Online Dog Training Course & LGD Training Manual
Updated: Jul 20

In August 2020, I began requiring completion of the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations Course as part of the criteria for purchasing pups from me. Since then, many people have completed this course, including people all over the US who will purchase pups from a different breeder but would like to be well-prepared to train their puppies. Current owners of LGDs have completed the course as well in an effort to understand their dogs better.
The course is written with the companion dog owner in mind; the science in the course can be broadly applied, but some of the training activities in the course need to be modified a bit to accommodate what is true for how LGDs learn, particularly with regard to what motivates them and how long their training attention span is in comparison to what is true for companion dogs. So, I wrote the training manual you see the cover for above.
This training manual covers, step by step, what is true for LGDs throughout the course. There is also additional LGD information, including links to about thirty of my blog posts, as they are relevant to what the course is covering at that point.
This was written by a prospective buyer of my pups:
"The Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Foundations Course is essential! I wish I had known about it prior to bringing home our companion dog six years ago. I am thankful Cindy has made it a requirement in the process of purchasing from Benson Ranch. It has changed me as a trainer, teacher, mother, wife, and friend. The course has shown me how important positive reinforcement is and how well it works. This is a life course.
Reflecting back on my visit to Benson Ranch, I am so glad I had a few lessons from the KPA course digested. I was able to see the training in process, notice the signs, read the body language of the dogs, and understand why things were done the way they were. I was able to step into this wonderful world of partnership with these incredible guardian dogs! I was able to approach the dogs with confidence, take part in their training routine, and realize how important a strong training foundation is for them as well as for myself.
Without the KPA course, I would be lost in this new world of LGDs. Thank you, Cindy, for introducing me to the course and to this beautiful LGD world you have created!"
To enroll in the course or just learn more about it, please go to the link below:
https://karenpryoracademy.com/courses/dog-trainer-foundations
To purchase the training manual from Amazon, please use the link below:
https://www.amazon.com/Livestock-Guardian-Dog-Training-Manual/