Don't Sweat The Small Dog

Engage Students

Enroll as early as possible but no later than April 30, 2025. Early enrollment offers more learning time!

Excel Students

Enroll by April 23, 2025, to allow enough time to start training and submit videos for instructor feedback before the first real-time class on May 1, 2025. Please note that only 10 Excel spots are available.

LIVE stands for Learning that's Interactive and Virtually Engaged.

As a student in a KPA LIVE class, you will experience a unique learning environment where interactivity and engagement are key. You will have the opportunity to receive personal coaching or to observe as others are coached, witness training breakthroughs, ask questions directly, and benefit from the questions posed by other participants. This interactive and community-oriented class ensures that every participant always has the best "seat" in the house! 

KPA's LIVE class integrates three learning components: 

•  A week-by-week curriculum, meticulously crafted by each instructor, ensures that students know what to expect each week. 
• Real-time weekly classes conducted over Zoom, including real-time training, video review, student coaching, and Q&A. 
• An online platform hosting a class discussion forum where students can connect, share training videos, and access instructor feedback.

This combination of elements, along with KPA’s exceptional LIVE class instructors who excel in teaching real-time online classes, sets the LIVE learning experience apart. 

Some LIVE classes also include the opportunity to earn KPA's SkillCheck designation via an assessment of a skill or protocol.

Engage Students: $199

Excel Students: $399

KPA CTP Professional Members: Check the Resource Center for special rates!

See pricing and compare experiences

This LIVE class includes:

• Four real-time LIVE classes conducted over Zoom.
• Access to an on-demand curriculum, including video lectures and weekly exercises.
• A class discussion forum where you can share videos, ask questions, receive feedback, and interact with fellow students. All students can view the instructor’s feedback on Excel-level students' videos and the responses to Excel students’ questions.

All students receive access to the complete week-by-week curriculum approximately two weeks before the discussion board opens. The weekly real-time classes are recorded in case you miss or want to review a class. The discussion board opens on April 24, 2025. You will have access to the course curriculum and class recordings for one year.

Engage and Excel experiences include:

• Weekly live virtual classes.
• Integrated step-by-step curriculum and recorded lectures.
• Hands-on training exercises.
• Access to the class discussion forum, where you can view the instructor’s comments and responses to questions, share your training progress videos, and/or cheer on your classmates.

Excel experience:

• Limited to 10 (maximum) actively coached by the instructor throughout the course.

For more details on the Engage vs. the Excel experiences, see the “Engage or Excel Experience?” FAQ below or this detailed side-by-side comparison.

This class is designed for small-dog guardians, dog trainers who work with small dogs, and dog training enthusiasts who want to gain the knowledge and skills to empower small dogs to live with confidence. This class is a paradigm shift in the way we approach sharing our lives with small dogs. It’s full of concepts and skills that will lead to your small dog living big. Students and dogs will be most successful if they have some experience with clicker training, are considerate of the experience on the other end of the leash, and are committed to force-free training. This class welcomes both new and experienced teams with small dogs and consent-based training.

Choose the experience that's right for you!

• Engage Experience: Ideal for trainers with less experience or less time for weekly exercises with their dogs.
• Excel Experience: Suitable for trainers with some training fundamentals and time for weekly training sessions. Note the specific criteria for this class (see FAQ: Is This Class Right for Me?).

Active participation is critical to the Excel experience, both yours and that of other students. Please keep up with the lessons, work closely with your instructor, record, and post videos of your training progress, ask questions, and come prepared to participate in the weekly live classes over Zoom.

For all students, enrollment includes one year of access to the course curriculum and class recordings. Each real-time LIVE format class will be recorded and available for self-study after each class.

Engage Experience:

• Includes four real-time Zoom classes where you observe the LIVE virtual class and participate in the Q&A.
• Access to the weekly step-by-step curriculum with engaging lectures and hands-on training exercises.
• Access to the class discussion forum to share your video submissions, view other students' videos, and benefit from the instructor’s written feedback on Excel students' videos and questions.

Excel Experience:

• Limited to a maximum of 10 actively coached participants.
• Access to the weekly step-by-step curriculum with engaging lectures and hands-on training exercises.
• Special opportunities for real-time coaching during the LIVE virtual class, feedback on practice videos, and answers to your questions on the class forum between sessions.

This class aims to give you the knowledge and skills to create the space for a confident, empowered, and well-adjusted small dog in a world much larger than they are. We will challenge stereotypes and recognize small dogs as the intelligent, capable companions they are, never underestimating their potential. By the end of class, you will be a skilled and smart small dog advocate! 

