Pet Classes
AKC STAR Puppy
This class is for puppies under 4 months of age and meets once a week for six weeks. The class is based on the AKC S.T.A.R. Program, and the instructor is an approved AKC CGC Evaluator. Owners and puppies will earn an AKC STAR Certificate with the successful completion of the class. We emphasize activities that encourage the development of a confident, well cared for and well adjusted puppy. The class deals with house-training, crate training, grooming, proper socialization, and beginning obedience.
4-6 Puppy Home Manners
This class is for puppies 4 to 6 months old and meets for 7 weeks. Exercises taught are sit, down, stay, walk on leash, come when called, and home manners. This is a 7-week class which meets one night per week students will be provided with a book and a workbook to provide training help outside of class. The first class is orientation, so do NOT bring your dog the first night of class.
Home Manners
This class is for dogs over 6 months of age. Exercises taught are sit, down, stay, walk on leash, come when called, and home manners. This is a 7-week class which meets one night per week students will be provided with a book and a workbook to provide training help outside of class. The first class is orientation, so do NOT bring your dog the first night of class.
Public Manners
Prerequisite: Home Manners
This class is for those wishing to progress further with their training and gain more control over their dogs. This class helps to prepare dogs to pass the Canine Good Citizen test given the last night of class. The CGC is a certification/title offered by the American Kennel Club. The class also offers more work toward off-leash recalls and stays as well as introducing some fun background exercises for competition training.
Community Canine
Prerequisite: CGC TITLE – A copy of the Evaluator’s form showing the dog passed the CGC OR the AKC Title Certificate must be presented the first day/night of class.
This is a ‘traveling’ class which meets in a variety of pre-determined, local settings. This class provides a review and instruction to help teams practice and improve handler and canine skills necessary for courteous maneuvering through public settings. This is a 5 week class, the last week which ends with an opportunity to test for the CGCA title.
Tricks I: Foundations
Pre-requisite: Home Manners or 4-6 Home Manners
In this 6-week class, participants will build on the basic concepts learned in Home Manners to learn the tricks required to get an AKC Trick Dog Novice Title. Most of the tricks on the AKC Novice Checklist are taught, such as spin, crawl, fetch, find it, paws up, etc. Assessment will be included during the classes with the opportunity to earn the AKC Trick Dog Novice Title. A few intermediate tricks will also be taught as time allows.
Tricks II: Intermediate & Advanced
Pre-requisite: AKC Novice Title
In this 6-week class, participants will be taught both intermediate and advanced tricks, focusing first on learning intermediate tricks with the opportunity to earn their AKC Trick Dog Intermediate Title. They will then continue on with advanced tricks working toward their AKC Trick Dog Advanced Title. Intermediate tricks include balance treat on nose, close door, jump through handler’s arms, ring bell, and more. Advanced tricks include play dead, cover up with blanket, hide head under pillow, and more.
Competition Obedience & Rally Classes
Obedience/Rally Skills
Prerequisite: Public Manners
This is a ‘gateway to competition’ class which provides instruction to help handlers use motivational methods in training the following: stationary attention, moving attention (working toward precision heeling), and moving from ‘luring’ to cause a behavior to ‘signaling’ to reward a behavior. This is a challenging class which requires that the handler/dog team complete homework between classes in order to keep up.
Beginner Novice
Prerequisite: Obedience/Rally Skills
This class builds developmentally on skills learned in the Obedience/Rally Skills class. The skills learned and refined through this class are required in both Rally and Novice obedience completion. The class works to introduce and improve the following skills: heeling change of pace, figure 8s,turns, stays with distractions, and competition recalls. This competition level class may be used to prepare dog/handler teams to compete in the Beginner Novice optional titling class. Successful completion of this class also entitles teams to enroll in Rally or Novice obedience classes.
Beginner Rally
Prerequisite: Beginner Novice
This class builds on skills developed in the Beginner Novice class (heeling attention, handling and footwork) while learning and performing Rally Novice and Intermediate stations. Students are introduced to rules and regulations for rally competition, training the dog the skills required in the stations, and how to walk and handle a dog through a course.
Novice
Prerequisite: Beginner Novice
This class concentrates on teaching the Novice exercises for those with the goal of competing in Obedience Trials. The foundation skills learned in ORS and Beginner Novice are built upon and formed into formal exercises as done in trials. The goal of this class is to prepare the student and dog to compete and earn a Novice title. Drop-ins are allowed in this class.
Open/Utility
This class is for learning Open and Utility exercises as well as practice for students/dogs already doing the exercises. Drop-ins are allowed in this class.
RingReady/Open/Utility
Prerequisite: Dog must have earned a CD, or handler has earned a CD and team has instructor approval.
This class starts with 1/2 hour of Ring-Ready heeling (proofing & handling) followed by instruction or practice of Open and Utility exercises as appropriate for individual team. Drop-ins are allowed in this class.
