Dog School

Professional care, day training, and socialization. Welcome to “Daycare Plus”. We opened the doors to our dog training school and enrichment center in November 2021. We offer busy pet people responsible care and humane dog training.

Call or email today & find out if your pup has what it takes to attend our Muttessori program.

What is “Dog School”?

The short answer – Rutland’s most exclusive prep school for dogs!

The benefits of our Muttessori program include:

  • Professional staff.
  • More structure than daycare.
  • Better ratio of staff to dogs (no more than 10 dogs for every qualified staff member).
  • Time for both supervised play and much-needed rest ensuring Fido comes home well exercised but isn’t overstimulated.
  • Optional customized training sessions as well as mentally enriching activities throughout the day.
  • Small “class” sizes allow personalized attention according to your individual dog’s needs.
  • An indoor training area over 1250sq ft with rubberized flooring for safety.
  • The largest, fully-fenced outdoor training area in Rutland, VT.
2 tired doodles sitting

Wondering if it’s safe for your puppy to attend Dog School? We are guided by the recommendations of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior as set out in their Position Statement on Puppy Socialization.

Dog with Books

How does it work?

Muttessori is one part of your overall training plan. At home, you’ll still be doing training exercises and reinforcing desired behaviors but we’ll help with pup while you’re at work – speeding up the learning process. 

Enrollment Process:

  1. Attend one of our private or group training programs.
  2. Pup is invited to attend a Muttessori try-out day.
  3. Weekly report cards and/or videos will keep you appraised of your pup’s activities and highlight any areas for additional training sessions.
  4. Optional customized training sessions to further support your training goals.

Dog with BooksDog School is one part of an overall training plan. You’ll still be doing training exercises and reinforcing desired behaviors at home, but while you’re at work we can supplement pup’s training and speed-up the learning process. 

The first step in the entry process is to complete one of our private or group training programs.  Pup may then be invited to join our Muttessori program. Weekly report cards &/0r videos will keep you updated of pup’s activities and highlight any areas for cutomized training.

Let us help you train and socialize your young dog in our safe and secure setting.

FAQs

Regular Dog School hours are 9:00am to 12:00pm. Charges will be applied for late pick-up.

Muttessori is currently being held on Tuesday and Thursday only.

Proof of vaccinations (Parvo, Distemper, Kennel Cough, Rabies) and a negative fecal test will be required for all dogs attending dog school.

Dog School is closed on all Federal and State public holidays.

Participation by pup’s family in one of our training programs is a prerequisite for dog school attendance.

Male dogs don’t have to be neutered in order to attend Dog School but we regret females in heat (or about to be in heat) are not permitted.

What makes Mountainside Mutts different? Let pictures be our proof.

After-school group training classes

School for dogs during the day, programs for the people after hours.  Mountainside Mutts offers weekday evening group training classes for new puppies, basic manners, and trick training. Please register for our newsletter for up to date details and call us if you’d like to express an interest in a particular class. You can read more about our current group classes here.