REQUIREMENTS FOR PUPPIES (under 5 months of age) All puppies who are deemed to be in good health by a veterinarian, have received at least their first round of core vaccination, and on a deworming schedule are welcome in class. REQUIREMENTS TEENS & ADULTS (5 months of age and older) All dogs must be up to date on their veterinarian's recommended immunization schedule for core vaccinations: distemper, hepatitis/adenovirus, parvovirus, and rabies. NEW CLIENTS All new clients must ensure that your most current vaccination record(s) are uploaded under your dog's profile in your client account online (raisingfido.portal.gingrapp.com) no less than 24 hours prior to attending your first class. EXISITING CLIENTS Existing clients are required to keep up with their veterinarian's recommended immunization schedule while they are actively taking part in classes with us and ensure their dog's most recent vaccination records are uploaded to their dog's profile in their online account as applicable. VACCINATION RECORDS We accept the following vaccination codes: DA2PPCV, DHPP, DAPP, DA2PP, or DAPPC for proof for immunization for distemper, hepatitis/adenovirus, and parvovirus. We require all dogs to have completed all of their necessary vaccination doses including rabies no later than 17 weeks. Non-core vaccinations such as Bordetella are not a requirement to come to class, but we always encourage discussing what is best for your dog's physical health protection with your veterinarian.

Since we guarantee a low participant maximum per class, and set courses have staggered starts during the month, make-up sessions are not usually possible. If the class you will miss is being covered by the same course on another day, and it has less than the max participants enrolled, then we will do our best to accommodate. However, if there isn’t space available, or the topic is not the same, then making up the class will not be an option. For this reason, please plan accordingly prior to booking. The written homework guide for the class that is missed will still be sent out to you in order to follow and practice at home before next class. Another option is to have a willing friend or family member bring your puppy to class in your place and then pass on the information to you. This keeps your dog current with the lessons and doubles up as bonus training by having your dog work with a different handler.​

We do not offer refunds on shop items; but some items are eligible for exchange. We offer exchanges within 30 days for any toys, equipment (crate, grooming supplies, etc.), and/or gear (collars, leashes, harnesses, etc.) that is still in new un-used condition, you have the tags, and you either have the receipt or we can locate the purchase on your client portal account (raisingfido.portal.gingrapp.com).

Group Training Services A refund or exchange will only be considered if notice of cancellation is provided via email to info@raisingfido.com no less than 5 business days prior to your training start date AND we are able to fill your spot. We will put forth our best effort, but cannot guarantee this will be possible. However, if the above criteria is met, a refund will be issued minus a non-refundable $35 administration fee. Once training has commenced we are unable to provide a refund of any amount. If your dog becomes unwell, we encourage you to attend class without your dog in order to observe and practice at home using the written homework guides. A refund will not be issued if your dog is removed from class due to concerns for their own psychological welfare or that of other participants. If uncertain whether your dog will be a good match for a particular class, please get in touch with us at info@raisingfido.com to discuss prior to submitting a reservation request. We understand that despite best laid plans sometimes things happen unexpectedly; however, we limit participant numbers in our classes in order to provide quality instruction and to maintain safety in our classroom. We appreciate your understanding that once you have reserved a training spot this means we have agreed to hold it for you and so becomes unavailable to others who may wish to attend. For these reasons, please plan carefully with regard to your schedule and ability to commit to a training course before booking. We appreciate your understanding of and consideration for our policies. Private Training Services All payments for private consultations and training sessions are non-refundable. Exchange in the form of a store credit toward alternative services actively offered by Raising Fido may be offered on a case-by-case basis at the sole-discretion of the Company.

To book any of our service offerings please create an account in our Client Portal. Group classes can be booked directly from the portal, for Day Training or Private Training requests, please reach out to us directly. A valid method of payment must be provided on your account at the time you submit a booking request. Payment for your booking will be processed as soon as our team approves your booking request. You will receive confirmation, and where applicable any pertinent details regarding your upcoming training. To purchase a bundle, provide information regarding which bundle you would like to purchase as a note on your reservation and our team will take care of the rest. ***AS OF SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 TRAINING BUNDLES ARE TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE DUE TO ONGOING BUILDING RENOVATION CONSTRUCTION*** If you encounter any issues with our Client Portal please contact us directly via phone (587) 534-0736 or email info@raisingfido.com.

