Our obedience classes are great for owners who want to train their dog to be well-behaved at home and in public, or who want to challenge their dog by competing in obedience trials. Our instructors will teach you how to train your dog using positive reinforcement. All classes are included in the cost of membership. Puppies must have had their second vaccination before they can start training or have club permission to begin earlier. All other dogs MUST be up to date with their vaccinations.
Please note: The club is closed unless otherwise advised with no training on long weekends.
What you will need:
- well-fitting slip collar
- 450mm fabric leash
- food treats (for positive reinforcement)
- calm, positive and authoritative attitude.
Slip collars in various sizes and leashes are available for purchase from the club’s Shepherd Shop. If you’re not already, you will learn to be calm, positive and authoritative during the training.
Every dog and its handler will progress through classes at different speeds. Just like children, dogs mature at different rates and have unique personalities. You are encouraged to experiment at home to discover what motivates your dog to work (food, toys) and practise with your dog at home and neutral environments. It is important that handlers set their dogs up to succeed. If you or your dog are not in the mood to train, then don’t. You could risk setting back their progress by pushing them too hard or unwittingly making them fearful of you. Dogs are excellent at reading non-verbal cues from their handlers, so your dog will sense any negative vibes.
Beginners
For puppies from the age of their second vaccination (or 8+ weeks with permission) up to 6 months. Puppies will not graduate from Beginners earlier than 6 months of age. Beginners will learn:
- to focus on handler
- heel on a loose leash
- right about turn
- sit (with guidance)
- drop (with guidance)
- short stay in sit position (with guidance).
Puppies and their handlers will not graduate to Class 1 until they can satisfactorily demonstrate to the instructor:
Class 1
Class 1 builds and expands on the behaviours learned in Beginners. Along with continued practise of the above behaviours, dogs and their handlers will learn:
- stand
- left and right turns
- left about turns
- drop on command (with less guidance)
- stay in the drop position.
Dogs and handlers will not graduate to Class 2 until they can satisfactorily demonstrate to the instructor:
Class 2
Class 2 builds and expands on Class 1. Dogs and handlers will continue practising the behaviours learned in Beginners and Class 1. In this class, dogs will learn to:
- sit automatically without verbal cues
- drop on command (without guidance)
- stay in the sit, drop and stand positions.
Dogs and handlers will not graduate to Class 3 until they can satisfactorily demonstrate to the instructor: