About

 “Sit. Stay. Lie down.”

You’ve heard this one before and so has your dog. It’s the standard-issue trifecta of tricks expected of every pooch—the hallmark of a “well-trained pet.” But some dogs are meant to be more than “well-trained pets.” Some dogs are natural performers and irrepressible explorers. Some dogs are clowns, some are divas, and some are drama queens. Some dogs are just bursting to learn, play, show off, and have fun— who could blame them?

Canine Circus School has classes for every age, breed, and temperament, offering performance routines meticulously crafted by award-winning dog trainer, Francis Metcalf, this isn’t just about teaching your dog a few fancy tricks (though students will learn plenty). Instead, by combining the rigor of obedience school with the creativity and fun of the big top, this “art school for dogs” aims to go beyond churning out “well-trained pets.” We want to turn every dog into an artist.

Why You and Your Dog Should Run Away and Join the Circus: 

Be The Coolest Dog On the Block: While a circus routine might look like a chaotic tumult of movement, noise, and silliness from the outside, each act is a carefully choreographed series of movements and gestures, all of which can be recombined and repurposed, both inside and outside the ring.

Build Functional Obedience: Any dog that learns to remain attentive amid the pandemonium of a circus act will have no trouble navigating the myriad distractions of everyday life. “Because real life is a lot like a circus!” Drills in the ring steadily build a vocabulary of communication between handler and dog, while slowly habituating the new student to the company of his or her fellow performers.

Develop Trust:  The performers aren’t the only one’s having fun at circus school. Here you will get the opportunity to be creative with your dog’s training without the stresses of a competitive show or sports environment.

Bring the Circus Home:  Plenty of dogs can shake or roll over. But how many in your neighborhood can balance a ball on their snout, push another dog in a tricycle, or play a card trick? Our hands-on, “learning by doing” approach will not only help your dog learn tricks quicker, it will give you both a foundation of training that will allow you to develop your own routines.

About Your Trainer: This may be Canine Circus School, but Francis Metcalf takes clowning around very seriously. With over two decades of experience in the field, he has worked with hundreds of dogs ranging in breed, age, and temperament. Francis has been invited to deliver seminars around the globe, including recent travels to New York, Madrid, and Santiago, Chile.

Francis’ uniquely successful approach to dog training emphasizes trying over perfection. The learning process begins by rewarding behaviors that come naturally to the dog, before building up towards more complex routines. This way neither the dog nor the handler get overwhelmed, guaranteeing that everyone is learning and having fun while they do it.

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Testimonials

" You just don't know what you don't know, until you know better. If you have a desire to keep learning, you're looking to explore methods and get insight on what you're doing, you owe it to yourself, your clients and the dog's to learn from Francis."

“ I was lucky enough to find Francis early in my career. I had just completed a training apprenticeship, but there was sooo much more to learn. I wanted to know with certainty that I was doing the dogs and their owners right with my training approach. My understanding of how to do that was limited. Watching Francis teach people and their dogs was different than anything I'd experienced, it was subtle and creative and extremely successful. The way the word "relationship" gets tossed around in dog training, it almost becomes meaningless until you see what Francis can do for a dog and handler team. "

“ I knew some trainers who thought they were being kind and weren't, and I watched others waste lots of time and energy with months of redirection and teaching alternative behaviors. People spend years stuck in a narrow training mindset, when there's so much more to learn. Invest in the opportunity to work with Francis while it's available to you. “

“ I've been spoiled for choice here in the Bay Area and I've had the access to learn from some extremely talented and well known trainers. The thing is, there is such a gap between the working dog world and the pet dog world, it's really hard to find someone who is skilled, experienced and interested in both sides. I'm genuinely interested in both, which is why I'll continue taking lessons from Francis on a regular basis, I know that I'm not going to find anyone else like him. If Francis was as keen on self promotion as he was in training dogs and people, he'd be known as one of the best in the world. ”

- By Eleanor Post of Lonely Hunters dog training

“ I live an active lifestyle. My dog is my companion. Having a well trained dog is non negotiable for me. I have run into many people overwhelmed with dog ownership. I was fortunate to connect early with Francis and @canine_circus school for my dog training needs. Francis' approach to dogs and people is nothing short of what every serious dog owner needs. Francis is able to listen. He can digest what you say vs what you are asking. He is reasonable and realistic in expectation setting. He is compassionate, understanding and very clear. He can be soft and hard at the same time. He has given me the tools to be a confident dog owner. Francis does not rest on his laurels and will take the initiative to learn. I have a primitive breed dog. Francis took the time to learn as well as work collaboratively. His experience is tried and true.

- Dog People - Avelina Acosta

Please should you have questions or desire some help with your dog or yourself in terms of your dog - Call Francis. Enroll in these classes.