Pet Dog Ambassador Program
Pet Dog Ambassador Program
More Than Obedience!
Real-Life Skills for Everyday Dogs
Dog Obedience Classes in Lynnwood, WA
If you’re looking for a positive, force-free dog obedience class in Lynnwood, my Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA) Program is the perfect fit. PDA is an internationally recognized, five-level training pathway that goes beyond sit and stay to teach real-life manners like loose leash walking, polite greetings, recall, and calm behavior in public.
Classes are taught at The Friendly Bark in Lynnwood. Families across Snohomish County join our small group sessions to build confidence and practical skills while preparing for official PDA certification.
Enroll Now for Level 1 Foundations! The best starting point after puppy socialization or for dogs 4+ months old.
Beyond Basic Obedience
Many obedience classes in Lynnwood stop at sit, down, stay, and a bit of leash work. AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) is a popular program, but it’s a one-time pass/fail test of those basics. The Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA) Program goes further, giving you and your dog a structured, five-level pathway that builds skills for everyday life and prepares you for CGC along the way.
- Step-by-Step Pathway: PDA includes five progressive levels, growing with your dog from puppy foundations to advanced community manners.
- CGC-Ready Skills: By Level 2–3, your dog will already have mastered the loose leash walking, recalls, polite greetings, and handling that CGC requires, making the test a breeze if you choose to take it.
- Beyond the Basics: PDA adds real-life training like café settles, street walks, cooperative vet handling, emergency stops, and car manners, skills CGC doesn’t cover.
- Guardian Education: Unique to PDA, guardians complete an open-book knowledge test on body language, enrichment, welfare, and laws because well-prepared handlers raise confident dogs.
- Force-Free Commitment: 100% positive reinforcement. That means no prongs, shocks, or intimidation ever.
In short: CGC gives you a certificate. PDA gives you the lifestyle skills that make life together easier every day.
Many obedience classes in Lynnwood stop at sit, down, stay, and a bit of leash work. AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) is a popular program, but it’s a one-time pass/fail test of those basics. The Pet Dog Ambassador (PDA) Program goes further, giving you and your dog a structured, five-level pathway that builds skills for everyday life and prepares you for CGC along the way.
- Step-by-Step Pathway: PDA includes five progressive levels, growing with your dog from puppy foundations to advanced community manners.
- CGC-Ready Skills: By Level 2–3, your dog will already have mastered the loose leash walking, recalls, polite greetings, and handling that CGC requires, making the test a breeze if you choose to take it.
- Beyond the Basics: PDA adds real-life training like café settles, street walks, cooperative vet handling, emergency stops, and car manners, skills CGC doesn’t cover.
- Guardian Education: Unique to PDA, guardians complete an open-book knowledge test on body language, enrichment, welfare, and laws because well-prepared handlers raise confident dogs.
- Force-Free Commitment: 100% positive reinforcement. That means no prongs, shocks, or intimidation ever.
In short: CGC gives you a certificate. PDA gives you the lifestyle skills that make life together easier every day.
Pet Dog Ambassador Pathway
Level by Level
The PDA program is a five-level journey that takes your dog from basic manners to confident community member. Each level builds on the last, with clear milestones and internationally recognized credentials along the way.
Level 1: Foundations (ages 4+ months)
Start your dog’s journey with the basics of focus and good manners.
- Demonstrate a hand-target and sit/down on cue, holding position for ~5–10 seconds.
- Walk on a loose leash for ~10–15 meters without pulling in a quiet area.
- Recall from a short distance (~3–5 meters) away, with minimal distractions.
- Greet a friendly person with four paws on the floor (no jumping).
- Accept brief cooperative handling (touch ears, paws, collar) with relaxed body language.
- Practice impulse control: “leave it,” wait at doors/bowls, and short mat settle.
Level 2: Advanced Foundation
Build reliability and focus with more distractions.
- Maintain loose-leash walking for ~20–30 meters, including turns and halts.
- Respond to recall from ~8–10 meters past low-value distractions.
- Hold a relaxed mat settle for ~30–60 seconds while a person moves nearby.
- Perform polite greetings with a dog/handler team at a safe distance (no lunging/jumping).
- Cooperate with longer handling (brief brush, stethoscope touch, collar grab) using consent cues.
- Generalize “leave it/trade” with food and everyday household items.
Level 3: Community Skills
Take training into everyday public spaces for real-world confidence.
- Walk on a loose leash past moving people, doors, and low-traffic stimuli.
- Settle under a table/chair at a café for ~2–3 minutes with handler seated.
- Execute a recall away from polite dog/people interest in a safe, enclosed area.
- Offer calm, neutral behavior while a friendly stranger briefly handles collar/harness.
- Load/Unload into a vehicle and wait before exit on cue.
Level 4: Advanced Community Skills
Prove reliability in busier, more complex environments.
- Sustain loose-leash walking through busier foot traffic, passing other dogs at closer range.
- Hold a relaxed settle ~3–5 minutes while food/servers pass in a café scenario.
- Respond to an emergency stop (“stop/stand”) at short distance, then recall to handler.
- Demonstrate cooperative care (muzzle introduction optional, brief exam simulation) with consent/stop signals respected.
- Pass a short “street-walk” style assessment combining greeting etiquette, curb waits, and distraction handling.
Level 5: PDA Champion
Celebrate the complete team: calm, confident, and reliable in daily life.
- Integrate leash skills, recalls, settles, greetings, and cooperative care across varied public settings in a single outing.
