Purely Positive specializes in creating healthy, safe and rewarding relationships between children and their family dogs. We create fun and creative classes in a hands-on, safe environment that educates children about the responsibility and great rewards of dog ownership. The Purely Positive family includes three children and eight dogs. Susan Marett is the mother of an adoptive son and represents the Dogs and Storks’ national team in adoptive family support. Heather Moore is the mother of two young boys, a certified elementary teacher and has ten years’ professional training experience. Together, we offer a wealth of training knowledge and first-hand experience creating harmony between children and their family dogs.

Best Friends

This fun and engaging class teaches children how to train their dogs in obedience, agility, and tricks. Positive reinforcement is used, and safety and responsibility are emphasized. Each week focuses on creating a great working relationship between the child and his or her family dog.

This class is primarily for children between the ages of 7 and 12, however, exceptions may be made at the instructor’s discretion. Parents may leave their child at class or stay and enjoy! Students must be able to control their dog on leash. Best Friends is six weeks in length.

Dogs and Diapers

Dogs and Diapers is a class designed for couples who are planning a family, are expecting, or have a new baby. Babies who attend the class can be up to six months’ of age and not yet crawling or walking.

Dogs will learn useful skills such as walking with the stroller without pulling, lying down while the baby is fed or changed, and not jumping up on the baby. Our goal is to reduce stress in day to day life with dog and baby by offering practical but not time-consuming solutions to problems, and to teach parents how to manage interactions safely. This class is six weeks in length.

If you’re looking for an outstanding dog trainer, especially someone who knows how to teach kids to train their pets, choose Heather Moore! Heather volunteered at our elementary school Career Speaker Day last spring. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, and stories kept 75 fourth graders captivated as she taught them how to train dogs and be responsible pet owners.  While attending her dog-training session with these students, I also learned effective techniques to train my puppy to sit and stay in less than an hour. Thank you, Heather!   - Kimberly O’Leary