- Be able to concentrate in a highly distracting environment
- Put into practice all the things you’ve learned during your 1-2-1s
- Have the confidence to take your dog out to the park knowing they’ll still behave, even in the vicinity of other dogs
- Socialise with like minded people who are in a similar situation
- Have a laugh!
At our Leeds centre of up to 2 hours (class dependant) with owners and dogs in the same boat as you.
Get support from our team, share progress, ask questions & help each other.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can learn everything from agility & scent work to advanced obedience & bite work.
Head off-site with the pack and introduce your dog to new environments
The big one! Nothing will fulfil a dog and owner like enjoying off-lead freedom. However, if you’re like most owners and can’t trust your dog’s behaviour while off lead, then giving them that freedom may seem like light years away. Less freedom = a more pent up dog which may see a ‘decline’ in our dogs behaviour pushing us even further away from our recall goals. Arrghhh!! Group class allows you to advance your recall around the distraction of multiple other dogs - a great place to practise success before taking your dog to the park.
All dogs need the skill of lead walking around distractions. Whether reactive or just so you can visit nice places and be sociable it's important we reach a minimum standard of lead walking.
Did you know that dogs are pre-programmed to play? Neglecting their need to play is actually akin to neglecting other needs like sleep, food and water. IF we were to do that, we’d be having big problems! We find that if we fail to meet these needs, we create a “pressure cooker” situation.
Place training is a great way to get your dog to settle and remain in control when needed. Practise your place training around lots of other moving dogs, humans and any other distractions the YCA trainers might throw at you.
Who are our dog training classes for?
We have a strict policy that to qualify for classes a trainer must approve you. We need to ensure a dog isn’t going to prove unhelpful to others so it is paramount your dog is at a certain level. After your 1-1 course your trainer will advise when you are ready for classes.
Graduates of residential training are sometimes ready for classes straight away. It may even be that they get involved during their stay with us. Your trainer will advise when to join classes (logistics permitting) to keep up the momentum of their stay with us.
Our dog training classes
Socialisation classes
Many different owners with a vast array of dogs increases your dog's exposure while maintaining safe parameters that are sometimes hard to achieve in a normal setting.
Socialisation classes are not meet and greet sessions.
Obedience Classes
Obedience classes further your dog’s progression. Once socialisation classes have been conquered, you and your dog will qualify for further classes.
How our group dog training classes work
Once you have been approved for classes you will be sent a private link to use to book classes.
Having waited in your car in the car park (very important Jacob and Kirky get spicy about this!) a trainer will collect you and your cohort to take you to the training area in good order.
The class will commence and trainers will instruct you in exercises. You will work to a curriculum appropriate to the class you're in and the level of you and your dog.
Rinse and repeat! Practice practice practice! Regular attendance will keep your tools sharp and give the best chance of progression!
Once you come to the end of your class block you will graduate and trainers will advise which class will be appropriate for your next progression!
Be part of a community
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100% Money Back Guarantee
If you follow the plan and put our expert team’s advice into practice, but don’t see significant progress within 60 days, just send us an email and we’ll refund you in full. No hassle, no questions asked.
State of the art facilities
Relax with a coffee in our coffee shop before or after your training sessions and test your dog’s ability to do nothing before trying it out in the real world.
We have a large canopy in our field so, come rain, hail or shine we can continue your dogs training in shelter and shade.
Our large training field is perfect for training your dog in a safe environment while enabling us to increase the level of distraction they face.
Pick up all the equipment you might need for training your dog in our onsite store. We stock various leads, collars, toys and dog food, making us your one stop shop for all things dog!
Our dog room is air-conditioned in the summer months and heated through the winter so no matter what the weather, your dogs can rest in comfort between their training sessions.
Separate to our consultation space we have a mock living room for you to practice the art of doing nothing with your dog.
Meet the team
Yorkshire Canine Academy is a team of expert trainers and behaviourists. We use cutting-edge, motivational techniques for dog training. Tailoring our methods to each dog's specific needs, we ensure that our approach stays at the forefront of canine behaviour and training.
Reactive rescue, Blade, joins socialisation class to practice his skills around other dogs.
Building trust with Blue off the lead and normalising his exposure to other dogs.
Honey can now be around lots of dogs in class and still focus on her owner.
What next?