As of October 11, 2023 The safety and well-being of our clients and team is incredibly important to us. Hand sanitizer is available in our classroom, as well as on the small table on the left upon entering the building. Please help yourself. Although we do not require masks to be worn in the Training Centre at this time; we do encourage anyone who would prefer to wear a mask while in our building to please do so. We do also have a supply of medical grade masks on hand for anyone who wishes to wear one; they are located on the small table to the left upon entering the training centre. We arrange all group classes in ways that promote physical distancing and we run an AirMedic Pro 5 air purifier with HEPA filter by Aller Air. Our Health & Safety Program has a significant focus on lowering the risk of possible illness by reducing pathogenic transmission for both people and dogs through rigorous cleaning and disinfecting protocols. In keeping with Alberta Occupational Health & Safety legislation, we have a duty to ensure a safe and hazard free workplace. COVID-19 is classified as a biological hazard, and so, in order to mitigate potential risks of transmission, anyone exhibiting cold-like symptoms is prohibiting from attending classes until symptoms have fully resolved.

We proudly practice and teach each client to use training methods that are aversive-free and reward-based for their dog. Our certified trainers are enthusiastic about using training protocols that feature: No physical force or violence. No psychological fear, intimidation, or coercion. No physical pain or discomfort. The giving and withholding of rewards has extremely strong motivating capabilities and we use this proven knowledge to build desirable behaviours and good habits in our dogs so that they can thrive as companions in their human-centric world. We do not recommend, endorse, or purposefully employ the use of any aversive training techniques to make a dog stop or start doing something that we prefer (i.e., to change their behaviour). Our approach to training is based on verified replicable data from peer-reviewed published research completed across all applicable fields to date and growing. The consensus in the scientific community at this time is that taking a rewards-based approach to learning is more likely to produce strong long-term behaviour without risking any of the common detrimental side effects that can occur due to the purposeful use of aversive training methods. You and your dog deserve to learn with kindness from a competent certified trainer. With this in mind, our company does not allow the use of any tools or techniques for training purposes that are deliberately designed to change behaviour by being inherently noxious to a dog when used correctly such as, shock collars (e-collars), choke chains, slip leads, prong collars, certain types/brands of head collars, tightly fitted martingale collars, spray bottles, chain pillows, Pet Corrector/Spray Shield, air horns, shaker cans, leash pops/corrections, or spacial pressure. Click here to learn more about aversive dog training methods: the fallout and why it matters.

The Training Service Expiry Policy applies to all training services offered by Raising Fido. This policy governs the duration for which training program purchases remain valid and accessible to clients. The expiration date of each training service will vary depending on the specific program and subscription purchased. To determine the expiration date of your training service, please refer to your client portal under "My Packages & Subscriptions." Policy Details: 1. Period of Validity: Each training program purchase will be valid for a specific duration, which will be clearly stated at the time of purchase and accessible to view in the client portal under "My Packages & Subscriptions." 2. Expiration Date: Clients are responsible for understanding the expiration date of their training program purchase and should ensure they utilize the services within the valid period. After the expiration date, any unused training credits become invalid and require re-purchase if you wish to continue your training program. 3. No Refunds or Credits: Once a training program purchase has expired, there will be no refunds or credits issued for unused portions of the service. Please see Refund & Exchange Policy. 4. Extensions for Training Services: There is no guarantee for an extension to any training service credits. In some cases, extensions may be considered if adequate notice is provided to the Raising Fido staff. Any exceptions are subject to the terms and conditions of the specific service purchased. Clients are encouraged to discuss the available options for extension or renewal with the Raising Fido administration staff. 5. Communication of Expiration: To ensure clients are aware of their training program's expiration date, notice of expiration will be sent via email by way of the client portal. However, it remains the client's responsibility to keep track of the expiration date and plan their training accordingly. Failure to receive expiration notice will not be considered for extensions. 6. Standard Cancellation Policy Applies: The validity date of training services does not negate our Cancellation Policy. Failure to cancel any training services within the requirements of the cancellation policy will result in the forfeiture of all associated credits. It's important to adhere to the cancellation guidelines to avoid any loss of credits due to untimely cancellations. For any questions relating to this policy, please contact us by email at info@raisingfido.com.

