Classes Offered

Class Goals:

• Learn about what skills are required to compete in the three levels of AKC obedience.
• Learn some fundamental obedience competition skills that will allow you to go on to more advanced classes at ADOG.
• See that you have fun with your dog!

This class is designed to help dog and handler teams bridge from our Pet Manners and Canine Good Citizen to more formal obedience competition skills.

We’ll focus on attention, front and finish, and footwork (for you and your dog!).

We’ll work on recalls, the stand for exam (where your dog has to stand still 6 feet away from you while a judge does an “exam”, basically just touching their head and back), and obedience “doodles” (little movements you can practice anywhere–in the kitchen or at PetSmart).

We’ll help your dogs learn to be problem solvers. There will be homework–but no graded tests!

Dog/Handler necessary skills: Seated attention Moving attention for short distances Know their name and these commands: sit, down, stay, come.

Handlers need to know what food(s) motivate their dogs and have an interest in obedience competition.

Equipment needed: collar and six-foot leash.

Prerequisite: Pet Manners and/or Canine Good Citizen

Strengthen your bond with your dog while learning the basics for competition obedience.

• Obedience Novice Outline
• Learn to make training fun for you and your dog.
• Learn heeling footwork including position, starts, halts, change of pace and turns (left, right, about turns).
• Perfect your dog’s attention while stationary and moving.
• Learn recalls and fronts and finishes.  Gizmo directions.
• Exposure to Figure 8’s.
• Sit/stand for Exam.
• Weekly Sit and Down Stays

Prerequisite: Obedience Foundation

Below are the skills covered in our Obedience Advanced class. “Doodles” are unusual things added to an exercise. Keeps your dog on their toes.

• Heeling: Drills and patterns. Refine all turns, change of pace and halts. Refine on and off leash
• Figure 8: Doodles. Refinement.
• Obedience Doodles: All turns. Fronts. Finishes. Find heel position. Set ups.
• Ring Procedures: Move from exercise to exercise with attention.
• Stand for Exam: Build skills.
• Recall: Work on recalls using Gizmo. Left and right finishes. One command to finish.
• Sit and Down: Goal is one minute sit and one minute down.
• Sit, Stay. Get Leash: Sit stay while handler gets leash and returns.
• Off leash heeling.
• Discussion of AKC Rules Book.
• Miscellaneous: Transitioning away from food and constant talking. Mild distractions.

Prerequisite: Obedience Novice

You will be building on skills covered in Obedience Advanced class, Trial Ready will provide fun games, distractions and proofing challenges in preparation for competition. Teams will learn to move confidently around the ring together as one unit during exercises as well as between exercises.

• Heeling: typical ring patterns as well as more challenging unusual patterns including turns, changes of pace and halts, both on and off leash.
• Figure 8: exercises and drills to enhance performance.
• Fronts & Finishes: drills and games to enable dogs to perform fronts & finishes with accuracy and enthusiasm.
• Stand for Exam: assistance in teaching dog to stand promptly and maintain position until released by handler to move smartly to next exercise.
• Recalls: work toward prompt, brisk response to handler’s command as well as nailing fronts, with finishes to both left and right.
• Command Discrimination: exercises to teach dog to move promptly and efficiently into position changes.
• Stays: work on maintaining solid stays (sit, down and stand) on all exercises requiring dog to maintain position until released by handler.
• Retrieving and Drop on Recall will NOT be taught in this class, although dogs with those skills may be proofed and challenged on those exercises.

Prerequisite: Obedience Advanced

Offers both Open and Utility instruction.

1. Open Exercises: Command discrimination/signals, drop on recall, retrieve on flat and high jump, broad jump and stand get your leash.
2. Utility Exercises: Signals, scent articles, gloves, moving stand, go outs and directed jumping..
3. Ring Management: Ring entry and transitions.

Open:
To join this class, dog must have the following: retrieve, reliable sit/down stays, under off-leash voice control, allow muzzle/mouth to be touched.

Exercises that will be taught:
drop on recall, broad jump, high jump (not necessarily with a retrieve), command discrimination will be taught to be performed at a short distance of about 10 feet.

Skills needed to advance to Open class: reliable retrieve (with correction for non-retrieve, close drop, broad jump with limited guides, high jump (with or without retrieve).

