OBEDIENCE AND RALLY CLASSES

Starting a young dog off right is key to success in performance sports? Emphasis on skills needed for Obedience and Agility competitions. We work on basic commands such as Sit, Down, Stay, Come and Heeling/walking. This class will also teach and enhance your Shaping skills. Play training is also incorporated to get the most out of your dog.

Prerequisite: Must have been through Puppy class and/or FM Foundation or higher level.
Exceptions are made with instructor's approval.

After completing the Family Manners Skills classes, you may enjoy exploring the world of dog sports with your canine companion. All canine performance sports such as Agility, Rally and Competition Obedience require a solid foundation of the core skills; sit, down, stay, come and heel. The class will focus on skill building by teaching you how to use luring, shaping and targeting to train your dog. Using positive reinforcement techniques, the class will emphasize building a solid working relationship between you and your dog, built on a foundation of reinforcement, fun and attitude. This class will build the fundamentals for future competition. The class is structured to be taken only one session.

Prerequisite: Family Manners Skills or instructor approval

This class continues with the skill building and training fundamentals of Bridging the Gap 1. The sport emphasis will be geared to Rally and Competition Obedience. Handlers will incorporate props, perches and platforms, in their training to build behaviors and learn how to appropriately fade the props. Proper footwork for heeling will be introduced for the first time. Fronts and finishes will also be introduced. The class is structured to be taken two to three sessions.

Prerequisite: Bridging the Gap 1 or instructor approval

A lot of attention is paid to the "finished product" of a perfect Obedience or Rally performance. But what are the skills handler and dog need to develop as they work toward this goal? It all starts with the relationship that has been developing between you as you have started training together. Going forward there are lots of games to learn that are really core skills using shaping, targeting, heads-up heeling, turns on the forehand, kickback stands and drops, backing up, tidy sits. All of them are included in the building blocks of Competition Obedience and Rally.
Prerequisite: FM Skills or equivalent skill level.

Open to handler and  dog teams which have completed Building Blocks for Obedience or equivalent and want to continue to work toward an Obedience career.

This class will introduce and flesh out the proper use of training aids, namely perches and platforms, to create and build value in strong, fluent, and precise positions. Learn how to efficiently add verbal cues so that your dog can discriminate between tasks, shape behaviors without handler movement and prompting, and make sure you're using them correctly to get the most benefit out of these extremely valuable training tools. Students may use these tools to work on the behavior of their choice, such as heel, front, distance work, pivots, etc. Once desired behavior is achieved, class will cover how the training aids will be faded and eliminated.

Probably you have been introduced to many of these communication aids and “legal” cues in your Obedience/Rally courses. Your instructors have suggested that you start heeling on your left foot, or you should lean forward when you want to start a fast. But usually these details are not the focus of the lessons and you don’t realize how powerfully they can influence your team’s performance. Remember, dogs don’t speak English! This short course will help you develop a vocabulary they automatically DO understand.

Pre-requisite: current or previous enrollment in any class listed under "Obedience and Rally Classes" or approval from the instructor.

This class is an introduction to the essential foundational skills needed for success in Rally competition, on both ends of the leash. The emphasis is on using positive reinforcement to create precision and enthusiasm, and to set up for success at the Novice level and beyond. The core AKC Rally Novice exercises are introduced individually and incorporated into short courses for practice. Class limit 6.

Prerequisite: Family Manners Skills, Bridging the Gap, Pre-Competition/Pre-Novice, or the equivalent. Contact the instructor for approval.

This class focuses on building fluency and precision in the Rally Novice exercises. For teams who have taken Intro to Rally or students who have titled a dog in Rally and are starting a young dog.

Prerequisite: Intro to Rally or permission of the instructor

This class will introduce you and your dog to the fun world of Rally-O! You will learn how to apply basic obedience skills to Rally Novice signs. This class provides the foundation that is necessary for success at any level of Rally competition.

Prerequisite: Pre-Competition/Pre-Novice, Bridging the Gap, or prior Rally classes

This is NOT a course work class.  Work on teaching individual sign execution and problems with ring performance (fading food rewards,etc.).

