Beginner Obedience– This course is for puppies over 6 months of age and adult dogs. (NO dog is too old to learn manners!) Features sit, down, stand, stay, come, polite leash walking, socialization and confidence building. Also taught are problem solving techniques and much, much more. This class teaches the basic skills you will need for higher-level classes.
Prerequisite: Dog must be at least 6 months of age.
Limitation: No titled dogs. One dog per handler.
Advanced Beginner Obedience – Skills taught may include, but are not limited to: Attention, Heeling with changes of pace and direction, Automatic sits, Recalls at greater distance, Come to front, Longer stays with added distance and/or distractions, Stand for examination, Right and left finish (return to heel position from front). If time permits we may introduce some basic agility obstacles and discuss or introduce other sports that you may enjoy with your dog.
Prerequisites: Beginner Obedience or instructor’s approval.
Ring Confidence – This class prepares you and your dog for competition obedience. There is more to competition obedience than simply teaching your dog the exercises. Without good preparation, things can fall apart quickly in the noisy, crowded, pressure- filled obedience trial environment. This class will prepare you and your dog for success. Learn how to make the ring a happy place for your dog. Teach your dog how to handle distractions in the adjoining ring, the pressure of a judge nearby, passing unfamiliar people and dogs on the way to the ring, and more. The instructor and students will be working together to provide challenging experiences for their dogs. There will be considerable group work in this class.
Prerequisite: Completion of the Beginner Novice Obedience and/or the Novice Obedience class and mastery of the exercises or permission of instructor.
Advanced Novice
Continuing Novice skills and introducing Open skills. Dogs for this class should be preparing for competition.
Heeling/Attention/Games/Proofing
We will be working on perfecting heeling, attention and foot work. Dogs must know the basics of heeling in order to take this class.
Foundation Games for Performance Dogs – Core GamesThis class will help you build a strong relationship with your dog and develop your dog’s drive, focus and impulse control. The major focus of the class will be to have fun while motivating your dog to have enjoy performance games. The class will include crate games, recall games, targeting, body awareness and a variety of ways to motivate and reward your dog. You need to bring a hard sided crate (wire or plastic) to every class. Also you will need to bring small soft threats for every class that your dog likes. Dogs must be at least 5 months old and comfortable working around other dogs. You must have some training experience and want to learn more about performance sports that are available for your dog and you.
Canine Good Citizen (CGC) – This class is for those who would like to earn an AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title on their dogs. It is also a good steppingstone to more advanced obedience, rally, and agility work and is an essential step for therapy dog training. The CGC title can by earned by any dog, regardless of whether or not it is purebred or registered with the AKC. This class will teach handlers to train their dogs to pass the ten individual components of the CGC test. The club will provide an opportunity for all handlers and their dogs to take the test at the end of each class. Dogs learn good public manners, obedience to commands during distractions and acceptance of handling by someone they don’t know.
Prerequisite: Beginner course or equivalent.
Canine Good Citizen (CGC) for Renters – ORKC Canine Good Citizen flyer for renters.pdf
AKC Community Canine (CGCA) – AKC Community Canine℠ is the advanced level of the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen Program. Dogs who pass the AKC Community Canine test earn the official AKC Community Canine title that is designated by the letters “CGCA” (Advanced CGC) on the dog’s title record.
This class will be held both in the classroom and the community nearby.
Prerequisites: In order to take the test (offered at the end of the six week class), dogs must have a CGC on record with the AKC. This class will meet both in the classroom and in various other setting such as the park, dog friendly businesses and other public areas. To take this class dogs must have a good basic obedience foundation and able to be under control in public areas and outdoors.
Pre-Novice Obedience – This is an optional titling class (PCD title) in AKC obedience. This class will be a bridging class from Beginner Novice Obedience (BN title) to the Novice Obedience exercises (CD title). Teams will work on heeling, stand for exam, and stay exercises.
Prerequisite: Dogs that have successfully passed Beginner Novice class, earned their CGC, BN or RN title may take this class.