Socialisation class - Advanced Obedience - Working Dog Club - Take over the world!
I recommend the YCA to everyone I know. Atlas is almost 2 and struggles with dog reactivity. Before we started training with the YCA his recall sucked, I used to dread walks and I constantly felt like I was failing to give him the life he deserved. Atlas initially did 3 days training at the YCA & we went for 2 in person 1-1s where he leant the basics of loose lead walking, and we left with a clear plan & training exercises to do & had lots of WhatsApp support. We then did their online training with instinct programme and the e-collar course. I used to be very uneducated about e-collars and would never have even considered using one previously. However, after learning about how it is introduced & used in the course, I can honestly say that any misconceptions I had about them only being used in a “cruel” way went out the window. The course has been life changing for us and Atlas has been off lead on walks around the countryside, past dogs, cows, sheep and people for the first time this week since he was 5/6 months old. Seeing him run around off lead, genuinely loving life, is the most amazing thing. I can also now fully enjoy our walks as I’m not constantly stressing about not having control over him and him not having reliable recall. In my opinion, training with the YCA is the best decision I ever made for me & Atlas ❤️ Thank you!
Most importantly: If you’re unsure about the YCA - don’t be. It will change your life.When we adopted Goose, our little rescue, we weren’t prepared for the level of reactivity he had. Despite our dedication and regular obedience training, we couldn’t get within 50 metres of another dog without a full-on reaction - barking, lunging, no focus, and no way to reach him. We were constantly avoiding certain streets, trails, or parks, and Goose was always on leash. We felt discouraged and quietly wondered if we’d taken on more than we could handle.His reactivity wasn’t aggressive - it was social reactivity. He was overly friendly and didn’t know how to regulate his excitement around other dogs. But that didn’t make it any easier to manage, and it still kept him - and us - from enjoying the life we wanted together.Then we found the Yorkshire Canine Academy.It started with their YouTube videos - for the first time, we understood that Goose’s reactivity wasn’t just an obedience issue. It was about how he felt around his triggers.. and until we addressed that, nothing would truly change.Since joining the TWI Program, everything has. With the support of Ian Kirk, Elisha King, and the entire YCA team, Goose has transformed - and so have we. We now enjoy fully off-leash hikes, confidently pass other dogs on trails, and live a life of freedom together. Goose has perfect recall, a solid heel, and clear understanding of helpful commands that keep us both safe and connected. We trust him - and he trusts us.And best of all - YCA helped us achieve all of this without changing who Goose is. His friendliness and love for other dogs are still part of him, but now he has the structure, confidence, and understanding to navigate the world calmly and respectfully.What makes YCA so special is that they didn’t just help us “control” Goose - they helped us learn who he was at heart. They showed us how to understand his needs, his temperament, and what fills his cup. This wasn’t about creating a dog who’s obedient because he’s scared to disobey - this was about building a confident, fulfilled dog who wants to listen, because he feels safe, understood, and free.Goose is now the happiest, most balanced version of himself: curious, calm, goofy, and fully present with us. The bond we share today is because YCA taught us not just how to lead, but how to connect.And the course isn’t just for your dog - it’s personal training for you. It teaches you how to be the kind of leader and trainer your dog truly needs. The skills, mindset, and theory you learn don’t just improve your dog’s life - they help you grow into the best version of yourself for your dog.The program itself is brilliantly structured with step-by-step video lessons for every single training point. Jacob Morgan’s instruction in the videos is in a league of its own - he doesn’t just show what to do, he breaks down the why behind it, the timing, the mindset, and how it all fits together. His clear, detailed explanations paired with real-life examples make everything click - whether you’re brand new to training or feel like you’ve tried everything.And through every group call and 1-on-1 session, Ian and Elisha were patient, thoughtful, and fully invested in our success. They never rushed an answer. They gave us their time, their guidance, and their belief - even when we weren’t sure of ourselves.YCA didn’t just help us train our dog - they gave us back our joy, our freedom, and a bond with Goose we didn’t know was possible. If you’re struggling with reactivity or just want more from life with your dog, YCA will change everything.Big thanks to the YCA.
The YCA boot camp for reactive dogs was a great experience. We made a lot of progress in a short space of time with our 9 year old Australian shepherd dog, Skye. Her age made no difference to learning the new behaviours.The techniques are well taught and thoroughly explained. The training was varied and well structured. This allowed us to progress and build our confidence throughout the week.The consultation, booking process and pre-course training was easy and well delivered.The team are really friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.Thank you YCA for helping us to give Skye a more relaxed quality of life.