Puppy Socials run for 45-minutes and include a lot of narrated puppy group play that will help you learn to interpret dog body language. You'll learn how to tell if your dog is having fun during an interaction with another dog or person and observe trainer-led demonstrations followed by practice with your own puppy. There are a variety of core training topics discussed on a rotating basis, you'll help your puppy interact with novel stimuli within the training centre in a way that they find pleasant and enjoyable, plus the trainer will provide helpful tips, advice, and suggestions for puppies.

While the exact number of participants may change from class to class, we do cap registrations at 10 puppies max. All socials require a minimum of 3 registrants by at least 24 hours prior to class starting in order to proceed. Any client's who have reserved a spot in an upcoming class will be notified prior to class commencement if it has been cancelled due to the number of reservations being below the minimum threshold.

Of course! Our socials are designed to offer regular quality socialization experiences for you and your puppy. If you have a small puppy who seems to like to play with bigger puppies you are welcome to attend both the Toy or Small Puppy Socials AND the Mixed Size Puppy Socials. Your trainer will advise if they determine your pup is best suited to one group over the other based on their behaviour during each class. You can purchase our Unlimited Puppy Social Program which grants access to one appropriately designated class per scheduled day until your pup reaches 20 weeks of age. Puppy Social participants are eligible to continue on with our exclusive Teen Socialization Program classes if desired. Reservations are always required for each individual Social you wish to attend for both drop-in or unlimited options. A fee will be applied to your account in our client portal (raisingfido.portal.gingrapp.com) for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice, or a no show.

Classes have been designed specifically with a minimum and maximum participant per session requirement to arrange the environment in a way that sets up an outstanding experience for you and your pup. By requiring reservations for each class through our Client Portal (GINGR) no earlier than 7 days in advance and no later than 24 hours in advance for Puppy Socials it allows you greater scheduling flexibility while ensuring that your class will never be overbooked so that you and your pup can get the attention you deserve. **AS OF SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 THE PUPPY SOCIAL UNLIMITED OPTION IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE FOR NEW PURCHASES DUE TO ONGOING BUILDING RENOVATION CONSTRUCTION.**

Yes! Every puppy in attendance requires one person at least 16 years of age or older to participate in the class with them. At this time we are limiting attendance to two people per puppy at the Socials. If planning to bring a child under 12 to class with you, we ask to please bring a stationary activity that they enjoy and can engage with throughout the training class should they get bored along the way.

If you are only able to participate in one of our programs with your puppy due to time or financial constraints we will always recommend committing to our Puppy Socials first. Behaviours that are covered in our Life Skills program can be taught at any age and right now your puppy is likely to glean the most benefit from attending the Puppy Socials if it is necessary for you to choose between the two programs. However, if you are able to get a jump start with training core behaviours on cue such as name attention, sit, down, stay, wait, touch, recall, loose leash walking, leave it, drop, place, etc. then we highly recommend booking into both programs concurrently to help develop desirable habits in your dog.

We encourage you to begin attending our Shy or Young Puppy Social right away. Your puppy is young and will be more receptive to the careful, gentle socialization in a controlled environment with safe people, puppies , and various other novelty than he will be later on. There is a lot we can do right now to help increase his confidence and prepare him for the world that isn't likely to be as easy to try and do once he's older. There is a lot of conflicting information out there, but all puppies should be attending socialization classes or training of some sort no matter their current temperament and this is supported by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour. We completely understand your concern and your desire to want to prevent your puppy from being frightened, but shyness left unattended can contribute to the development of tougher issues as he matures, fear-based aggression is one example. But you may be able to completely avoid this by taking advantage of this sensitive development period that your dog is experiencing (approx. 8-16 weeks) by participating in our Socials. Once your puppy moves into his adolescent stage of development he can still learn to be less shy/fearful of different things, but the issue is that progress is likely to be much slower for a number of reasons.

Both Puppy and Teen Socials require you to make a reservation in advance of attending. Our Client Portal allows you to reserve a spot for an upcoming social starting 7 days prior to the class up until 24 hours prior to the class.* Clients who have purchased Puppy Social Unlimited are also required to make a reservation within the specified booking window above. This is to ensure our classes are not overbooked and that we have enough team members scheduled based on the confirmed reservation numbers. *Ensure you have read our Puppy Social Unlimited Cancellation & No-Show Policy prior to making your reservation if there is a chance you may end up not being able to attend.

Absolutely! We have a high standard cleaning protocol for disease control to ensure the risk of exposure is well mitigated for all puppies while in our training centre. Puppies an safely start attending socialization classes 7 days following their first round of core vaccines. See our vaccination policy for more details. When it comes to psychological safety you and your puppy are always in good hands with an experienced certified professional trainer who works to ensure that each puppy is comfortable and able to proceed at their own pace to help prevent any deliberate overwhelming or frightening experiences. The trainer will teach you how best to respond if your puppy does have a fright or spook in order to protect their emotional development and your training.

Puppy socialization is a classical conditioning and desensitization training process in which puppies are exposed to new experiences involving novel stimuli which they are likely to encounter throughout their life. This is deliberately done in an effort to help them form a positive conditioned emotional response by inserting ourselves into the process to ensure that we make good things happen in the presence of new and strange things (different humans, animals, sounds, visuals and textures) so that they develop a bias away from fear which is the natural default emotion for survival in animals. Pleasant socialization experiences, or the absence of them, can impact your dog's temperament as an adult. More than playtime, socialization is a key process in which dogs learn and define relationships and emotions to humans, animals, and experiences. By utilizing early socialization in puppyhood, humans can assist dogs in adjusting to the world and what may come. Instead of allowing each novel experience to happen suddenly, appropriate simulations are put on by breeders and puppy raisers to allow for desensitization during prime developmental periods. It is pertinent to note that socialization is a prominent ontological factor, but it is not the only component with an effect. Components, such as maternal care, prenatal influences, genetics and selective breeding, also contribute to a dog’s complete adult temperament (Swanson, 2020).

The scientific community is generally in agreement that this period spans the first 3 - 16 weeks of a dog's life. It's referred to as a critical time because it's believed to be the most influential for early brain development and long-term social and behavioral resiliency. This makes it the best time for dogs to be exposed to novelty in ways they find pleasant to increase the likelihood of growing into what is considered a well-adjusted adult. "Of the five canine life stages, the first few months encompassing the neonatal, transitional, and socialization periods (0–12 weeks) are thought to be most influential for early brain development and long-term social and behavioral resiliency... Limited early exposure to animate and inanimate cues results in fear and avoidance of environmental stimuli, which may affect future learning and, consequently, behavioral outcomes" (Dinwoodie et al., 2021). However, research also shows that exposure to novel stimuli during this time cannot guarantee that your dog will not develop fears as they grow since there is continuous interaction between their genetics and their experiences, but purposeful pleasant early socialization can help to mitigate. Check out this great blogpost to learn even more about why "later" is too late.

We apologize for any frustrations that client portal can sometimes cause. The great thing about Gingr is that there are a lot of resources to try and help you through any issues. Are you using Gingr on your iPad, Computer, or Phone? If you're accessing Gingr on your phone, download the mobile app, "Gingr for Pet Parents" and use invite code 467221, as the browser version is only designed to be used on a computer. There are more glitches using iPad's than using a phone or computer to access Gingr. If you are using Gingr on your iPad, consider trying to use it on your phone or computer and see if that solves the issue(s) you're having. Gingr was designed to work best in Google Chrome. If possible, consider switching the web browser you are using. For more information, check out this article created by Gingr Support Team: Using the Customer Portal. We are always here to help you navigate the client portal, and we also want to know of all potential glitches that might be occurring. Reach out to us at info@raisingfido.com and explain in detail what is occurring. **Please Note** Screen captures or pictures can help us when taking the problem to the Gingr Support team.