Does your dog bark during a Zoom meeting? Did the new puppy chew up your good pair of shoes?
Jason Hoffman could be the guy to call.
A certified dog trainer, Hoffman teaches dog obedience classes at the Easton Community Center. His six-week adult dog obedience classes and puppy kindergarten, which is usually wait listed, focus on positive reinforcement and praise.
“My philosophy is all about team building. I don’t think of it as training–the way I train is by encouraging both the owner and dog, so they feel they are on the same team,” said Hoffman, who has been training dogs at the community center for about 10 years. He received his dog training degree from Animal Behavioral College in 2004.
During a recent puppy kindergarten class at the community center, Hoffman worked with a small group of puppies and their owners. The focus of the class was to give the puppies a good foundation to grow into obedient adult dogs by introducing them to basic commands of sit, down, come, stay, watch, leave it.
“I don’t want anyone to feel bad about themselves and their dog, so I make the class less competitive and incorporate games,” Hoffman said.
Jenna Holaday attended the class with her dog Pearle and is very pleased with Pearle’s progress.
“Each class she keeps getting better. Pearle was able to sit a little bit more and listen,” Holaday said. “She sees other dogs working and I can tell she goes into work mode after a while. Pearle knows the drill.”
Brenda Lilly, a new resident of Easton, signed up for the class to train her two dogs.
“Jason (Hoffman) is very experienced, so it makes a big difference,” she said.
Hoffman’s classes for adult dogs and puppies also address common problems such as potty training, chewing, biting, digging and barking.
His main philosophy is to “treat your dog like a dog and not like a person.”
The classes are offered through the Easton Community Center. Classes cost $145 for non-members or $120 for members. For more information contact the center at or visit their website at https://eastoncommunitycenter.com/adult-enrichment/#dogs.
Photos by Sophie Camizzi
