Welcome to the R.A.D. dog Club!
“A place to play and learn with your dog”
Facilities
- The Park: a fully fenced open space to run and play
- The Garden: an activity centre full of enrichment opportunities
- The Trail: a wooded trail for on leash walks
- The Lodge: an indoor space for use when weather is poor
Benefits
- Use of the R.A.D.dog facilities during scheduled club meet ups (schedule below)
- Mini training sessions & practice time
- Q&A time with our Certified Professional Dog Trainer
- Access to our library of enrichment toys, dog books and training equipment
- No charge nail trims available during scheduled club meet ups
- Discounts on training workshops that take place at our facility
- Option to book private time slots at the facility (for reactive dogs or private training)
- Short term boarding available to approved club members
Saturday Schedule
| 9:00am-9:30am Library Exchange | This time slot is for members to exchange items on weeks that they will not be attending a meet up, humans only please, no dogs |
| 9:30am-10:30am | For puppies aged 11 weeks to 6 months old |
| 10:45am-11:45am | For small dogs 25lbs and under |
| 12:00pm-1:00pm | For medium/large dogs over 20lbs |
| 3:45pm-4:15pm | Private time slot |
| 4:30pm-5:00pm | Private time slot |
| 5:15pm-5:45pm | Private time slot |
Hourly schedule
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Membership
The R.A.D.dog Club runs on “Passes”. There are group passes and private passes. Each group pass allows one dog to attend a group meet up (each additional dog in the family needs a pass), and each private pass allows you to book a private slot (which can be used for all the dogs in one family). In order to be an active member in the club you must attend at least once every 3 months, and have a current pass on your account or have your passes set to auto renew. Active members are allowed to borrow from the library, receive a free gift on their dog’s birthday (or gotcha day), can attend member only special events, and receive discounts on training workshops held outside of club meet ups.
Register for a Meet Up
Please email hello@RADdog.ca to request a spot in the time slot you wish to attend. You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours to confirm your spot has been booked. You must have passes available on your account in order to request a slot, otherwise please request more passes.
Pricing
You must have a pass to attend meet ups. Passes can be purchased individually or in packs of 4 or 10. You can use your passes to attend meet ups as often as you like. Private slots have separate passes that are purchased separately. You can purchase both types of passes if you want. If you purchase packs of passes you may choose to have your passes auto-renew which means you will be billed automatically for a new pack of 4 or 10 passes when you run out. In order to remain an active member in the club you must have at least one current pass or have your passes set to auto renew.
| Group Passes | Single Pass: $35 Pack of 4 Group Passes: $95 Pack of 10 Group Passes: $225 |
| Private Passes | Single Pass: $35 |
Private passes allow you to bring any dogs that live in the same household.
Passes expire after 3 months.
Payment Information
When you first join the club you will receive an invoice by email. If you wish to have your passes auto renew you must select “Save Payment Information” when you pay this invoice.
Cancelling your membership
If you wish to cancel your membership you simply need to email hello@RADdog.ca
There are no refunds for unused passes left on your account.
Club Policies & Etiquette
Parking
- Parking is available on the opposite side of the road from the driveway, please pull up to the orange cone if you are first to arrive, or directly behind the last car
- There are 2 handicap parking spaces at the top of the driveway to the left
Washrooms
- There is no public washroom available on site
- The washroom in the house is available if needed in emergency situations
Accessibility
The Park and the training area are accessible
Cancellations
If you are unable to attend a meet up you have registered for you must cancel 24 hours prior to the meet up time by emailing hello@RADdog.ca. You will receive your pass back to use for a future meet up. If you cancel within 24 hours of the meet up time you will not receive your pass back.
Leashes
- Dogs must be kept on leash at all times in all unfenced areas of the property
- No retractable leashes
- No exceptions
Outside toys
Please do not bring any of your dog’s toys to meet ups, unless you will be using a toy, such as a tug toy for reinforcement during training. This is in order to reduce the possibility of guarding behaviour over personal toys.