- Adapt quickly to novel distractions while maintaining polite, community-safe behavior.
- Model guardian skills: proactive management, humane reinforcement strategies, and reading body language for welfare-first decisions.
Class Details
- Schedule:
- PDA Level 1: Mondays 4:00–5:00 PM or Saturdays 12:00–1:00 PM
- PDA Level 2: Tuesdays 12:30–1:30 PM or Fridays 6:00–7:00 PM
- Session Length: 8-week sessions
- Duration: 60 minutes per class
- Location: The Friendly Bark, Lynnwood, WA
- Ages:
Level 1: 4+ months – 6 months (vaccinations required);
Level 2: 6+ months (vaccinations required) - Size: Small groups capped for individual attention
- Cost: $255 ($32.00 per class)
Enrollment is now open! Reserve your spot today!
Why Train with Ready, Pup, Go! (PDA-Accredited)
- Licensed PDA Instructor & Assessor: Your team is coached and evaluated by an approved Pet Dog Ambassador professional.
- Internationally Recognized Program: PDA is developed under the Pet Professional Guild, with credentials that are respected worldwide.
- Force-Free, Science-Based Methods: Training aligned with PPG guiding principles: no prongs, no shocks, no intimidation.
- Structured Assessments & Clear Milestones: Five progressive levels with objective markers and certificates to celebrate progress.
- Small, Supportive Groups: Limited class sizes for safety, individualized coaching, and real-life practice.
- Guardian Education: An open-book knowledge component helps you understand body language, welfare, and everyday handling.
Check out what my Clients have to say…
My dog Chester just experienced with first group puppy class today with Michelle. He also has had numerous individual training sessions with Michelle. As always, Michelle is thoroughly prepared, patient and supportive. My very active dog really responds to her and she has taught me how to better teach my puppy to become a trained dog.
I have Michelle's Class to be very useful. The information presented and the manner is which she conveys it has been excellent. Abby Cooper
We had several conversations with Michele prior to actually meeting her at her introductory class. I/we found Michele very knowledgeable and personable to us. She covers all aspects of dog ownership as well as the human side. We have a Rescue Chiweenie (Rocko) approx. 1.5 yrs. from California who has been through a lot, living in a home with 40+ dogs and where the owners were arrested. Rocko is coming along nicely as we use the 3 Days, 3 Weeks, 3 Months acclimation. We would without reservation recommend Michele and Ready, Pup Go, as she utilizes her education/knowledge and skills she provides to dog owners and their pet! Von & Mary
I have had Michelle from Ready, Pup, Go come to train my dog, Chester since I first got him. He was 11 weeks old. He is now six months old and weighs close to 70 pounds. He has been a challenge because of his enthusiasm and size. Michelle has helped immensely with her patience and encouragement. Chester is at his best behavior when she is here. I know he will be a great dog because of her.
Michelle did a great job in helping our puppy and family blending together. We did basic commands to intermediate level training and it’s super helpful for us as a family and for the dog as well.
My 6month old pup Ozzy and I just started working with Michelle and it's clear she is passionate about what she does! I love her 'no fear' approach to training and look forward to learning more and building the trust between my little guy and me thanks for the extra help today, Michelle!
Me and my new puppy just started working with Michelle, already learning so much! She is clearly very knowledgeable and explains the rationale behind so many factors in dog behaviors to help us communicate and understand one another better. Very much appreciate she instills positive reinforcement methods to help grow the owner-pet connection and build trust. We can't wait to keep learning together. 10/10 recommend!
Michele is terrific. She analyzes the dog problems, considers the client's wishes and tailors her training program accordingly. She shares so much information about dog behavior and works well with her clients. I recommend this training program wholeheartedly!
Thorough, inquisitive and provides a well rounded care of help for the whole family! Nonjudgemental and understanding and patient all around!
Very clear about instructions, options, and guidance!
Ready, Pup, Go! has helped me immensely. When my late husband was in hospice, I was struggling to take Bubba out to potty. She has helped me with ways that I can teach bubba to potty outside and litterbox training when we can't make it outside. I would go with her for training a puppy any day of the week.
Michelle is a versatile and skilled professional who delivered exceptional support and service. Her expertise and responsiveness were instrumental in preparing for my new pup, resulting in a successful summer experience. Her priority was providing the best feedback and support, and her professional and friendly approach made her a joy to work with. Michelle is a highly recommended dog trainer!
I've tried tutoring seminars and classes before, but Ready Pup Go is something much more. Michelle is thoughtful and knowledgeable, but most of all curious about the specific details that go into my dog's issue, the circumstances surrounding it, and even acknowledges the influences of other 'stuff' in my life that may also be contributing to my dog's specific needs. Michelle has taken the time to talk through all of my concerns, and has brought several important issues to my attention; things that I just wasn't connecting to my dog's emotions and behaviors. I'm super busy with kids, job, etc, but Michelle was able to work with me, my schedule, and my family's specific needs and situation. I was feeling pretty defeated, like I needed to go get a PHD in dog behavior in order to fix some of these seemingly small issues that were becoming larger, but Michelle helped get me back on track so I could help my dog!
Awesome and super knowledgeable. Shows a great amount of empathy for both the human side, and the dog side.
Was given some of the best advice on my situation on my dogs. They added a ton of important information and highlighted what could be happening and how we could fix the problems. I have a dog who isn't really friendly and I got a puppy back in December. I asked around for advice and they gave me honestly the best advice. All the problems are solved thanks to the advice given Would highly recommend their services!!!