Simply outstanding results!Bespoke training, with no BS.It wasn't long before I realised that they utilise everything at there disposal to tailor their methods to each dog and their owners.Multiple trainers, dog handlers, and fellow owners ( and their dogs) are all utilised in fluid training exercises and even improv to get desired outcomes. I was and am still blown away with the speed and efficacy of how far we have progressed.Having a highly reactive pet is soul destroying. I feel like a heavy weight has been lifted from me, truly.But the "Real Deal" is now my dog has begun to live a life full of fun and even more happiness. The new things he is getting to experience for the very first time each and every day is astounding.Non of this is possible without the trainers, and other staff in the background supporting both them and all the clients online and at the academy day to day.Take your first step. We did.There is no looking back is there "Dodi"?
We've just finished YCA's Training With Instinct programme and they've managed to help us with every issue we set out to address with Ted, our two year-old Malinois cross. We really cannot recommend them highly enough. The training documentation is fantastic and the accompanying video tutorials are easy to follow, the 1:1 sessions we had were transformative, and we were supported brilliantly throughout via WhatsApp and group calls. Ted arrived with us from Dog's Trust as a super-reactive whirlwind; beautiful temperament but wanting to chase everything that moved. As a result he pulled ridiculously on the lead, was far too boisterous around other dogs and had no self-control around footballs, basketballs etc...not a good look in the local park. He now walks brilliantly on a loose lead, ignoring other dogs with bad manners (we now notice how many of them there are!); he recalls superbly and is just way calmer in general thanks to the boundaries and thresholds YCA have helped us put in place. One particular moment to call out happened about 6 weeks in. We were really struggling with a particular step in the course and feeling quite dejected, which we conveyed via our private WhatsApp group: Jacob, Kirky and Elisha jumped straight on it with a plan, but more importantly, encouragement. A week later we were in a 1:1 with Kirky, and turning a corner. We were told right at the start to expect challenges and then a collective lightbulb moment when we and Ted would click, as all the foundations began working together, and that's exactly what happened. We're looking forward to staying in touch as 'graduates', as more than anything else YCA are just good people to hang around and natter about dogs with. Thanks everyone.
I’m so grateful to YCA they truly changed everything for us.Before going to YCA, Finn was reactive to dogs, people and tried to chin anything that moved. He pulled like a train when on lead and had a recall when nothing was at stake. We needed help.I signed up to the Focus in Four course and saw improvements but I wanted more freedom for Finn to be a dog. So I signed up to the Training with Instincts course, and started it. It took awhile to work through Finn's issues but Elisha, Kirky and the team at YCA walked me through every step.We started with simple play and moved to addressing his reactivity, and then his recall and using an e-collar. The videos and resources they provided me with were so helpful, almost holding my hand and walking me through the processes, how and why they work.I absolutely recommend going to YCA to get help for your doggy troubles.Finn is now living his best life, on and off lead, I can take pretty much anywhere without worrying. And is so much happier now being able to live his best life.
Group dog training classes FAQs
If you’re feeling apprehensive about training your dog in front of others, just remember that everyone is in the same boat as you and more often than not people are concentrating on their own dog,not worrying about what others around them are doing. If you’re still not sure, let your 121 trainer know how you feel and they’ll be around to hold your hand through your first class if you need it.
We always recommend you start with a socialisation class to get your bearings then go from there. Have a chat with your trainer and let them know your goals beyond your 121 course, they’ll suggest which class you and your dog may best be suited for.
Yes it was at one point but one day a chap with a cockapoo asked to join. We didn’t have the guts to tell him no, and from that day forward the WDC opened its doors to each and every breed so long as the owner attached to them was committed to helping their dog achieve their maximum potential!
Generally the class is split into 3 parts:
Warm up - this focuses on practising and fine tuning the things we’ve already covered in the 121 course.
New Skill - this is where we introduce a new practical skill to start working on away from the YCA, we’ll advance this each week.
Socialisation activity - this might be a group trip to golden acre park, a sit down outside the YCA cafe, a walk through the woods or group recall training in the big field. We’ve even set up a beer garden mock up in the past!
