Visitors are welcome to observe any obedience class in which they are interested. No advance notification is necessary, but please visit without your dog.
Puppy Limited to puppies ages ten weeks to five months. Heel, down, down-stay, sit, sit-stay, come on lead, stand. Crate training is also addressed. Problems: biting, jumping, protesting, house training, chewing, nail clipping. Puppy play time too!
Puppy Level 2 This class continues the skills learned in the Puppy class. It is open to all dogs, a year or younger, who have gone through at least one formal obedience class. Basic Adult dogs over six months. Heel, down, down-stay, sit, sit-stay, come on lead, stand. Crate training is also addressed. Problems: biting, jumping, protesting, house training, chewing, nail clipping. Let us help you solve your dog's problems and help make your dog a great companion and family member!
Advanced Basic Adult dogs a year or older, and who have completed at least one basic obedience class, are eligible to join this class. Builds on skills learned in Basic, introduces distractions, helps make your dog more reliable and steady. A fun class to improve your teamwork with your dog. Novice obedience class (description below) is another option.
AKC Canine Good Citizen Prepares dogs to take the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen test. CGC classes 1-5 are in preparation for the CGC test. Class 6 is the CGC test. Remember, Canine Good Citizen is now an official AKC title!
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Puppies up to 1 year old can now get off to a good start by earning the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy certificate. In addition to basic skills training, this program is designed to help with any puppy-raising questions you might have. AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy is also a lead-in to the Canine Good Citizen classes/test.
AKC Community Canine (CGCA) AKC Community Canine is the advanced level of AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program. As with CGC, AKC Community Canine has a 10-step test of skills that dogs must pass to earn the official AKC Community Canine title. This title appears on the dog's title record at AKC. The CGCA and CGCU classes/tests are offered on a rotating schedule. See our Schedule page for a list of current classes. For more information about the CGCA, see this article. AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen (CGCU) requires the dog demonstrate skills in an urban setting. The CGCA and CGCU classes/tests are offered on a rotating schedule. See our Schedule page for a list of current classes. For more information on the CGCU, look here.
Competition Classes
The following classes are offered for students who are interested in dog competition or just developing a deeper working relationship with their dog.
Obedience is one of the original dog sports. Classes include Novice, Open, and Utility. Rally Obedience was introduced about fifteen years ago and is a great way to introduce (along with Novice Obedience) your dog to competition or just fun teamwork. All dogs are welcomed to train and compete.
Rally Obedience Rally is a fun team sport for dogs and their handlers that combines elements of obedience and easy agility. The dog and handler compete on a course designed by a judge. Signs direct you to complete exercises that may include 360° turns, weaving thru cones, jumps (just the dog), etc. You can do it for fun or compete in venues like AKC, UKC or Cynsport. Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Excellent, and Master titles can be earned.
Novice Obedience (CD) Finishes, figure eights, stand for exam, heeling, recalls, and stays are all part of this class. This is all about teamwork - you will learn many things about both your dog and yourself ! Down-in-motion, jumping, or retrieving may also be introduced. This class is often taken to make a better-working agility, nosework, or hunting dog. This class is open whether you want to compete or not. Venues to compete include AKC, UKC, and CDSP.
Open (CDX) Open obedience classes work on more complex exercises. Dogs will learn to carry and fetch a dumbell, retrieve the dumbell on the flat and over a jump, off lead healing with distractions, figure 8s, and command discrimination at a distance. Finishes, the finer points of heeling, and keeping the dog's attention throughout the course are also covered. You will learn multiple ways of training these exercises.
Utility (UD) The highest level of obedience training, this class includes signals (silent), go-outs, and directed retrieving and jumping. This class is challenging and fun for both the dog and the handler! Your dog will learn to pick out the correct article (the one with your scent) from a pile on the floor, fetch the glove you want, and run the distance of the room to where you send him/her.
Introduction to Nosework/Odor Nosework, or Scentwork, is for any dog and handler, regardless of physical ability. You will learn to trust your dog's nose as he searches for food and/or scented Q-Tips (odors) in boxes and other containers. Dogs work one at a time and at their own speed; it's a good class for older and special needs dogs or handlers. Introduction to Nosework is a prerequisite to Introduction to Odor.
Flyball Flyball is a relay race with 4 dogs per team. The course consists of a startline, 4 hurdles, and a box. Dogs jump the hurdles and steps on a box that shoots out a tennis ball. The dog catches the tennis ball, then runs back over the 4 hurdles. When the dog crosses the starting line the next dog goes. The first team to have all 4 dogs run without errors wins the heat.
Agility Even if you don't recognize it by name, you have probably seen an agility competition. Dogs and handlers must negotiate an obstacle course while racing against the clock. Agility is a great form of exercise for both dog and handler, and a fun way to bond. And you don't have to compete to enjoy agility. Taking an agility class offers many other benefits.
