In an effort to build off of our animal-assisted therapy program, The Calais School is proud to partner with Ferndog Training, LLC to bring our 12+ students a unique learning opportunity.  Through this program, Calais students are offered a rare opportunity to obtain their Dog Trainer Certificate by completing the 10 session course led by Mr. Fernando “Fern” Camacho, owner and operator of Ferndog Training, LLC.

Six 12+ Calais students were chosen to participate in this new program, which incorporates both discussion and hands-on practice. Courses are held Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Calais Multi-Purpose Room and Mr. Camacho brings his dog, Hayley, to help illustrate key ideas and techniques. Each begins with a discussion on the day’s topic (including important terminology) and techniques that students will go on to master in the next lesson.

Mr. Camacho comes to Calais with a wealth of knowledge and experiences involving “man’s best friend.”  In addition to conducting private training and consultations, Mr. Camacho teaches  group dog classes and conducts seminars throughout New Jersey and New York. He is also an AKC Certified Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator and a Training Partner with Best Friends Animal Society.

In 2012 Mr. Camacho launched The FernDog Trainer Academy, an online program to becoming a dog trainer to support his successful one-on-one mentorship program. Since animal rescue has always been important to him, he created The FernDog Rescue Foundation, which is a non-profit organization to help dogs in need. Additionally, he is the author of A Better Life with Your Dog, a book on dog behavior, and Dog Spelled Backward, a novel inspired by his pit bull, Hayley. He also created and maintains The Great Dog Adventure Podcast about “everything dog related including training, behavior, nutrition, wellness, supplies – and much more.”

Listen to it here:

The Great Dog Adventure

The Calais School welcomes Mr. Camacho into our learning community and looks forward to working with him further.

Check back next week for updates on the work our students are doing with Fern and Hayley!