Community Dog Training Classes

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Group Dog Behavior & Training Classes

Second to overcrowding, the leading cause of euthanasia in dogs in animals shelters in the United States, is due to undesirable behaviors.

The high cost of dog training is too expensive for many, making it more accessible to the privileged population. On top of this, regardless of a dog’s behavior, many dogs belong to people in need that do not have the resources to provide for them, making it too challenging to keep them.

Hosted by our charitable giving program, the Love At First Sit® Initiative, our Community Dog Training Classes seek to respond to this disparity by making qualified dog training accessible to the community at large at a class cost of just $5.oo, then Pay-What-You-Can after that, while also donating proceeds from the classes to benefit charities that advocate for animals and the people who love them. In this way, our initiative helps to keep dogs with their humans, helping to prevent them from being relinquished — or returned after adoption — to animals shelters. Ultimately making an impact on reducing our nation’s euthanasia rate for dogs.

Learn More about the Love At First Sit® Initiative.

Community Dog Training Classes in the News

Spectrum News 1 SoCal

Everyday Heroes

We are honored to be chosen as an Everyday Hero for Spectrum News 1 SoCal! Learn more about our mission and community dog training classes in this news story by Multimedia Journalist, Nikki Kay:

“LOS ANGELES — With her Love at First Sit initiative, Carmen Molinari brings dog training to the community to help keep pets out of shelters.. By offering community dog-training classes for $5 (of which all proceeds go to a pet-care charity) Molinari aims to break the barrier of pet care, and ultimately help pet owners keep their animals out of shelters.”

Love At First Sit® Initiative

The Love At First Sit® Initiative was created with one mission in mind:

To take the initiative to help prevent animals from being relinquished or returned to animal shelters, support the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of homeless pets into forever homes, and help the people who love them. We do this by amplifying the voices and movements of those that seek to advocate for people and pets.

Whether our team has boots on the ground volunteering, partnering with nonprofit organizations, donating, fundraising, or using our skills and resources to further these causes collectively, we seek to contribute to their ability to fulfill their mission of championing for animals and people in need. In this way, we join a movement to advocate and protect animals and people alike, helping to provide them with the opportunity to live happy, healthy, and meaningful lives that they deserve.

Learn More about the Love At First Sit® Initiative.

Past Beneficiaries

Our Behavior & Training Approach

Our classes are for dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes. Based in science, our program utilizes an ethical and force-free and free-method known as the Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) approach, with rewards and positive reinforcement.

To maintain the effectiveness of our approach, we continue to evolve our dog behavior and training programs as the studies and research of dog behavior evolves. Our goal is not only teach your dog to skills to help them thrive with you and in the real world, but to guide you to the tools and insight to build and maintain your dog’s training so that it is sustainable over time. Ultimately, we strive to empower you to be the dog trainer so that you may continue dog’s training far beyond your time with us.

Class Requirements & Information

Class Cost

$5.00, then Pay-What-You-Can!

Class Limit

10 dogs

Class Days & Times

Saturdays at 12 PM

Vaccinations, Health, and Behavior

Proof of vaccinations, and fulfill health and behavior requirements

Class Topics

Announced at class.

Basic Obedience & Enrichment Topics

Dog Placement

Dogs 6 months and up.

Class Duration

1 Hour

Exclusions

Class Training Level

Our community dog training classes are focused on the basics of obedience and enrichment in a drop-in class format. They do not offer advanced or specialty training levels in a complete training series format.

If you are seeking a larger scope of class training for your dog at all levels, and with comprehensive training curriculum, check out our group dog behavior and obedience classes offered in a 4 to 5 week series.

Problem Behaviors

Our community dog training classes are focused on basic obedience. Our classes do not address problem behaviors and temperament issues that require behavior modification. These behaviors include and are not limited to: housebreaking, aggression disorders, separation disorders, anxiety disorder, fearfulness, barking, biting, nipping, reactivity, housebreaking. We offer behavior modification treatment and training through our Private Dog Behavior & Training.

Register for Class

Vaccinations, Health, & Behavior

Health: Must be fit and healthy.

Proof of Vaccinations for all of the following:

DHLPP, Bordetella, Lepto, and Rabies

Female Dogs: Cannot be in heat.

Behavior Exclusions: Dogs who are aggressive, hyperactive, or have behaviors that are disruptive, or jeopardizes the safety of others, are not permitted in our classes. If at any time, your dogs exhibits these behaviors, we reserve the right to dismiss your dog from class.

Class Location

Virginia Avenue Park

2200 Virginia Ave

Santa Monica, CA 90404

Meet The Dog Behavior & Training Team

Carmen Molinari

CEO & Founder
Dog Behaviorist & Trainer
Specialty: Shelter & Rescue Dogs
Private & Group Dog Behavior & Training Classes Instruction
Bachelor of Arts (with double majors)
University of California, Berkeley
Certified Dog Trainer with Honors Distinction, ABCDT
Animal Behavior College
Certified AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator & Trainer
American Kennel Club
Certificate, Aggression in Dogs
Master Course, Michael Shikashio CDBC
Authorized Mentor Dog Trainer
Animal Behavior College
Graduate, Fear Free Shelters
Fear Free® Pets
Certified Pet CPR & First Aid
American Red Cross
Pet Expert News Guest:
KCRW Press Play, Santa Monica Daily Press, Santa Monica Mirror, YO! Venice, Brentwood News, Century City/Westwood News, Westside Today, and Palisades News
Guest Columnist & Contributor
Santa Monica Daily Press

Read Bio
Angelina Borodiansky

Dog Training Apprentice & Pet Care Provider
Group Dog Behavior & Training Classes Instructor
Certificate - Dog Behavior Training
Apprenticeship, Love at First Sit®
Certified Pet Sitter (CPPS)
Pet Sitters International
Certified Pet CPR & First Aid
American Red Cross

Read Bio

Verified Expertise, Recognitions & Partnerships

Credentials and Certifications, Carmen Molinari

Bachelor of Arts (with double majors)

University of California, Berkeley

Dog Behavior Modification & Training Specialty

Specializing in Shelter & Rescue Dogs

Certified Dog Trainer - ABCDT

Animal Behavior College, Honors Distinction

Certified CGC® Trainer & Evaluator

American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen®

Certificate, Aggression in Dogs

Master Course, Michael Shikashio CDBC

Authorized Mentor Trainer

Animal Behavior College

Graduate - Fear Free Shelters

Fear Free®

Certified Pet CPR & First Aid

American Red Cross

Respected Affiliations

American Kennel Club®

Association of Professional Dog Trainers

International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

Pet Sitters Associates, LLC

Professional United Pet Sitters, LLC

Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce

Buy Local Santa Monica

References & Endorsements

Santa Monica Animal Shelter & Animal Control

EZ Heart & Soul Rescue & Sanctuary

IN THE PRESS

Guest Columnist & Contributor

Santa Monica Daily Press

❯ Read "Pet of the Week"

Pet Expert News Guest

KCRW Press Play, Santa Monica Daily Press, Santa Monica Mirror, YO! Venice, Brentwood News, Century City/Westwood News, Westside Today, and Palisades News

❯ Watch Inteviews

As Seen in the News

KCRW Press Play, Spectrum News 1 Socal, Santa Monica Daily Press, Santa Monica Mirror, YO! Venice, Brentwood News, Century City/Westwood News, Westside Today, and Palisades News, Pet Sitter's World Magazine

❯ Go to our News