Owning a dog means more than offering Fido an occasional pat on the head or a quick game of fetch.
So, with the help of Lake Land College and one of its noncredit courses, Melinda Gill teaches area pet owners how to have a good canine companion with a basic course called Puppy Kindergarten.
The classes are intended for both large and small breeds under one year of age. The dogs and owners meet at Peterson Park once a week.
Puppy Kindergarten is for the dogs, but it also is for the pet owners.
“I tell the pet owners on the first day of class, I don’t teach your dog. I teach you to teach your dog. If you won’t devote at least 20 minutes each night to training, this class won’t be productive for either you or the dog,” Gill said.