Beginner Novice Obedience – Beginner Novice (BN) is an AKC optional titling class. A BN title is not required to compete in the Novice class at an obedience trial, but it is a fun introduction to competition obedience. This class is designed for the beginning handler who might want to try competitive obedience or for an experienced handler whose dog needs ring experience. The Beginner Novice class consists of four on-leash exercises (heeling with rally signs, figure 8, sit for exam, sit-stay) and one off-leash exercise (recall.) A finish is not required, and there are no group exercises. You will learn handling strategies using positive training techniques and games, and your dog will develop confidence and self-control. Developing a sense of teamwork between dog and handler is the primary goal for this class. Your dog will need either a flat buckle collar, martingale collar or head halter (e.g., Gentle Leader) and a leash. A 6 foot leash is required for competition.
Prerequisite: Beginner course or equivalent. Dogs must be at least 6 months old, able to walk on a loose leash and know basic commands (come, sit, stay).
Graduation Criteria: In order to move on to Novice, your dog should be able to perform the BN exercises acceptably.
Limitation: If your dog has the Novice Title, please do not register for this class.
Novice Obedience –This class will prepare you and your dog for competition in Novice, leading to the Companion Dog (CD) title. All Novice exercises will be taught: heel on leash and figure 8, heel free, stand for exam, recall, and group exercises (long sit and long down.) Distractions, signal work and heeling at different paces will also be included. You will learn handling strategies using positive training techniques, heeling footwork, competition rules and regulations, and simple games to help maximize the fun for your dog. Attention, accuracy and enthusiasm are primary goals for your dog in this class.
Prerequisite: CGC, Beginner Novice, Rally or equivalent.
Graduation Criteria: Dog must be able to perform the Novice exercises acceptably.
Limitation: If your dog has the Novice Title, please do not register for this class.
Pre-Open – This class will teach the dumb bell – take it, hold it, retrieve using clicker praise and food motivation method. Attention, fronts, finishes, and straight sits will be taught. Learn how to start your dog with the high jump and broad jump. This class will prepare you for drop-on-recall, sit and down out of sight. This is designed for teaching the fundamentals of the open class for those wanting to compete in shows.
Prerequisite: Completed Novice Class
Open Obedience – This class is offered for dogs that have earned a CD Title or have achieved proficiency in Novice Exercises and can work reliably off-lead. Introduction of open exercises will be emphasized: beginning broad jump, high jump, dumb bell work, and drop on recall. We will begin brief periods of out-of-sight stays and improve heeling, fronts and finishes as done in the Novice Classes. Handler must bring a dumbbell to class.
Utility Class Description – In this class you will learn how to train the utility exercises – signals, scent discrimination, directed retrieve, moving stand for exam, and directed jumping. Class will be structured depending on the level of students’ experience. This is a cooperative learning class. Experienced students will be encouraged to share teaching methods that have worked with their dogs. If students and dogs are ready, then proofing methods will also be covered. Utility is a very challenging class for both dogs and handlers.
Prerequisite: Companion Dog (CD) title or equivalent. A CDX is not required, but dogs should be proficient in the Open exercises
Unstructured Obedience – This class consists up to six teams who share the time among themselves to practice whatever exercises that are necessary for their particular dog that is getting ready to compete in the show ring. Sometimes all teams work collectively to “proof” their exercises. Since there is no instructor, cooperation is necessary in this class.
Run-throughs: Novice, Beginner Novice, Preferred Novice – Heeling patterns and complete run-throughs for Novice, Beginner Novice or Preferred Novice. Prerequisite: Beginner obedience (or equivalent) and familiarity with the skills necessary to complete exercises for the level you intend to practice. (Sit, down, stand, heel, sit-stay, down-stay, front, finish).
Dumbbell Take and Hold – Dogs in this class will learn to take, hold and move with the dumbbell.
You will need to bring a dumbbell to class. If you don’t have one, please order early enough to have in time for class. Most places that sell them online have fitting instructions.
Obedience Run-Throughs – This class will focus on full run-throughs of Obedience regular and/or non-regular classes. Limited instruction.
You should be competition ready in your chosen level to take this class. When you register, please tell registrar the level or levels you need. Limited to FIVE