Park rules
The following rules apply while you are in “The Park” and the dogs are off leash:
- Do not feed other people’s dogs, even with permission
- Do not allow other dogs to jump up on you, turn away from the dog without looking at them or talking to them
- If your dog is jumping on people, please call them away and redirect them to another activity
- There is a maximum 8 member dogs and their humans allowed in the park at one time
- Children under 8 are not permitted in the park area
- Keep an eye on your dog and interrupt inappropriate play
- Pick up your dog’s poop immediately and please do not leave any remnants behind, if your dog’s poop is soft, pull out the grass underneath it to remove it completely
Garden rules
The following rules apply while you are in “The Garden” and the dogs are off leash:
- The Garden is a space with enrichment activities for mental stimulation, encourage your dog to engage in the activities rather than with the other dogs
- Do not feed other people’s dogs, even with permission
- Only Club provided treats (dried beef lung) are permitted in The Garden, if your dog has a beef allergy or sensitivity do not enter The Garden
- Do not allow other dogs to jump up on you, turn away from the dog without looking at them or talking to them
- If your dog is jumping on people, please call them away and redirect them to another activity
- There is a maximum 5 member dogs and their humans allowed in The Garden at one time
- Pick up your dog’s poop immediately and please do not leave any remnants behind
Trail rules
- Please stay on the groomed area of the trail
- Keep your dog on leash at all times
- Pick up your dog’s poop immediately and bring it back to be disposed of
Poop disposal
There are 2 green bins (located inside The Park and just outside The Garden) for disposal of poop bags.
Airlocks/gates
The purpose of the “airlocks” are to prevent accidental escapes of unleashed dogs from fenced areas. Only one person should be going through any gate at one time, and only one door of the airlock should be open at one time.
ALWAYS BE SURE THE GATES ARE PROPERLY CLOSED BEHIND YOU WHEN ENTERING AND EXITING.
Library items
Items borrowed from the training and enrichment library are for club members use while at home.
- Library items must be returned with no more than normal expected wear and tear
- Always supervise your dog while they are using the items, they are not meant to be left with your dog while alone
- Excessive wear will result in a $20 replacement fee
Arrival/Departure
Club meet up start and end times are not strict, you may arrive or depart anytime during the hour scheduled for your group. Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes early.
Arrival procedure:
- Check in at the front table
- Proceed to The Park when instructed
- Enter through the airlock on leash, then remove your leash when instructed
- When new members arrive, members currently in The Park will call their dogs and hold their collars while the new member enters through the airlock, this prevents crowding at the gate, this process will be supervised and guided by the trainer
Weather
Meet ups will take place in most weather, excluding excessive snowfall amounts that make the road impassable, and thunderstorms or heavy rain. Indoor space can be used to warm up/cool off during excessive heat and cold. If a meet up will be cancelled then you will be informed by email by 7am on the day.
Barking
Normal barking during play is acceptable. Excessive, repetitive barking is not fun for people or the other dogs and should be interrupted. We will assist you with managing your dog’s barking during meet ups if necessary.
Recall
Your dog will need to be able to be recalled during meet ups while in The Park and The Garden. If your dog has trouble with their recall then they must wear a long line when off leash, and we will assist you with developing a solid recall.
Vaccinations
Puppies attending club must have at least 2 sets of puppy vaccines, adult dogs should be up to date on their vaccines as recommended by your veterinarian. The rabies vaccine is mandatory for all dogs over 16 weeks of age. You will be required to bring proof of their rabies vaccine before attending your first meet up, and each time they receive a booster rabies vaccine.
Dog Health
If your dog has any symptoms of a potentially contagious illness such as diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, sneezing or discharge from the eyes or nose please do not attend club until the symptoms have resolved or they have been cleared by your veterinarian for contact with other dogs.
Dogs in heat
Intact females may not attend group meet ups while they are in heat, but you may still book private slots with them.