Beginner Agility Classes
Foundations Agility Skills
Prerequisite: Public Manners
The purpose of the foundation class is to provide a positive introduction to agility for inexperienced handlers and their teammates. This class is only available to teams with no titles. Each sport needs a foundation to build upon. Without a solid foundation the “building” will have cracks and holes.
- Foundation should develop a strong bond and team building.
- Engage the dog in a no stress learning process with the tools needed for agility.
- Introduce beginning obstacle skills.
- You should have FUN with the best dog ever
In order to achieve the goals needed to build the foundation, the following are mandatory flatwork, focus, fundamentals and the most important of all FUN must be achieved. Students should expect to be in foundation for no less than 3 sessions to attain the skills needed to move forward. Each session is 6 weeks. The equipment used in the class will include but not limited to boxes, clickers, cones, travel boards, tunnels, targets, jump bumps, wobble board, table, jump stanchions, jumps, ladder, channel weaves and 2 x 2.
Agility Basics I
Prerequisite: Public Manners
This course will help handlers and their dogs build on the basic skills they began learning in Home Manners/Public Manners and show how these skills may be applied in agility training. While this course will serve as a foundation for those wishing to continue their agility training, it is also intended to improve general handling skills, build confidence in both handlers and their dogs, and enhance the relationship between people and their canine companions.
Agility Basics II – Contacts
Prerequisite: Agility Basics I
The purpose of this class is to start or re-learn the contact obstacles in agility, weaves, and open and closed tunnels.
Contacts Contacts Contacts
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Agility Basics II – Contacts
This class will focus on Discrimination at the contacts (with tunnels), Contact Speed, and Getting Distance from the Contacts without losing performance. Will also focus on improving collection at the end of the contacts, be it a stopped contact or a running one. Each session will have different layouts and techniques used.
Competition Agility Classes
Agility Basics II – Pre-Competition
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the Agility Basics II-Contacts and Agility Basics II-Jumps classes per the Instructor’s sign off.
This class is also for students that need work on proofing obstacle distance, and to learn how to set up a course safely and read a course layout map. Purpose and Goals of the Agility Basics II – Pre-Competition Class: To proof all the obstacles in agility with handler distance to include an emphasis on using a verbal release from all the contacts. The Student will learn accurate, exact and consistent body language for all obstacles. The weave poles will go from 4 poles, to 6 poles, and finally to 12 poles during this class. Students will start building independent obstacles completion no matter the handler location. Students will learn to always release the dog from a contact with a verbal release. One focus will be on teaching “between the obstacles” and how to handle the dog “between the obstacles.”
Agility Competition
Prerequisite: Competition Agility Basics II – Pre-Competition and the recommendation of that instructor.
This class is designed for students ready to compete in agility, and course work will concentrate on the open/excellent/masters level. We will concentrate on more handling and more involved course layouts, and maintaining and sharpening skills.
Scent Work Classes
Scent Work Beginners (#1)
The purpose of this class is to encourage dogs to use their nose to locate a specific odor.
This class is for dogs that have never attended a scentwork class or seminar.
Scent Work Advanced (#2)
Dogs must have successfully completed #1. Novice level searches. Introducing advanced elements.
Scentwork Competition Containers & Interiors (#3) and Exteriors & Vehicles (#4)
Class Requirements: Dogs must be working on at least one odor and have successfully completed Scentwork Beginners (Session #1) and Scentwork Advanced (Session #2).
Advanced and Excellent level searches.
Scent Work Traveling(#5)
Students must have completed #2 or be enrolled in or have taken #3 and #4
Scent Work Traveling(#6)
Prerequisite: Dogs must be on odor and have completed Advanced (#2) class.
Excellent, Master and Detective level exterior searches in a distraction filled environment.
Scent Work Competition Interiors and Containers (#7)
Prerequisite: Dogs must have earned an Advanced Title from either AKC, UKC, or NACSW.
This class is for teams competing at higher levels of scent work competition.
Scent Work Competition Exteriors (#8)
Prerequisite: Dogs must have earned an advanced title from either AKC, UKC, or NACSW.
This class is for teams already competing at higher levels of scent work competition.
Tracking Classes
Tracking
Wondering if Tracking is for your dog? If he can eat, sniff, and walk – he can track!
See Getting Started in Tracking Events to learn more about tracking titles and rules.
Tracking Beginners (#1)
Dogs are taught to follow human scent and indicate dropped articles in preparation for an AKC tracking test. Open to all dogs.
Tracking Puppies (#2)
For dogs one year old and younger. Same as Tracking Beginners but with a puppies attention and stamina in mind.
Tracking VST (#3)
VST = Variable Surface Tracking. This class will help prepare experienced tracking dogs for an AKC VST test. Dogs enrolled in this class must be working 2.5-3 hours age and have completed a Tracking Beginners class or have prior approval by the Tracking Director.
Tracking TDX (#4)
TDX = Tracking Dog Excellent. This class will help prepare experienced tracking dogs for an AKC TDX test. Dogs enrolled in this class must be working 3 hour age and have completed a Tracking Beginners class, or have prior approval by the Tracking Director.