training

Sign up now for classes beginning February 2026!

The Kennel Club of Fort Atkinson has opened  registration for the first session of 2026 training classes! 

Beginning Sunday, February 1, at Celtic K9 Academy’s  Agility Barn:

  • NEW CLASS! Calmer Canine at 11:00 a.m. (see description below)

  • Basic Skills & Everyday Manners at 12:00 p.m.

Beginning Wednesday, February 4, at the Humane Society of Jefferson County’s Community Education Room:

  • Puppy Kindergarten at 6:00 p.m.

  • Continuing Basic Skills at 7:00 p.m.

NEW CLASS:  CALMER CANINE
For dogs with “big feelings” and the people who love them!  Created especially for dogs that struggle to stay calm around distractions, this class utilizes focus games to strengthen the connection between dogs and their handlers so that both are better equipped to handle stressful situations.  This class is limited to 4 participants, each working within their own space, to create a learning environment where teams can grow more comfortable, confident, and connected.  Preregistration is required.  The instructor will contact each applicant before the session begins to learn more about their dog’s challenges.

Please Note:

    • Preregistration, including payment in full and vaccination records, is required.  Visit this page for registration forms.

    • All training classes are 6 weeks

    • The training fee for Puppy Kindergarten is $90

    • The training fee for all other classes is $120

    • Maximum class size for each Basic Skills and Continuing Basic Skills is 8 dog-handler teams (minimum 4 teams)

    • The maximum class size for Calmer Canine is 4 teams

    • No maximum or minimum class size for Puppy Kindergarten

      Classes fill quickly — do not delay!

Puppy Training Tips

During this COVID-19 pandemic, it’s difficult to take a puppy “out and about” so it can experience a wide variety of social situations and stimuli. Though KCFA has had to cancel classes for the summer, we want to encourage “puppy parents” to provide training and educational opportunities at home. In support of those who’ve recently acquired a puppy, KCFA’s Puppy Kindergarten instructors and Training Committee have collaborated to produce several informational articles. Please visit the Course Descriptions page for the links to these articles.

For a smile break, check out the Parade of Puppies video on our Join the Fun page, or visit the link directly at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/embed.animoto.com/play.html?w=swf/production/vp1&e=1595467127&f=VLxyfocoDGhzlzbv4RWfgA&d=0&m=p&r=360p+720p&volume=100&start_res=720p&i=m&asset_domain=s3-p.animoto.com&animoto_domain=animoto.com&options=%20allowfullscreen/iframe

Service Dog Tales

Come join us on Saturday, July 28, at 1:00 p.m.,
to meet working service Cadence pushing door buttondogs and their handlers, and to listen to their stories of teamwork and transformation.  Learn about the functions of service dogs, how they’re trained, and laws that apply to them.  The presentation will be held in the Community Room of Dwight Foster Public Libary, 209 Merchants Ave, Fort Atkinson.  Admission is free and the public is invited.

Amber Marzahl, a member of the Kennel Club of Fort Atkinson,  will anchor the presentation with her service dog, Cadence.  Gulf War veteran Warren Demmin and his PTSD service dog, Loki, will add their own remarkable story to the presentation, and Katie McDonald, with her service dog, Zyko, will talk about what it takes to train a service dog and what functions they might perform.

Topics will include:  What is a service dog?  Who can benefit from a service dog?  What public access rights do service dogs have?  What are a business owner’s rights with regard to them?

The growing problem with “fake” service dogs will be discussed.  These are dogs that don’t perform services other than providing companionship, but are purported by their handlers to be service dogs in order to gain access to housing or public venues where dogs aren’t usually permitted.

Time will be allowed for questions from the audience, as well.

Here’s a poster you can print and post to help us spread the word about this event:    Service_Dog_Event_Flyer