Intro Obedience Class Descriptions >

Getting Started

Puppy: This class offers important dog-dog, dog-environment, and dog-human socialization and beginning training for young puppies. The emphasis is on the importance of consistent and humane treatment during the most impressionable period of a dog's life. Introduction to training, loose leash walking, sit, down, stay, and come. Advice on puppy rearing, such as housebreaking, grooming, and socialization.

This class is for puppies 3-6 months of age.

 

Puppy Grad: Introduction to/or continued training, loose leash walking, sit, down, stay, and come. Introduction to training stand/stay while being petted by a stranger. Owners learn how to communicate with adolescent dogs. This is an AKC STAR puppy class.

This class is for puppies who have completed puppy class and/or dogs 5-10 months of age.

 

Beginner: Owners are helped to develop control of their dogs through positive training methods. Owners will learn how to train, loose leash walking, sit, down, sit/stay, down/stay; stand/stay; and come. Incentives such as toys and treats are used to reinforce correct behavior. Detailed sheets for at home practice provide students with understanding of how to train the exercises. This class is for dogs over 10 months old who have little or no formal training.

This class is for first time dog trainers whose dogs may know a few basic commands.

 

Advanced Beginner: This class builds on basic skills learned in Beginner and Puppy Grad. Emphasis is on preparing owner/dog teams to pass the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test. Examples of skills tested are loose leash walking, sitting politely for petting. See https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/ for more information about the AKC Canine good Citizen test. This test is given free of charge to students during the last week of class.

This class is for dogs who have satisfactorily completed beginner class. Owner dog teams who have equivalent skills to completing beginner class may take this class with the permission of the obedience director.