else's but the dog should be familiar with the equipment. If you need instruction (as a safety factor) you need to take a class first.

If you don't see a date up here for a class you want please email or call.

Private 5 sessions:

Leadership skills wrapped around basic obedience geared towards the problem dog and aggression but anyone can take private training to ensure a healthy relationship between you and your dog. Private training offers a more flexible schedule, training tailored specifically to your dog and your lifestyle, knowledge to give you the skills to handle the toughest situations. $400 (includes a long line) See bottom of page for more info on our training. After training is complete, we offer email & phone support for the dog's lifetime & you may take an Etiquette class for a discounted rate.

Dog Etiquette 101 Class 5 sessions: For the Adult dog who is beyond puppy class but needs more of a basis. You will learn leadership, ways to control your hyper/pushy dog while adding obedience commands in a fun setting. It is the same as the puppy class but tailored to those beyond the baby basics. $120 (includes Long line) For those that have taken private training or a 5 wk Etiquette class with us you can sign up for another 5 wk Etiquette class for half price. Inquire.

Puppy Etiquette 101 class 5 sessions:

Leadership based puppy class, a more in-depth look at getting your puppy headed down the right path. You will learn to gain respect from your pup, live in peace together with manners, desensitize them to our "world", learn how to socialize them properly, as well as teach them basic commands in a fun setting. $120 (includes Long line) For those that have taken private training or a 5 wk Etiquette class with us you can sign up for another 5 wk Etiquette class for half price. Inquire.

Please note: if you have not purchased a puppy yet PLEASE do not buy from a pet store or the internet and check out where you are buying from. DO NOT support Puppy Mills (they exist in our own backyard!) You would be surprised how well people can lie to you when they bring out a fluffy, freshly bathed puppy. Consider rescuing from a breed specific rescue organization or the animal shelters. Do your research, don't buy on impulse! Below is a puppy mill survivor:

Advanced Etiquette 5 sessions:

For those who have taken our Etiquette class or Private training and want to go beyond the basics with their dog (and their relationship) Keep up on those lifetime skills needed to carry on with manners, turn your dog into a model citizen, enjoy being with your dog, take pride in a dog that family & friends want to be around! This class is taking it to the next level with heavy distraction, real world situations, high level of obedience & various locations (depending on the level of the group) $70

Puppy Agility 4 sessions:

For the puppy brain & joints in mind. The pups will be exposed to equipment so they learn that its fun and not feared. No jumping or straining involved for those developing joints. $84 Once you have done a class with us you may use our Drop-in agility service.

Basic Agility 4 sessions:

Learn basic agility by exposing your dog to the equipment & have FUN! (If you are looking to start competing this is not the class for you) $84 Once you have done a class with us you may use our Drop-in agility service.

*All training is non-refundable (Private training must be used within 4 months from start date) We want to see commitment and consistency for the dog*

Sabrina is co-owner of Cedar Ridge (the other half is her husband!) Sabrina took the Professional Dog Trainers Program in 2005. She has been involved in animals of all sorts all of her life. She takes pride in having a full gamut of canine knowledge under her belt from training to nutrition. She has extensive knowledge on pack behaviour, how dog's think and problem behaviours (behaviour modification)

Shay's training principles are that of the Cedar Ridge philosophy, that every dog needs leadership, structure & consistency mixed with some fun motivation.

Shay has worked with the Pitbull breed for over 6 years. She knows how to train the more difficult breeds, how to motivate the independent mind & get them interested in wanting to work for their people.

Amanda's training principles are that of the Cedar Ridge philosophy, that every dog needs leadership, structure & consistency mixed with some fun motivation.

Amanda became a dog trainer because she bought her Brittney Spaniel puppy who was hyperactive and strong willed. She went to many dog classes where she didn't feel like she recieved enough help, so she decided to take the Dog Trainers Program in 2008. She has wonderful dog handling skills and emits confidence towards dogs and their people.

Does your dog bark excessively, jump on you, whine, pee on your carpet, knock your kids over, lunge aggressively on the leash, drag you down the road etc etc? If you answered yes to any of these you need to gain respect from your dog! No problem behaviour is too minor or too major-they need to be solved before they escalate into further problems.

