Obedience

The obedience path will help you and your dog form a bond like no other! Ranging from puppies to masters, we have the skills and classes to help you get your dog love to obey and to earn many various titles. Dogs and handlers of all ages, sizes, and experience are welcome to come grow with us. All NDTC classes require proof of current rabies vaccination for dogs age six months or older.

Puppy Kindergarten

Prerequisites

• 3-6 months old

• 2 sets of vaccinations

Goals
Introduction of the basic obedience commands and training methods
Information on various canine care and behavior topics
How to safely introduce your puppy to new experiences

S.T.A.R. Puppy

Prerequisites

• Puppies up to 1 year old.

• 2 sets of vaccinations

Goals
The AKC S.T.A.R. (Socialization, Training, Activity, Responsibility) Puppy program is a “pre-CGC” (Canine Good Citizen) course designed to teach handlers and their puppies skills to prepare them to later pursue a path to the AKC Canine Good Citizen Course.

While some foundational topics covered are the same as our Puppy Kindergarten class, we advise teams that are newer to training to attend Puppy Kindergarten prior to taking AKC S.T.A.R Puppy.

The class will be taught by an AKC CGC evaluator and the puppies must attend all six classes in order to graduate.

The instructor will administer the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy test at the end of the course. Those that pass are eligible to be listed in the AKC S.T.A.R Puppy database, as well as receive a S.T.A.R Puppy package of extras from the AKC.

Learn more about STAR Puppy here.

Beginner Obedience Skills (Obedience Level 1)

Prerequisites

• 6 months or older

• Ability to work in a distracting class environment

Goals
Beginner Obedience Skills is the first of two classes that focus on basic control of the dog and house manners. It is the ideal class for the pet owner. This class can also be of benefit to those who are interested in competing in performance events with their dogs, as they can build on the skills they learn in this class. Handlers are taught basic concepts of dog training, such as how to show a dog what to do, proper use and timing of positive reinforcement, and how to use, but not abuse, corrections (negative reinforcement). Emphasis is placed on lifesaving skills, such as coming when called, as well as skills that make a pet easier to live with, such as sitting for a pill or a treat, staying for short periods when directed, walking on a loose leash without pulling, and behaving politely around other dogs.

Canine Good Citizen (Obedience Level 2)

Prerequisites

• 10 months or older

• Completion of Beginner Obedience Skills with recommendation

• Ability to demonstrate impulse control

Goals
This is the second of two classes that focus on basic control and manners useful for pets and competition dogs alike. During the last session of this class, students will take the AKC Canine Good Citizen test (both mixed-breed and pure-bred dogs are eligible), and those passing will be awarded CGC certificates. The ten elements of the test are

1. Accepting a friendly stranger

2. sitting politely for petting

3. appearance and grooming

4. walking on a loose leash

5. walking through a crowd

6. staying in place at a sit or a down

7. coming when called

8. reaction to another dog

9. reactions to distractions

10. supervised separation

Learn more about CGC here.

Beginner Competition Obedience (Obedience Level 3)

Prerequisites

• Sit/stay on command

• Loose-leash walking

• Recall

• Canine Good Citizen

Goals
This class introduces the specific exercises in the AKC Novice Obedience class including:

• AKC Sit for Beginner Novice

• heeling patterns

• figure eight

• recalls

• fronts

• finishes

• stand for exam

• long stays

• Those not intending to compete may still enjoy learning these exercises, and their dogs can benefit from the increased precision and the deeper level of bonding that will take place.
  
  

Beginning Competition Open Obedience

Prerequisites

• Companion Dog (CD) - the letters CD may be added after a dog’s registered name when it has been certified by 2 different judges as receiving qualifying scores in Novice classes at three licensed or member obedience trials.

• Instructor permission.

Goals
Beginning Open teaches the basic Open level Obedience exercises. The exercises include:

• heel free and figure 8

• drop on recall

• retrieve on the flat

• retrieve over the high jump

• broad jump

• command discrimination

• The instructor works with each student at the student’s level.

Beginner Novice Obedience Ring Prep (Obedience Level 4)

Prerequisites

• Completion of Beginning Competition Obedience (Level 3) OR with Instructor recommendation.

Goals
This class focuses on achieving the highest degree of precision desired by the student before entering their first novice trial. It addresses ring procedure and judging standards, hones handling skills, fine-tunes the dog’s performance, and proofs the dogs with distractions typically encountered in the show setting. Students may repeat this class as needed to polish their performance for the show ring.

Advanced Novice Obedience Ring Prep

Prerequisites

• Completion of Beginning Novice Obedience Ring Prep (Level 4) AND Instructor recommendation.

• Dogs must be reliable to work off leash around other dogs and be successfully controlled by the handler through voice and/or hand signals.

Goals

This class is for students who have completed the stated class prerequisites. A team may or may not have actively started showing in any of the AKC Novice Obedience related classes. This class will focus on advanced novice foundations skills and ‘training like you show’ with some sequencing of exercises. Proofing and problem solving will also be included to assist teams to successfully compete. Each week will focus on 2-3 Novice level exercises (more if time permits). Due to teaching foundations and time constraints, this class will not involve full run- throughs each week.

The purpose of this class is to help teams prepare to successfully show in AKC Novice level obedience classes.