• Rules and regulations will be presented and discussed.
• Individual components of the exercises will be taught and practiced before attempting to combine the parts into a complete exercise.
• The classes will be small so that each team will get individual attention.
• This will be an ongoing process so that each team can continue to hone their skills until they are proficient enough to move up to the Open class.

Utility:
The Utility Intro class is designed to familiarize the new utility student and/or dog to all the Utility Exercises in preparation for moving into the regular Utility Class.

Equipment needed is leash and collar, Utility Articles, Utility gloves and any guides you use to assist your dog. Maximum 6 students.

• Rules and regulations will be presented and discussed.
• Individual components of the exercises will be taught and practiced before attempting to combine the parts into a complete exercise.
• The classes will be small so that each team will get individual attention.
• This will be an ongoing process so that each team can continue to hone their skills until they are proficient enough to move up to the Utility class.

Prerequisites: Off lead heeling, a reliable retrieve, a reliable recall and familiarization with jumps.

The goal of this class is to dig into the skills needed for advanced obedience competition. We break down each exercise into minute parts and work mostly one-on-one with each dog/handler team to increase understanding of the exercises, problem-solve and build confidence. We address each team’s individual strengths and weaknesses.

Prerequisite: Dog must be reliable on Novice exercises and under control off leash. Dog must have at least basic jumping and retrieving skills.

Register now for Open/Utility Skills:

1. This class is for the beginning, intermediate or advanced Utility handler/dog. Understand that the class works on pieces of the exercises and not on polishing an exercise.
2. Dogs should be in the learning stages of and develop a basic understanding of each of the exercises.
3. Handlers should have read the description of the Utility exercises and understand the principal parts of each exercise.
4. Dogs should have a reliable retrieve, be able to heel off leash, and have a reliable recall.
5. This class does not teach heeling but will use some heeling in the teaching of the signal exercise.
6. Dogs can be at any level in the scent discrimination exercise. The method used is up to the student.
7. Minor distractions are used as appropriate.
8. Both the dog and handler get to work on various parts of each exercise.
9. Emphasis is on a happy working relationship between dog and handler.

1. This class is for development and refinements of all Utility class skills.
2. Students should understand all of the exercises.
3. Students’ should be able to do all Utility exercises and dogs should have a basic understanding of each exercise.
4. It is not necessary to have full length go outs but dog should understand the command to go and to sit. They should understand the hand direction to jump.
5. This is not a heeling class. Dogs should be able to heel with handlers and understand the stand signal. Full distance in signals is not required and will be further developed in this class.
6. Students may still be on a tie down mat with articles but dogs should already be introduced to the article exercise.
7. Ring distractions are utilized in this class.

This class will zero in on the causes of attention problems both in training and in the ring. We will play games to build focus and drive in setting up for exercises, during exercises (mainly heeling) and in transitioning between exercises.

Prerequisite: Obedience Novice or higher

This class is designed to help dogs and handlers currently competing to maintain and improve scores.

This class will only focus on Heeling and Fronts and Finishes.

Through the use of difficult and varied distractions, which include visual, auditory, scent and touch, for proofing, the goal is to improve focus and attention.

Quick choppy heeling patterns, use of gate mazes, unusual heeling patterns and obstacles help handlers not only get used to handling in difficult situations, but learn to think quickly with their dog. Recreating difficult situations that might occur at a dog show, recall work and group exercises are also worked and proofed as time permits.

Prerequisite: This class is open to those dogs who have completed our Obedience Advanced class or equivalent.

 Competition/Fronts & Finishes:

We offer a nighttime Rally Beginner class for “new to Rally” students.
Prerequisite Obedience Novice (see description above) or equivalent skills: loose leash walking, moving attention, changing positions (sit, stand, down), holding a stay, simple changes of pace and the basics of left, right and about turns.

You Will Learn:

How Rally signs work
Understand sign conventions/definitions/placement for performance
Understanding sign families – similarities and differences
Heeling: Loose leash, halts, right turns, left turns, lateral moves, pivots, all 180’s
Cones
Call fronts
Downs & stands
Walk arounds & backups
Jumps
Stays
Leash management for true loose leash heeling
How to successfully heel with signs

Register now for Rally Beginner:

We are pleased to offer a Conformation class taught by Lisa Hall.

It will be held on Monday night at 8 PM. Go to register and select new or current student. Maximum of eight students.