Cedar Ridge offers LEADERSHIP training. We will teach you how to become the leader & maintain this role which will develop a respectful relationship. Being a leader is subtle and doesn’t mean being aggressive, it means taking the time to teach your dog what you want & what is expected of him. Consistency is the key to building trust, once there is trust your dog will look to you for leadership.

Dogs descended from wolves, and deep within the psyche of your dog lies instincts they have retained from their wild ancestors. In order to live with and communicate with your dog you need to understand why you must maintain Alpha position in the "pack." This does not mean you have to be a dictator but it does mean you need to be consistent, fair and you must have rules in your household. Each year over 5 million dogs are given up by owners, killed on the streets, or euthanized due to behavioural problems. The reason is usually a lack of understanding between dog and their owners. Most of the dogs given up each year were puppies that were not socialized correctly or taught how to fit into our domestic world.

We will train YOU to train your dog. This style of "training" is for LIFE. It is not a quick fix (there are no quick fixes in dog training) It takes commitment, consistency & hard work from YOU.

Our training is a life changing commitment-many people allow their dogs to conduct unruly behaviour such as jumping up, simply because they are not in tune with their own body language and how it is portrayed by their dog. Our methods will teach you to live in harmony with your companion through body language, pack order & simple commands. As a dog owner you must be willing to adapt your lifestyle in order to let your dog live in peace by having him give up his leadership status. Training does not end when you leave the training session!

Every dog is an individual-when we train we take this into consideration-we will be using the same leadership methods with all dogs that come for training but for obedience training some dogs work wonderfully for praise, some for food reward and yet others may need a more firm approach-no free lunch lifestyle. Obedience will always be introduced after respect has been gained for the owner-if there is no respect from your dog you will not have a solid relationship. Training equipment (ie collars) also depend on the dog.

It is quite natural for people to make excuses for their dogs, but all dogs are capable of causing serious harm. The sooner you seek help, the easier it will be to help your dog and you live a harmonious life.

Aggression issues seen in dogs need to be dealt with before they escalate. Most aggression issues ARE “fixable” but do take time and commitment from the owners. Cedar Ridge can help you deal with these issues.

Tana the ShepX: Use all of our services. When Tana started coming to daycare we noticed a VERY insecure dog, after only a few daycare sessions we told his owners that something needed to change in order for him to continue in daycare and for his own well being. They did 4 sessions and Tana is now a welcomed, calm, fun daycare boy! Read their testimonial below:

We are very grateful for the work Rob and Sabrina have and continue to do with Tana and us. We found Tana through the SPCA when he was 8 weeks old. We talked with numerous friends who had dogs and read several books about training and over the first 6 months he was with us, attempted to put actions in place to train Tana but there was a number of reoccurring problem. Tana would pull on the leash and lunge at other dogs, off the leash he had problems socializing with other dogs, often he would chew on our deck and fence when we were not home, he would jump up when he met new people and he was easily distracted After 4 sessions with Sabrina, our household and relationship with Tana has improved immensely. In fact, he is a very different dog. By spending time with Sabrina and practicing her methods, we have developed a ‘mature’ dog that listens to commands and looks for leadership. We are more relaxed and he is more relaxed because Tana knows who is alpha and who is in charge. The support that Sabrina and Rob provide is the extra that we greatly appreciate. During each lesson, Sabrina gave us tasks to practice with Tana and then enough time between each session with her to master these actions. Results were important for Sabrina and not just getting the classes done. If Tana was not ready for the next set of instructions, lessons were changed and delayed until the correct time. In addition to the training at Cedar Ridge, we have used the day care and boarding services. During this time, Tana has received more training and individual attention. Tana just keeps getting better the more time he spends at Cedar Ridge.

Zoe the boxer: Uses daycare, boarding & training at Cedar Ridge. Zoe started showing signs of insecure dominance (common in dogs these days) in daycare very early on but we nipped it in the bud pretty quick and she was able to continue attending daycare. Her people did 4 sessions of training with us. Her owner, David, wrote two versions of Zoe's story-very cute!....

