Grade Level

Elementary

Reset, Done, Leave It, Off, advanced commands and impulse control for daily life.

In Elementary, dogs reinforce skills from Kindergarten while learning advanced commands and behaviors crucial for daily interactions. This stage focuses on refining obedience, improving impulse control, and enhancing social manners.

The signature commands of this level — Reset, Done, Leave It, Off — are the ones your dog will use every single day at home, on walks, and in public spaces.

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Who This Level Is For

Is Elementary the Right Fit for Your Dog?

Dogs who have completed Kindergarten and are ready to add impulse-control and advanced commands. Tool-introduction work begins at this level — your trainer will guide which tools fit your dog.

Elementary — What You'll Focus On

In Elementary the dog will focus on Reset, Done, Leave It, Off, advanced commands and impulse control for daily life.

Elementary Syllabus

The Elementary Curriculum

Every manner, behavior, trick, and tool introduced at this level — each tracked individually in PD360 with explicit success indicators.

Introduced New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level. Reinforced Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps. Proofed Tested against real-world distraction, distance, and duration. Maintained Kept sharp from earlier levels so the foundation never slips.

Introduced 4 New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level.

Calm Introduced

Default to settled instead of revved up.

Mastery: Dog defaults to a relaxed posture during downtime.
Boundaries Introduced

Respect for off-limits zones in the home and environment.

Mastery: Dog stays out of designated off-limits areas without correction.
Greetings Introduced

Polite, four-on-the-floor introductions to new people.

Mastery: Dog greets new people without jumping or mouthing.
Appropriate Play Introduced

Read other dogs and adjust play style to match.

Mastery: Dog matches play style to play partner and disengages on cue.

Reinforced 5 Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps.

Play Guidance Reinforced

Structured rules of engagement during play sessions.

Mastery: Dog can settle on a cue during high-arousal play.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Hand Off Reinforced

Calm transfer of the leash and the dog's focus between handlers.

Mastery: Dog accepts a new handler without anxiety or reactivity.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Desensitize Reinforced

Gradual exposure that reduces over-arousal to specific stimuli.

Mastery: Dog can be exposed to a known trigger without reactivity.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Impulse Control Reinforced

Wait before acting on a temptation — the building block of obedience.

Mastery: Dog can hold a Sit with food in front of them.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Thresholds Reinforced

Pause at doorways and transitions instead of bolting through.

Mastery: Dog waits at thresholds for a release cue.

First introduced in Kindergarten

Proofed 5 Tested against real-world distraction, distance, and duration.

Confidence Proofed

Build a baseline of confidence so your dog can engage with the world calmly.

Mastery: Dog approaches novel sights and sounds without flight or freeze.

First introduced in Pre-School
Etiquette Proofed

Learn the day-to-day etiquette that makes your dog a great neighbor.

Mastery: Dog greets calmly without jumping or mouthing.

First introduced in Pre-School
Socialize Proofed

Structured exposure to other dogs and people in a controlled setting.

Mastery: Dog can be near other dogs without overreacting in either direction.

First introduced in Pre-School
Cues Proofed

Build awareness that handler cues mean something is about to happen.

Mastery: Dog orients toward the handler when a cue is given.

First introduced in Pre-School
Gentleness Proofed

Soft-mouth taking food and toys without snatching or nipping.

Mastery: Dog takes treats gently from hand.

First introduced in Pre-School

Introduced 7 New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level.

Reset Introduced

Return to a calm, focused state on cue when energy spikes.

Mastery: Dog drops arousal and re-engages handler within 5 seconds.
Auto Sit Introduced

Default Sit when the handler stops walking — no verbal cue needed.

Mastery: Dog automatically sits when the handler stops.
Recall Introduced

Come when called from a distance.

Mastery: Dog comes when called from 15 feet with distraction.
Done Introduced

Disengage from an activity or item completely.

Mastery: Dog disengages from a fixation when Done is cued.
Back Up Introduced

Walk backward in a straight line — body awareness builder.

Mastery: Dog backs up at least 3 steps on cue.
Off Introduced

Get off furniture, people, or counters when cued.

Mastery: Dog gets off the moment Off is cued.
Leave It Introduced

Ignore a tempting item or scent and look back at the handler.

Mastery: Dog disengages from a tempting target and looks at handler.

Reinforced 5 Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps.

Heel Reinforced

Walk at your side, matching your pace.

Mastery: Dog maintains heel position for at least 10 steps.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Turns Reinforced

Maintain heel position through left, right, and about turns.

Mastery: Dog stays in heel through directional changes.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Stay Reinforced

Hold a position until released — duration over distance.

Mastery: Dog holds Stay for 30 seconds with mild distraction.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Place Reinforced

Go to a designated spot (mat/bed) and settle there.

Mastery: Dog goes to Place from across the room and settles.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Free Reinforced

The release cue — your dog is officially off-duty.