Prerequisite: Current or previous rally class enrollment or equivalent

This class is for students who have completed Intro to Rally or have previously taken a Rally Novice class. Each class offers full Rally Novice courses with instruction on how to; "walk thru" the course, warm up your dog in preparation for performing on the course, as well as critiques and strategies for a successful performance.

Pre-requisite: Intro to Rally or Rally Novice

Rally Ring Prep: This class focuses on skills at both ends of the leash to build a successful rally team. You’ll work on increasing your dog's engagement and enthusiasm in the ring, while fading the food lures to prepare for trialing; and practice reading course maps, walking the course, avoiding handler errors, and planning a strategy for a successful run. Appropriate for teams at the Novice level and beyond.
 
Prerequisites: Novice Rally, Intro to Rally, or the equivalent. Dog must be able to settle calmly in a crate for course walking.

This class will introduce handler/dog teams to the fun and challenging sport of Rally, as well as continue the development of more experienced students.  All exercises in AKC Novice and WCRL Level l, which are performed on-leash, will be covered.  You will also learn the rules and regulations of the sport and have fun practicing on real Rally courses.  Whether or not you plan to rally on toward your Rally Novice or WCRL Level I titles, you and your dog will improve your teamwork and enjoy working together. For those who catch the "Rally bug" Intermediate and WCRL Level II exercise options will be included. Rally Intermediate and Rally Advanced signs are the same with the exception of a jump in Advanced. Class limit 6.

Prerequisite: Bridging the Gap, Pre-Competition/Pre-Novice, Building Blocks or equivalent.

Students will learn how to perform Rally Advanced signs. Rally Intermediate and Rally Advanced signs are the same with the exception of a jump in Advanced. Each class offers full Rally Intermediate and Advanced courses for handling teams to perform on or off leash.

Prerequisite: Rally Novice

For dog and handler teams with experience in working together to navigate Rally courses. Foundation Obedience, off-lead handling, and heeling skills will be addressed throughout the class in addition to course work. Class limit 6.
Prerequisite: Intro to Rally, Novice Courses, or equivalent

The full repertoire of Rally signs (both AKC and WCRL) will be used in complex and challenging courses for handler/dog teams working toward competing for advanced titles. Class limit 6.

Prerequisite: Rally Intermediate/Advanced Courses or equivalent

Attentive heeling is crucial for successful AKC Obedience competition at all levels. In this class, you will lay a solid foundation for Novice and beyond, grounded in attention at heel. Each week we will build on the previous week´s lessons. All Novice exercises will be covered and some exercises from Open and Utility will be introduced.

Skills Introduced: Heeling, Figure 8, Stand for Exam, Recall-fronts & finishes, Group Stays (Sit & Down), Dumbbell retrieve.
Pre-Requisite: FM Skills or equivalent with Instructors approval

This class will prepare teams to enter formal competition at the first level of AKC Competition Obedience. Teams will polish all skills required to compete successfully. Handlers will learn strategies for reducing reinforcement and gain an understanding of trial rules and regulations. Handlers will establish plans for warming up pre-competition; ring entrance routines; and navigating between exercises. The class is structured to be taken two to three sessions.

Prerequisite: Bridging the Gap 2 must be taken with NO EXCEPTIONS

Starting up a young dog or retraining your current obedience/Rally dog for competition? Emphasis on skills needed for Beginner Novice, Pre-Novice, and Novice Rally competitions. We work on skills to enhance your heeling, dog's attention, and work with Stays. Play training is also incorporated to get the most out of your dog. Training is based on individual´s skills and dog's level. We have tons of fun in this class!

Prerequisite: Must have been through Puppy class and/or FM Foundation or higher level.
Exceptions are made with instructor's approval.

Build upon the skills learned in Pre-Competition/Pre-Novice to prepare for suceess in advanced competition.

Prerequisite: Must have been through Pre-Competition/Pre-Novice.
Exceptions are made with instructor's approval.