Boxer Zoe was slipping into the darkness of bad manners when she met Sabrina. She was confused, unsure of her role in life and was starting to crack. An aggressive growl here, an angry box there, rudeness and disregard was threatening to shatter her domestic life. In four easy sessions and with a bit of coaxing from her masters, Sabrina laid out a shiny new path for the little boxer and within months Zoe was happy and content. Now, she sniffs bums and stays away from the bad crowd, she sits and lies on command and she is true example for other lost boxers in the world. Thanks Sabrina!

Sabrina was a life saver - I have a boxer, Zoe, that started life as a show dog and didn't have much socialization. Sabrina taught Zoe how to interact with other dogs and people and just as important, taught me how to interact with Zoe. It was an intensive two month process, but Sabrina's leadership and skill with dogs made it fairly painless. Zoe and I say thanks - ruff ruff.

Junior-Young adult Bull Terrier rescued from the streets of Texas was dominant with his owner & displaying territorial aggression towards other dogs when behind the fence. Junior showed great improvement after just 3 sessions, his owner just needed guidance in showing Junior who runs the household!:

"It's all been so helpful because its more basic behavior -- when we go to the car he would always wait inside very patiently, even with the door open, until i said ok but now he walks behind me. This is without a leash (it's a short distance, but still!), he's very good at it. Sometimes when I take him on the leash to the road, as soon as I stop he sits without me saying anything. Thank you we will continue to work on him while we are in Texas for 6 months."

Abby-6 yr old Humane Society adoption was highly dog aggressive & dominant with many people. Abby was a tough girl to get through to, but after just 6 sessions she was able to walk through a pack without attacking another dog:

"Hey Sabrina,

I just wanted to thank you for all your help with Abby, she is staying in a house with two other dogs and three cats and is having no problems. We move into our new place on Saturday and given a little time I think she will gain a friend out of Ella the lab that is already there...Without your help and guidance, I would not have been able to give Abby the leadership she needed to put her on a path to a better life... just wanted to give you another update on Abby's progress. She is doing wonderfully with her new roommate Ella, and seems to have learned the difference between the playful growls and the threatening ones. She and Ella play together quite a bit and most of the time Abby seems fine with that. She still has the occasional problem with outside dogs but I think the socialization she is getting will greatly help. It's too bad I don't live on the island as I mention you to anyone I get into a conversation about training with, and I'm sure you would get referrals. I will keep in touch to let you know about Abby in the future"

Thanks,
Dave in Bellingham, WA

It all started for me about 2 years when I needed to find a new groomer for my 2 Keeshonden (Kobi and Keesha) as their current groomer could no longer groom them because of the strain on her shoulder with all their fur. So I went looking and found Sabrina and Rob at Cedar Ridge Complete Canine Care. From grooming we expanded to a number of their other services that they provide, daycare sessions for social mingling, some longer term kennel stays...Sadly Keesha had to be put to rest leaving a grieving owner and sister pack mate, which brought new issues.

Kobi started acting out 2 months after Keesha was put down, she no longer would listen to me, would constantly test and would no longer come to me when I called, and would become super stressed and neurotic, very frustrating to deal with. The best thing I did was to talk to Sabrina about the problems and decided on a course of action of one on one training sessions. The training was not only for Kobi but for me too, I needed to learn just as much and change the things I was doing wrong and learn how to deal with only one dog now not two. Kobi and I went for 4 training sessions and we practiced in between the sessions and it has made all the difference. It was hard because we were trying to change some things that I had done and accepted from her for 10 years. It was a learning curve for me as much as it was for Kobi. Kobi is 100% better than she was before – not saying she is perfect, she isn’t, but at 10 years old when we started her training sessions she has done really well. So for those that say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, I say yes you can! Kobi can now be let off her leash and when I call her she stops and comes back. She will now stay and hold either in a sit or down position for more than 5 to 10 minutes if instructed. She still gets a bit distracted at times but life is so much better for the both of us. The training sessions were the best thing I ever did.

From someone that has utilized a number of the services that Cedar Ridge provides I couldn’t be happier with the treatment both my dogs and I have received over the years.

Cedar Ridge Complete Canine Care . 250-715-0689 . dogs@completecanine.ca . www.completecanine.ca . 7661 Mays Rd, Duncan, BC