The class will cover the following topics: 

• The importance of choice, predictability, and consistency in training and sharing your life with small dogs
• How to recognize when your dog is saying “no” and be an “active listener” in communication with your dog
• Utilizing food rewards in a way that prevents overfeeding small dogs and strategies for delivering rewards that save your back 
• Why potty training can be hard for small dogs and some practical tips to be rid of potty training problems
• Considerations to keep your small dog safe both inside and outside of your home
• Practical ways to meet your small dog’s needs in a way that incorporates effortlessly into your life and keeps them happy and healthy
• How to choose appropriate pet ramps or steps, introduce them to your small dog, and build habits so that your dog uses them reliably
• Ways to empower your small dog by giving them choice and autonomy
• How and when to pick your small dog up, along with considerations and alternatives for doing so
• Ways to advocate for your small dog to help them feel safe and secure 

 Your dog will learn: 

• A consent-based pick up protocol - this skill is broken down into four pieces that are covered throughout the entirety of class
• Focus or handler attention as a means to ensure your dog is ready to begin training
• Stationing (four paws up) and paws up (two paws up) as a way to elevate your dog and reduce spatial pressure
• To target and lure using a target stick 
• To use a ramp or steps consistently to access furniture and reduce risk of injury
• Get it game to increase distance and reduce the need to pick your dog up
• Middle position as a proactive handling skill

This class will be eligible for CEUs from the following organizations:

• Karen Pryor Academy (KPA)
  • CEUs Excel: 13-20
  • CEUs Engage: 12-15
• The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
  • CEUs Excel: 7-14 (1.5-3 Skills CEUs)
  • CEUs Engage: 5-10 (0 Skills CEUs)
• The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC):
  • CEUs Excel: 13-20
  • CEUs Engage: 12-15

Please note that the range of CEUs awarded by each organization is provided as a guide. The finalized CEU credits will be communicated to all enrolled students.

The four-unit, five-week class includes three major components: the online curriculum (video lectures and weekly exercises), the online discussion forum, and the weekly virtual LIVE class.

• Online Discussion Forum: Opens on April 24, 2025, enabling Excel students to begin submitting videos of their initial training for review and feedback from the instructor.
• Live Classes: Conducted online via Zoom on Thursdays for two hours, starting at 2:00 PM Pacific/5:00 PM Eastern Time on the following dates: May 1, 2025; May 8, 2025; May 15, 2025; and May 22, 2025.
  • Ice-Breaker: There will be an optional Ice-Breaker Zoom session on April 24, 2025, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. This optional session allows you to meet fellow attendees and the instructor and learn how to maximize the LIVE Class platform, discussion board, and Zoom sessions.

If you are unable to attend a virtual class, don't worry; the LIVE classes will be recorded and made available approximately 24-48 hours after the class.

*Please note that it may take up to 48 hours for Excel students to receive access to the student portal after registration.

To participate in the class, you'll need the following:

All Students:

• A computer or device with high-speed Internet access.

Excel Students (those seeking personalized feedback):

• A camera or phone to record training videos and a stable setup like a tripod or gimbal.
• A camera for video conferencing during the LIVE class sessions.
• The ability to clip videos to a maximum length of five minutes, preferably in one-minute increments.
• A private YouTube or Vimeo channel to share video links (videos cannot be hosted within the discussion platform).
• A clicker or distinct sound to mark good behavior.
• Training treats your dog enjoys (dogs and cats LOVE our On Cue! Training Treats in any flavor).

Consistent access to a dog is required for Excel students and recommended for all students.

To guide you, on a weekly basis, you should plan to:

• Attend the LIVE classes that meet over Zoom on Thursdays at 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET. Each meeting will be approximately two hours long.
• Before the LIVE class, watch the weekly skills video, each roughly an hour long.
• Practice training the weekly behaviors.
  • Excel students should practice the weekly behaviors for at least an hour and a half, spread out over several days.
  • Optional: Build in time for videography. Excel students can submit videos of their practice sessions to the instructor for written feedback via the class forum. Limit: Up to five minutes of video in total per unit, with a maximum of five submissions. Each video submission should be two minute(s) or less. The video submission must be shared by 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET on the Tuesday before the LIVE class meeting.

Engage Students: To get the most out of the class, plan on spending as much time training as Excel students, although this is not a requirement. Follow and contribute to the discussion forum at your leisure.

The weekly LIVE classes are recorded and will be available in the student portal approximately 24-48 hours after the class. Excel-level students must attend the weekly LIVE class to receive real-time coaching.

The LIVE classes meet over Zoom on Thursdays for two hours, starting at 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET on the following dates: May 1, 2025; May 8, 2025; May 15, 2025; and May 22, 2025.

Once you have registered, your class fee is non-refundable.

Upon registration, you will have access to the full curriculum. All classes and the curriculum are recorded and available for one year.

If you wish to be an Excel student, remember that spots are limited to 10 students. Please ensure you can participate before you register. We are not responsible for Internet connection or other issues that interrupt your training.