In Competition Obedience, the Novice Class demonstrates good canine companion skills such as heeling, both with and without a leash, coming when called, standing for a simple physical examination, and staying in both a sit and a down position with a group of dogs. This class will prepare you and your dog to compete at the Novice* level, and to earn the title of Companion Dog (CD).Class limit 8.
*AKC also offers the Beginner Novice titling class, which tests a simpler form of these exercises.

Skills Introduced: Heeling, Figure 8, Stand for Exam, Recall, Group Stays (Sit & Down), Dumbbell retrieve.
Pre-Requisite: Introduction to Competition Obedience or Pre-Novice / Pre-Rally

This class will cover Beginner Novice, Novice, and first-level Rally-O competition training. We will work on distractions with stays, distance stays, proofing in heeling, as well as improved heeling techniques. Introduction to dumbbell, if time allows. This is a very fast-paced class, and dogs MUST have good focus and pretty reliable stays. Last day of class we will have a Novice and Beginner Novice run-thru.
Please bring a tug or motivational toy that your dog LOVES and a short, thin leather lead (two or three feet in length) in addition to a six-foot lead. Bring your dumbbell if you already have one.

Prerequisites: Pre-competition/Pre-Novice, or Family Manners Foundation and above.
Exceptions at instructor's discretion.

Hone your heeling and handling skills for showing in Novice. Introduction to Dumbbell Retrieving and Open Jumps. Strong emphasis on proper ring procedure and introduction to Open Command discrimination. Many students in this class are currently showing in Novice or have a CD.

Prerequisite: Bridging the Gap and Novice or instructors approval.

The Open Class in Competition Obedience presents a greater challenge to dog and handler. All exercises are performed off leash. Retrieving and jumping challenges are added. This class will prepare you and your dog to compete at the Open level and earn the title of Companion Dog Excellent (CDX)−or simply to enjoy the fun of learning and practicing these complex exercises. Class limit 8.

Skills Introduced: Novice exercises, plus Dumbbell retrieve, Jumps (High & Broad), Drop on Recall.
Pre-Requisite: Novice plus mastery of Dumbbell retrieve. 

The most challenging class in Competition Obedience is the Utility Class, which includes scent discrimination, directed retrieves and directed jumping. This class will prepare you and your dog to compete at the Utility level and earn a Utility Dog (UD) title. Or you can simply enjoy the challenge of training at a high level.

Skills Introduced: Signal exercise, Scent discrimination, Directed Retrieve, Moving Stand, Directed Jumping.
Pre-Requisite: Dog needs to be able to heel off leash and retrieve a dumbbell.

Is your dog struggling to maintain focus during heeling exercises? Does the allure of stopping to sniff or wandering away hinder your progress? Whether you're aiming to establish a solid heel or refine an existing one, our Competition Heeling class is tailored just for you!

In this engaging class, we break down the heeling behavior into easily manageable components, transforming the learning process into an enjoyable game for both you and your dog. You will be guided through strategies to build a robust and focused heel, overcoming distractions and maintaining duration.

Highlights of the class include practicing heeling maneuvers over, through, and around various objects and obstacles. You'll also navigate Rally courses, honing your dog's skills in real-world scenarios. Join us in this dynamic learning experience, where we turn heeling into a rewarding and fun activity for you and your canine companion. Class limit 8.

Pre-requisites: Family Manners Skills, Prior Rally or Obedience Classes, Bridging the Gap

Rally for Fun is an engaging class designed to introduce teams to rally courses and skills. Throughout the course, participants will familiarize themselves with Rally rules, master a variety of signs, and develop their teamwork while navigating courses. This class not only emphasizes the fundamentals of Rally but also aims to create an enjoyable and interactive experience for both dogs and handlers, fostering a strong bond and enhancing communication between the two. Whether you're new to Rally or looking to enhance your skills, Rally for Fun provides a supportive environment for learning and having a great time with your furry companion. Class limit 6.

Pre-requisites: Family Manners Foundations