Mastery: Dog clearly distinguishes Free from a continued command.

First introduced in Kindergarten

Proofed 5 Tested against real-world distraction, distance, and duration.

Name Proofed

Your dog learns that hearing their name means look at you.

Mastery: Dog turns head and makes eye contact when name is said.

First introduced in Pre-School
Sit Proofed

The foundational position command — rear on the ground.

Mastery: Dog sits within 2 seconds of verbal cue without lure.

First introduced in Pre-School
Markers Proofed

Marker words (Yes / Good / No) that tell your dog exactly what worked.

Mastery: Dog clearly responds to marker words by holding or releasing behavior.

First introduced in Pre-School
Crate Proofed

Calm, quiet acceptance of crate as a safe resting place.

Mastery: Dog enters crate on cue and settles within 5 minutes.

First introduced in Pre-School
Down Proofed

Elbows on the ground — the second foundational position.

Mastery: Dog goes down within 3 seconds of verbal cue.

First introduced in Pre-School

Introduced 1 New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level.

Touch Introduced

Nose-touch a target — the building block for many advanced behaviors.

Mastery: Dog reliably nose-touches a target hand or stick on cue.

Reinforced 1 Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps.

Shake Reinforced

Lift a paw to shake hands on cue.

Mastery: Dog offers paw within 2 seconds of cue.

First introduced in Kindergarten

Proofed 1 Tested against real-world distraction, distance, and duration.

Spin Proofed

A full rotation on cue — your dog's first trick.

Mastery: Dog completes a 360° rotation on hand or verbal cue.

First introduced in Pre-School

Introduced 4 New skills your dog meets for the first time at this level.

Muzzle Introduced

Basket muzzle conditioning for safety and vet visits.

Mastery: Dog accepts muzzle voluntarily and tolerates it for at least 5 minutes.
Tab Introduced

Short drag-line for quick handler intervention without a full leash.

Mastery: Dog works appropriately with a tab attached.
E-Collar Introduced

Remote stim collar conditioned through a thoughtful introduction process.

Mastery: Dog responds to a working level of stim consistently and confidently.
Prong Collar Introduced

Communication tool for leash pressure on strong pullers.

Mastery: Dog walks loose-leash in prong collar without lunging.

Reinforced 3 Carried over from the previous level and strengthened with reps.

Training Collar Reinforced

A flat or slip-style collar used during structured training sessions.

Mastery: Dog accepts training collar and works in it confidently.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Harness Reinforced

Body harness for dogs who need different leash pressure than a collar.

Mastery: Dog walks comfortably and predictably in harness.

First introduced in Kindergarten
Treadmill Reinforced

Indoor exercise tool for structured energy outlet.

Mastery: Dog walks calmly on treadmill at handler-set pace.

First introduced in Kindergarten

Proofed 3 Tested against real-world distraction, distance, and duration.

Slip Lead Proofed

A simple looped lead used for quick, low-pressure leash work.

Mastery: Dog accepts slip lead and walks without panic.

First introduced in Pre-School
Martingale Proofed

Limited-slip collar that tightens gently to prevent backing out.

Mastery: Dog wears martingale comfortably during class.

First introduced in Pre-School
Treats Proofed

High-value food rewards used to mark and reinforce correct behavior.

Mastery: Dog takes treats gently and pairs them with marker words.

First introduced in Pre-School

Visual Syllabus

View the Elementary Syllabus

Trouble viewing? Open the Elementary syllabus in a new tab →

Where This Level Sits

Your Progress at Elementary

Each row represents a grade level. The bar shows the cumulative number of behaviors your dog will have learned by the end of that level. Elementary is highlighted below.

Total cumulative behaviors learned

Graduation Criteria

When Do Dogs Move From Elementary to Middle-School?

Dogs graduate to Middle-School once they reliably respond to Reset, Done, Leave It, and Off with moderate distraction, and demonstrate calm greetings with new dogs and people.

PD360 Pet Progress

Every Skill at Elementary is Tracked in PD360

The curriculum is cumulative on purpose. A behavior taught at Elementary is reinforced in Middle School and proofed in High School, with each behavior moving through at least four stages of learning — introduced, reinforced, proofed, and maintained. You'll see exactly which behaviors your dog has been Introduced to, Reinforced on, and Proofed against. The same record follows them into DaySchool, Camps, private lessons, and grooming. One profile, one progress story, one team.

300+ Tracked variables per dog
8 Grade levels & curriculum tracks
120+ Behaviors across the journey
Years Of continuous progress data

Behavior-Level Detail

Every command, manner, and trick is tracked through Introduced → Reinforced → Proofed stages.
Programs Stay in Sync

Progress in Group Class flows into DaySchool, Camps, and private lessons. Trainers see the same record.
Honest Recommendations

Your dog moves up when the data says they're ready — not when a calendar says so.
Years of Continuity

Whether your dog is in Pre-School or Dogtorate, the full history travels with them.