Meet our Dog Trainers
Ashley Hofius is a Perham native and graduate. She received her Associates in Science degree from Central Lakes College in Brainerd MN, and went on to graduate from the University of MN Twin Cities with a Bachelor's degree in Evolution, Ecology and Animal behavior. With an intense interest in the animal behavior aspect she began working with dogs at Metro Dogs Daycare and Boarding in Minneapolis MN in 2012. By 2013 she was the Director of Operations for the company. In 2014 she was inspired by her dog training mentor to apply to the Jean Donaldson Academy for Dog Trainers. Upon being accepted into this intense two-year program she thrived in the atmosphere of fear-free dog training and graduated with her CTC (Certification in Training and Counseling) in August of 2016. Ashley went on to start her own business, PAW Dog Training where she did private dog training and boarding until October of 2019 when she moved back to Perham to start her family. In November of 2023 she joined the Backyard team as an employee and trainer. In January of 2024 she became manager of the Backyard Playcare and Boarding as well as continuing dog training classes. Ashley resides in Perham with her two young children and four dogs of her own.
Orientation - FREE / Required.
Class Length: One, 30 minute class.
Orientation - Orientation is designed to allow you to come into our facility and see where you will be training. There will be a short presentation from our instructor as to how classes are set up, what to bring to class, what is allowed in class, the rules about bringing your dogs into the classroom, etc. The orientation is required to be attended by the human(s) that will be coming to class with their dogs. No dogs are allowed in orientation.
Pre-requisites: None. Required for admission into your first class. All subsequent classes you register for do not require an additional orientation.
What to bring to class: The human that is going to be attending class with their dog. Do not bring your dog. If you do bring your dog, you will be asked to leave it in the car.
*Your spot is NOT secured until we have the following*
1) Backyard Training Contract
2) Backyard Training Dog Registration Forms
3) Up to Date Vaccines on hand
4) Payment in full.
Email -
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All Training classes require the owner(s) to take all of the information they acquired through our classes, and work with their dogs at home. This will help make you get the most out of your training and ensure your dog has the best chances to succeed.
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All Training classes are non-refundable and non-transferable.
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Payment is due in full at the time of booking.
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Must fill out Training form and contract before any classes are attended.
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Instructors will hand out homework and reminder emails for every weekly class.
Paperwork that will need to be filled out prior to training!
This is a must!
Spring Training Classes
Rally Obedience
Are you looking for a new sport to try with your dog? Do you want a better connection while working together? Are you interested in better leash manners? Then try Rally!
Rally is an obedience game that you can play with your dog. There is a course set up with 10-20 signs. As you go through the course with your dog in heel position, you stop at each sign and perform the task. Examples are Sit, Down, Sit and walk around your dog, 360 degree turns, about turns, speed changes, etc. It's a fun game and you build better manners. It's a win win!
Scentwork
Does your dog have his nose to the ground as soon as he goes outside? Can he find a needle in a haystack? Would you like your dog to find deer sheds? Then scentwork might be right up his alley.
Scentwork is a game that consists of four different elements: containers, buried, interior, and exterior. Your dog must find one or more scents in these various elements. In this game your dog is the superstar as you have no idea where the scents are. Your dog will lead you to them and learn how to tell you when he found them. It's your job to trust your dog and call out Alert! when you believe he has found them. Scent work is a great confidence builder for shy or nervous dogs as scentwork is all about the dog!
Agility for fun
Just got done watching the Masters Agility Challenge at Westminster and it's got you wondering if Fido could do it? Why not give it a try!
Agility is an obstacle course game where you as their handler know the correct sequence of obstacles in the course and you must perform the obstacles in the correct order as you proceed through the course. In this class your dog will learn how to work with you to tackle an agility course. We will break each obstacle down and teach you how to train it. We will also teach you how to start putting those obstacles together in a sequence.
General Life Skills Obedience
Are you looking for a game to play that teaches your dog basic manners in a structured way? Ever wonder how that tight heel is accomplished? Then try General Life Skills Obedience Class.
This class teaches the fundamentals of Obedience for those who think they might want to compete in obedience some day or for those that just want a dog that works with them and is attentive to the handler. We will get your dog started on Sit, Lay Down, Stay, Walking on leash, Coming when called, Leave-it, Targeting and impulse control.
Sports Tryouts
Are you someone who wants to do it all? You put way too much on your plate and then are like wow, that was a little intense? Maybe I should have just picked one? Well, we got you covered, girl!
Sports Tryouts is for those of us that want to try everything or for those that may not know which sport to try. Each week we will try a different sport. We will go over what each sport is and then dive in and start building skills so that you get your feet wet and can determine if you want to continue with that sport. This class includes Agility, Scentwork, Rally, and Obedience.
Tricks!
Are you the type that likes to have your dog show off her skills and be the life of the party? I know, I do the same! Try tricks!
We will teach your dog cool stuff like walking on a beam, popping out of a box, rolling over, waving bye bye, etc. We will start with basic tricks with the intent of being able to get a novice trick dog title and work our way up to more elaborate tricks.
Puppy
Did you know that a puppy’s brain is like a sponge from 8-12 weeks? Would you like to start off teaching your puppy what you would like them to do instead of correcting unwanted behaviors? Would you like your puppy to be confident around new people, dogs, and locations? Ask about Puppy Class!
Classes will consist of play time, training, and other socialization like sounds, sites, smells, textures, what to do about thunder, lightning, fireworks, the vacuum, along with how to handle puppy biting and jumping. We will begin the training of sit, down, leave-it, stay, hand-targeting, impulse control, recall and loose-leash walking.
Intro to Therapy Dog
Do you have a well behaved furry friend who would like to aid mental wellness for local residents? Does your dog seem to sense when someone is hurt or sick? Whether you are looking to get certified as a Therapy dog or would just like to see how your dog does, sign up for Intro to Therapy Dog Class!
We will explore assisted the basics of Therapy dog training in the assisted living and Perham Living locations. We will train you to notice any signs of discomfort or anxiety in your dog. We will also explore all the different sights, sounds, smells, and equipment that your dog may encounter during these visits to ensure their comfort and success in these facilities. Your dog will be allowed to meet some pet friendly residents that would love a visit from your furry friend.