Banned breeds
Due to insurance reasons we cannot accept breeds listed on the Ontario breed ban, these include the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Food Allergies
If you or your dog has a food allergy please let us know. Due to potential allergies you should bring your own treats to meet ups and do not give any other member’s dogs treats, even with permission. Sprinkling treats is permitted only in The Garden, and only club provided dried beef lung is permitted to be used.
New dogs in the family
All new dogs to the family should not attend club meet ups for a minimum of 1 month (excluding puppies who can attend once they are 11 weeks old) this gives them a chance to become comfortable with their new family first. After one month they can be assessed to attend regular club meet ups.
Training
Our club is as much about training as it is about exercise and enrichment. While attending meet ups we expect that you will follow our philosophy of training which focuses on positive reinforcement and giving the dog choice, and follows the Humane Hierarchy. It is not necessary that you engage in the training exercises each week but we do expect you to follow the principles of the Humane Hierarchy while attending club activities.
Each week there will be an optional training session that will be based on our own “Dogs IRL” training system, outlined below, as well as trick training. Practice time and Q&A with the trainer will follow. You can practice with your dog and get feedback on the exercises. If you would like more extensive help with your dog, you can book a private time slot with the trainer.
Humane Hierarchy
The Humane Hierarchy acts as a guide when making decisions about training our dogs. It addresses the whole picture of the dog’s life and gives us a road map to follow when making a training plan. It also ensures that the methods we use to teach our dogs or to change unwanted behaviour is kind and fair. We will often refer back to this hierarchy when discussing our training objectives during weekly sessions.
Dogs In Real Life
The Dogs IRL system consists of 4 pillars. These pillars are the main concepts we need to teach our dogs to help them thrive in our human world. Below you will find a brief description of each pillar and an introductory game that you can start playing with your dog right away. Each week we will be doing different exercises that build on different aspects of these pillars.
Communication Through Understanding: In order to communicate with our dogs we need to develop a communication system. This is what most people think of when they think of “training” their dog. We teach them a series of cues and what will happen when they respond to those cues. Often, issues arise simply from a lack of understanding this communication system. The first step in developing this communication system is to teach them when they are right. We do this with a “Marker”. A marker is simply a word or sound (like the sound of a clicker) that tells the dog the moment they performed the correct behaviour and earned their reinforcement (which can be anything the dog wants, most early training will use food as the reinforcement). You will use this marker every time you are teaching your dog to do a new behaviour. I suggest using the marker word “Yes” or a clicker. Before using the marker in a training session you will need to charge it, just like charging a battery.
Self Control Through Choice: Many unwanted behaviours in our dogs come from a lack of self control. Stealing food, jumping on people, crashing through doorways etc. The dog is simply trying to get what it wants, and doing it in a way that has worked for them in the past. If grabbing food from your hand is the only way they know how to get the food from you, and it works, they will continue to do it. Developing self control through the Games of Choice teaches your dog there is another way to get what they want, and it doesn’t involve jumping and crashing and stealing.
Tolerance Through Trust: Our dogs have to put up with a lot living in our human world! The best way to build tolerance for all those things is through trust, not force. Your dog needs to trust you, and the more they do the more they will tolerate because they trust that you will not push them further than they are comfortable. This applies to grooming, medical procedures and things like wearing harnesses and muzzles. The first step in building tolerance is to get your dog used to being touched in various ways using the 1 for 1 game.
Focus Through Engagement: Many people have success teaching their dog at home, but struggle out in the real world. Developing focus on their handler is an important skill for dogs, and one that needs to be addressed separately from the communication system they are learning. We develop focus by learning how to engage with our dogs and by rewarding them for voluntarily engaging with us. The very simple Get it Game is a great way to start developing engagement outside of the house.
Puppies! Curriculum
Our puppy training program operates on a 4 week rolling curriculum. That means there are 4 separate weeks that will repeat every month. You can start with your puppy on any week, and you can repeat weeks as often as you like until your puppy is 6 months old. There is great benefit to continuing with the puppy program as you will build on the exercises in each week each time you repeat them. Consistency and repetition are wonderful for young puppies.