Interested in honing you and your dog’s heeling skills?

Heeling Rx is your prescription!

This class is designed to address specific heeling problems through the use of attention-building, fine-tuning exercises, proofing, and varied and complex distractions.

Prerequisite: Must be at Obedience Advanced level or above.

Register now for Heeling Rx:

• Our Puppy Competition class is for handlers who have previously titled a dog, are interested in competing at trials or have been through our Competition classes. Puppies will be introduced to Novice, Open and Utility exercises. Puppies over six months will be approved on a case by case basis.

  Register now for Puppy Competition:

• Open Skills.
  The goal of this class is to expand the skills needed for advanced obedience competition. There will be one-on-one and group-type exercise for each dog/handler team to increase reliability in the exercises, problem-solve and build confidence. We address each team’s individual strengths and weaknesses. There will be minimal off lead heeling in this class.

  Prerequisite: Dog must have at least basic Open level skills (i.e. dog has rudimentary understanding of drop on recall, jumping, retrieving, reliable off leash)

  Utility Skills.
  The goal of this class is to expand the skills needed for advanced obedience competition. There will be one-on-one and group-type exercise for each dog/handler team to increase reliability in the exercises, problem-solve and build confidence. We address each team’s individual strengths and weaknesses. There will be minimal off lead heeling in this class.

  Prerequisite: Dog must have at least basic Utility level skills (i.e. dog has rudimentary understanding of signals, articles, retrieving, go outs, jumping, reliable off leash).

   

  Register now for Open/Utility Skills:

Nov/Adv/Exc: This class will consist of challenging hides in all four elements for Novice, Intermediate and Excellent levels throughout the session. 

This class will benefit the dog and handler that is getting ready to trial in novice or advanced.

Prerequisite:  Dog and handler should have a working knowledge of searching for at least Birch and Anise.  Cypress will be introduced in either the 2nd or 3rd class.)

For Novice, it will be on lead with figure-8.

Open will be off lead with figure-8

Utility will be off lead with signals at the end of heeling.

Different patterns will be offered each week, some distractions may be presented, feedback will be given if requested, but it is not an instructor lead’ class. (i.e., I’ll tell you what I see, but it’s not a teaching class.)

Although students may be asked to participate in other students runs (i.e. figure-8 posts, distractions, etc.), the class will have a lot of unassisted training time.

Prerequisite: This class is open to those dogs ready to practice Novice, Open or Utility HEELING portions only.

Register now for Run Thru – Novice/Open/Utility:

ADOG is offering the new AKC Trick Dog titling class. The American Kennel Club announced the launch of the AKC Trick Dog program effective May 1, 2017. The program will include four levels allowing dogs with any amount of experience the ability to participate. Teaching your dog tricks is enjoyable for you, mentally stimulating for their dogs and can take place at any time or place that fits your lifestyle.

The primary goal of trick dog training is having fun. Tricks can be both entertaining and practical, such as teaching a dog ‘paws up’ for a therapy setting. Trick dog training makes a team out of the handler and dog.

All dogs (purebred and mixed breeds), can earn Trick Dog titles provided the dog is AKC-registered, enrolled with AKC Canine Partners, or enrolled in the Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) program. The titles will be listed on the dog’s AKC record and will appear on pedigrees.

Participants should have completed basic manners/obedience coursework (i.e., Pet Manners, AKC Canine Good Citizen) or equivalent. You can get complete details about the AKC Trick Dog Program on the American Kennel Club’s web site (opens in new window/tab).

Register now for Trick Dog:

Five student maximum.

You must bring a dumbbell. This class is for dogs who are being introduced to the retrieve or for dogs who have had problems and need to start over with a new technique. Dogs will learn skills to take, hold and carry a dumbbell. We will study, in detail, the retrieve chapter in Open Obedience by William Koehler. You can buy a used copy on Amazon.

A reliable retrieve is within the grasp of any handler. The ear pinch is much maligned and often ineffective because of lack of education and preparation. We will study Koehler’s careful approach.

Prerequisite: Dog must have an extremely reliable sit-stay, be under control on leash and be willing to let you hold his/her muzzle. Please bring three different types of soft treats: good, great and fantastic! Bring a dumbbell. Don’t forget to get The Koehler Method of Dog Training book (can be purchased on Amazon).

Register now for Retrieve: