Below is a library of some of our most frequently requested documents, resources and questions. Please be sure to follow the instructions on each individual document when submitting forms to Leashes and Leads.
Please bring food (in little serving size baggies) (see Food Policy), any treats, toys, and medications. Please also bring current vaccination records. Lastly, please bring a collar, leash, and ID tags.
We are an all inclusive facility. What this means is that we provide the following for all of our boarding stays:
Prior to your dogs’ first day of Playcare, we will need the following steps completed:
Gingr is Leashes & Leads’ new reservation system. We adopted it in May 2018. Unfortunately, due to some legal limitations, we were unable to automatically transfer all current data from our previous reservations system into Gingr. This forced us to have to manually rebuild our current customer database and reservations system.
One of the newer features of Gingr is the Customer Portal. You can now create and edit your own data in our system. Once you’re added to Gingr, you can requests services from us, view and print out any receipts, add photos of your pet, see any current reservations we have for you, and much more. To access this feature, please click on the Customer Portal link on the top of our website.
NOTE: Gingr is not very compatible with the Internet Explorer/Edge web browsers. They recommend using Chrome, Firefox, and/or Safari.
Leashes & Leads utilizes the following methods to notify our customer of any weather cancellations for Doggy Playcare, Grooming, and Training Classes.
KTTC News will be notified via TV and their website
Leashes & Leads’ Facebook page
Email and SMS text notifications will go out to all dogs on the list for that day. To receive these alerts, please make sure you “opt in” for email and sms text alerts in the Gingr Customer Portal.
We believe every dog learns differently and the way they are trained should reflect that! We have a balanced approach to training, meaning we believe dogs learn best when told what we like and don’t like them to do. We use science-based approaches, such as marker systems, so they now exactly when they did a behavior we want. We are heavily positive reinforcement based to teach new behaviors, however, we do not stick to only one methodology for every dog, instead we adapt our training to what is most effective for your dog’s learning style and what you are comfortable with.
All of our trainers are dedicated to continuing their education and growing their skills by attending workshops/camps, seminars, webinars, as well as classes online and in-person. They continually share their knowledge with each other to keep everyone up to date with new ideas/techniques that have been proven to be effective with dogs. They are all experienced dog owners that are actively training their dogs. Our trainers have trained and/or showed in a variety of dog sports such as: Conformation (breed ring), Rally, Competitions Obedience, Agility, Disc, Herding, Dock Diving, Barn Hunt and Mondioring (protection).
All of our classes are limited in size. Our largest classes (Puppy, Basic Obedience and Rally) have 2 trainers. If a class is filled to the maximum number of slots allowed, depending on the class, there will typically be 4-7.5 people per instructor.
You are committing to come once a week on whatever day and time you registered for that class beginning at the start date listed. For example, if you signed up for a Puppy 1 class Monday at 6pm starting Jan. 1st. You would be committing to come every Monday at 6pm starting January 1st for the specified number of weeks.
Depending on the class, you may be able to transfer into a different class that week IF that class is on the same schedule/course content that you would miss. For example, the Basic Obedience class on Mondays start the same day and you have 3 time slots to choose from (10:30am, 6pm, or 7:15pm). If you registered for the morning class, but couldn’t make it one week. You could come that day in the evening. However, you would not be able to come to the Tuesday Obedience class as they are on a different schedule. Please talk to your instructor before attending another class.
We do realize people have busy lives and it is okay if you have to miss a class. You can talk to your instructor and receive any handouts, homework or coupons given the week you will miss.
Bring your dog, high-value treats (usually soft/refrigerated are the highest value) a short leash (2-4 ft.) is recommended but 6 ft. is okay, vaccination records if you did not submit them ahead of time and of course bring yourself with an open mind.
**Special Note: On the 1st night of Basic Obedience Class (not Puppy Class): you do NOT bring your dog. Just bring yourself and a copy of your dog’s vaccination records if you have not brought them in or had them faxed over ahead of time.
We always encourage the whole family to come and participate in the training, providing that they are not a disturbance to the class.
We offer therapy dog seminars. You can be put on a waiting list and be notified of the next seminar. Our trainers can also help do private lessons with you and your dog or you can sign up for Canine U (and we train your dog for you) to prep your dog for therapy work.
Unfortunately, we do not offer any service dog training. We recommend to call Can Do Canines for any service dog assistance you need.
We do not offer gundog/hunting training. We, generally, recommend people to call Midwest Gundog Kennels or Three Arrows Hunting Preserve.
If your dog is a young puppy (5 months or less by the time class starts), you should definitely take Puppy 1 and then Puppy 2. If your dog is older than 5 months and is fairly new to training, it would be recommended to take Basic Obedience class. If your dog has had extensive training, you can meet with an instructor for an evaluation to try and get into a more advanced class at your dog’s level.
If your dog barks incessantly at other dogs or people and is older than 5 months or age, then you should schedule an evaluation with Mikaela Gustafson to determine if you should be in reactive remedy to address the barking/lunging behaviors first.
After completing Puppy 1 & 2 or Basic Obedience, you will then be able to take more advanced classes such as Rally Obedience, Competitive Obedience, Agility, etc.
We offer private lessons which is where you, your dog, and one of our trainers meet at a mutually agreed upon date and time. Usually for 1/2 hour to one hour depending on the owner and the dog. You can work on whatever you want or need at these sessions. We charge $60 for an hour and $30 for 1/2 hour.
We also offer private in-home lessons where a trainer will come to your home! These lessons are $100 per hour.
We also have the Canine University which has two programs to choose; On Campus or Off Campus.
On Campus: You bring you dog to Leashes & Leads, typically for daycare or boarding, and we will train your dog for you if you sign up for a Canine University Package.
Off Campus: Your dog will live in one of our trainers’ homes and be treated like one of their own. You will prioritize the behaviors you want taught and our trainers will formally train your dog in their home multiple times a day and they will get the bonus of informal training throughout the day.
Flexi/retractable leashes are not allowed in class for a variety of reasons. Most of our students do not want their dog to pull on leash- by design, flexi/retractable leashes TEACH your dog to pull into tension. Flexi/retractable leashes can also be very dangerous. We have had students share with us their stories of dogs that have been seriously injured or killed because of the lack of control they provide-whether the dog ate something before the owner could get the dog back to them, went into an aggressive dog’s space, ran across the road because the leash fell out of the owners hand and is now chasing the dog, or got tangled around the dog or owner and cut or burned them.
Food Policy: It is required that you provide food for your pet. Please pre-baggie only enough food for your pets’ stay in pre-portioned ziploc bags per feeding. Storage space is limited, so large food bags or large containers will be assessed a daily feeding fee of $3 per day per dog.