PAWSitively Living the Dream
A next-level pup obedience center offers green space, pond swimming and competitive league play just minutes from Saratoga.
PAWS Obedience Training is bringing next-level doggie training and competitive sports leagues to a stunning new location just minutes from downtown Saratoga.
The nine-year-old business (which has a second location in Hudson Falls) has chosen to move from South Glens Falls to Greenfield Center to offer dogs more green space to play in and a pond for pups who love a good doggie paddle on a warm summer’s day.
“At the new location we have 12 and a half acres of green space and a pond for the dogs to swim,” says co-owner Lora Bacharach. “We have hiking trails that dogs get to romp around on and be trained off leash. Now the dogs get to run around and…be dogs.”
PAWS offers day training, private lessons and group classes. The Greenfield facility features indoor training space, private rooms for crating and training, and a retail shop. A separate building (scheduled to open the first week in November) will house the puppy training and preschool, and the all-ages grooming salon
“Our day train is not like any other daycare,” says Bacharach, who owns PAWS with and Jen Wolfe; her cofounder, Bri Rabine; and her husband, Will. “We take a lot of dogs that don’t do well in that [daycare] environment and we work with them throughout the day at four academic centers — training, socialization, enrichment, and rest and calm.”
The Hudson Falls location is 32 acres and holds water sports and dock diving competitions, which Bacharach is hoping to bring to the new location within two years. Both locations offer seasonal disc leagues and an endurance club.
“I’ve been a dog nut since I was 8, when I went with my parents to a dog show,” Bacharach says. “When I was 16, I started working for a training facility and fell in love with it. I loved my mentor and started shadowing and working with a bunch of different people. Eventually I decided it was time to build my own.”
PAWS works like a gym membership, allowing its members to come when they want and have access to classes and seminars on topics such as nutrition, first aid or scent work — which dogs can learn to compete in.
The public — humans only — is invited to attend two special grand opening community events on Oct. 25 and 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. The events will feature tours, pond walks, the opening of the retail shop, raffles, photo booths and refreshments.
Free phone consultations are available and by appointment; for more info, visit paws4obedience.com.