Open Drop-In

Prerequisites

Completion of Beginner Novice Obedience Ring Prep ­and working knowledge of Open level obedience exercises. Dogs must be able to work off lead around other dogs.

Goals
This class is for dog and handler teams who have a working knowledge of the Open exercises; it is not a class where the Open exercises will be taught. The goal is to provide teams who are competing in or preparing to compete in Open an opportunity to practice the exercises.  Focus will be on the retrieving exercises, the broad jump, drop on recall, command discrimination, and stay get your lead—not on heeling or figure eights.  At the last class of the session, there will be run throughs. The facilitator will monitor the teams to ensure that all are given an equal chance to work through the exercises and to provide assistance in ring set up. It is a drop-in class, and teams do not need to be present the entire two hours allotted to the class as they will alternate in the ring.

Advanced Competition Open Obedience

Prerequisites

• Companion Dog (CD) - the letters CD may be added after a dog’s registered name when it has been certified by 2 different judges as receiving qualifying scores in Novice classes at three licensed or member obedience trials.

• Instructor permission.

Goals
This class teaches the dog and handler to perfect the open level obedience exercises for those who intend to compete in Open Obedience. The exercises include:

• heel free and figure 8

• drop on recall

• retrieve on the flat

• retrieve over the high jump

• broad jump

• out of sight long stays

• command discrimination

• The instructor works with each student at the student’s level.

Obedience Competition Heeling

Prerequisites

• Completion of Beginning Competition Obedience, or instructor invitation

Goals
Competition Heeling is for the handler who wants to improve his/her heeling scores. It emphasizes attention, footwork, body language, fronts and finishes. This is an ongoing drop-in class with an instructor.

Introduction to Competition Utility Obedience

Prerequisites

• Dog must know how to heel and retrieve.

Goals
The class will focus on teaching the utility specific exercises. It will not focus on heeling per se, but heeling is a component of the signal and moving stand exercises.

AKC Utility Exercises

Intermediate Competition Utility Obedience

Prerequisites

• Completion of the Introduction to Competition Utility Obedience series or instructor permission.

Goals
This class builds upon the skills taught in ‘Introduction to Competition Utility Obedience’ that are necessary for successfully performing the exercises in the Utility level of AKC obedience competition.
Students will begin sequencing skills into pieces of the Utility exercises, while continuing to focus on the accuracy of individual skills.

Beginner Utility

Prerequisites

• Previously earned, or actively competing to earn CDX.

• Instructor invitation.

• Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) - the letters CDX may be added after a dog’s registered name when it has been certified by 2 different judges as receiving qualifying scores in Open classes at three licensed or member obedience trials.

Goals
This class teaches the basic Utility level Obedience exercises, including

• scent discrimination

• directed retrieve

• directed jumping

• moving stand & exam

• signal exercise

• AKC Utility Exercises

Advanced Obedience Training Drop-In

Prerequisites

• Novice Show Prep

• Previous training/showing in Obedience

Goals

This drop-in class is for those who are working in AKC obedience (Novice, Open, Utility and related preferred and titling classes ) and who are looking for an opportunity to train with other obedience trainers and competitors. This class will provide an atmosphere that will help handlers and their dogs become accustomed to working around other dog/handler teams in a ring situation and will give handlers the opportunity to receive constructive feedback on their dog's performance. Handlers will be expected to assist others in the class and will become familiar with ring procedures and details of the various obedience classes.

Rally Novice (Rally Level 1)

Prerequisites

• 10 months or older

• Canine Good Citizen Title

• Must be able to demonstrate ability to walk on a loose leash, Sit and Down in heel position

• Instructor Permission

Goals

The Novice Rally class is for those students preparing to show in the AKC Rally Novice Ring. The class will cover how to perform the AKC novice signs and how to do novice courses. The class will cover the rules and regulations for competing in Rally.

Rally Transitions (Rally Level 2)

Prerequisites

• Completion of the Beginner Obedience Class

• Canine Good Citizen title, or equivalent skills

• Instructor Permission
  

Goals
The goal is to become proficient in the movement of dog and handler as a team in performing accurate turns, finishes, fronts, moving stands and heeling around the dog in various positions. Moving with precision is the outcome desired.

Rally Advanced/Excellent (Rally Level 3)

Prerequisites

• 10 months or older

• Completion of the Rally Novice Class

• Canine Good Citizen title, or equivalent skills

Goals

This Rally class is for those students preparing to show in the AKC Rally Intermediate/Advanced and Excellent Ring. The class will cover how to perform the AKC signs and how to do courses. The class will cover the rules and regulations for competing in Rally.

This Rally class encourages students to work their dogs off leash in preparation for trials.

A dog participating in this class must be able to work on and off leash under the control of their handler in a distracting environment.

Rally Master (Rally Level 4)

Prerequisites

• 1 year or older

• Completion of the Rally Advanced/Excellent Class. 

Goals

This class will cover how to perform the AKC Master signs, and how to run Master, Excellent, and Advanced courses.

Rally RACH (Rally Level 5)

Prerequisites

• 1 year or older

• Completion of Rally Master (Rally Level 4) or currently competing in AKC Licensed Rally Trials running or preparing to run Triple Qs.

Goals

This class will cover the nuances of running multiple courses of different levels (Master, Excellent and Advanced) in the same trial. Participants will learn how to hone their handling skills to give their dogs the best chance to correctly perform the signs in different sequences and with different degrees of course difficulty.