Welcome to 4 Paws 2 Freedom

This is a new ONLINE Class designed to help Veterans train their pet dog to assist them with typical anxiety mitigating tasks.  

This is for PET DOGS ONLY.  Dogs who are too old, are not healthy enough or temperamentally sound enough to become a service dog. 

This class will teach you how to train your dog to interrupt nightmares through pulling the covers off of you when you begin flailing in your sleep.

 It will teach you how to train your dog to ground you when you begin to ramp up. 

It will teach you to train your dog the basic obedience commands, sit, down, wait, as well as get-it, pull, back, forward and side. 

This class is  limited in number and priority will be given to Veterans located in the Northern California area.  

This class was originally designed for Active Police Officers.  Due to the COVID 19 PANDEMIC, WE HAVE NOW OPENED IT TO ALL FIRST RESPONDERS!  

Day after day, officers see the worst of humanity; absorb the world's negativity; and then come home to their families. 

Law enforcement officers respond to and witness some of the most tragic events that happen in our communities. On-the-job stress can have a significant impact on their physical and mental well-being, which can accumulate over the course of a career. Many officers struggle with alcohol abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other challenges.

In the face of long term exposure to emotional pain, fear and stress, people often need to numb their feelings in order to continue doing their work. Conversations disappear, sleeping patterns change, drinking might increase and family (unless they are also an officer or dispatcher) become “outsiders” and are often  pushed away because they can’t understand what the officer is going through.   

Stress Mitigation Dogs can help by breaking the cycle . Dogs can help ground a person in ways as simple as leaning against them or laying down on them. This process of grounding is very effective in helping people  regroup and get past their anxiety. Once the person is feeling more centered and able to relax, the play begins. Through activity and play the stressors of the day can be released. The dogs are taught a variety of different interactive games to play with their person. These games involve varying degrees of exercise to burn off angst.

This online class is being offered FREE to first responders, thanks to the generous support of RRUFF Healing Heroes.

For more information please contact us

We have begun teaching in person classes with small numbers of students and social distancing. Masks worn over nose and mouth are required at all times to participate.

Private sessions are also available online.  Contact us for pricing.

COVID-19 Policy

Policy for ALL 4 Paws 2 Freedom classes, training and activities:

Due to the nature of our work, the people in our programs may be health compromised. To allow for more healthy engagement, we have updated our COVID-19 Policy. It is effective immediately.

1. All students and staff must wear face masks covering their nose and mouth at all times indoors even if they are the only one in the building.

2. Students and staff must wear face masks covering their nose and mouth at all gatherings of more than one person outdoors. 

3.  All students and staff must practice at least 6 feet social distancing both indoors and outdoors.

4. Avoid contact with animals other than your own. Do not pet, hug or kiss animals that do not live with you.

5. Do not handle other people’s leashes or training gear.

6.  Training Areas are required to have 6-foot distancing mapped out and taped off or otherwise identified in all directions. 

7. At indoor training stores, aisles may need to be monitored and students and staff may need to move away from shoppers to keep 6 foot social distancing.

8.  Trainers will use only their leash. Leashes will not transfer hands.

9.  Trainers will squirt hand sanitizer onto the hands of all students when they enter the class. 

10.  Trainers will disinfect railings when they arrive and leave.