Obedience Training
General Obedience is the place we ask everyone to start.
It covers:
- Loose lead walking & positions (such as sit, drop, stand & healing)
- Socialising & polite dog behaviour (and how handlers can ensure everyone is happy)
- Handler skills (such as how to use your voice effectively, reward the right behaviour & create a bond with your dog)
- Recall (starting with on-lead and progressing to off-lead when you’re both ready)
Our instructors welcome questions and will always endeavour to assist where possible but remember, they’re here to help you to train your dog.
Please visit the Are you ready for class? page for club rules and helpful tips.
Baby Puppy (8–16 weeks), Puppy (4–8months), Beginner (8+ months), and Advanced Beginner classes usually run on Wednesdays. Classes 1–5 run on Sundays.
Baby Puppies & Puppies
Baby puppies (8-16 weeks) - Wednesday mornings 9.15–9.45am
Puppy (4 - 8 months) - Wednesday 6.00-6.30pm
The focus for young dogs is getting the basics in early so we work on getting the puppy’s attention on their handler, socialising politely with other people and dogs, an introduction to healing, and some basic commands. For the handlers, we support you to lead and reward your dog effectively.
We accept baby puppies at all times during the term as this age is so crucial for training and socialisation. Please email [email protected] to enrol.
Beginner
Wednesday 7.00–7.30pm
We have to acknowledge that even though they’re a little older, some Beginner dogs might have received very little training so far, so we concentrate on attention and focus, basic commands, healing, and socialisation. Dogs that come in at this age might have come through rescue centres, so we also look at how to play and do some fun things to help the dogs with their spatial awareness. For handlers, we’ll help with general handling of your dog and reinforce reward timing and its importance as a training tool.
Advanced Beginners
Wednesday 6.00–6.30pm
At this level we move on from basic healing to expect automatic sits, we work turns and weaves into our healing, and work on recalls from a bit further away. We introduce different stays – with the dog in sit, drop, and stand which leads into the stand for exam. And we introduce a few Rally-O signs and exercises.
Class 1
Sunday 8.30–9.00am Term 1 / 9.30–10.00am Terms 2, 3 & 4
We start to increase the challenge of our healing work at this level where we look at figure 8 work along with some more weaving and changes of pace. We also introduce left and right finishes, particularly after a recall. We increase the challenge of the stays by moving to just in front of the dog while they keep their place. We might even do some low jumps for fun. We continue learning some Rally-O signs and introduce food refusal.
Class 2
Sunday 8.30–9.00am Term 1 / 9.30–10.00am Terms 2, 3 & 4
As we go up the classes, we don’t necessarily learn loads of new things but we expect more of the dog in terms of the length of time they hold a position and their ability to follow a command when there are distractions. At this level, we add distractions to our figure 8 work and during sit and down stays. We also do further work on food refusal and lengthen our recalls.
Class 3
Sunday 8.30–9.00am Term 1 / 9.30–10.00am Terms 2, 3 & 4
In class 3, we add even more challenges. We know this sounds like it’s getting tricky but the dogs progress incrementally through the levels and aren’t expected to do something they’re unfamiliar with so we lengthen stays and add distractions, lengthen recalls and make sure dogs can perform a solid stand for exam and have good food refusal.
Class 4/5
Sunday 9.30–10.00am Term 1 / 10.30–11.00am Terms 2, 3 & 4
At this level, we try to work as much as feasible off-lead including while healing. Up until now, all dogs are working on-lead unless for a specific task such as a recall or stay. As we move up the classes, we expect dogs to be doing more for less – that is that they will maintain a position or follow a command with fewer rewards than they needed when they were younger. We still reward them, of course, but they won’t need as many treats especially if they’re doing things they’re already familiar with. In classes 4 & 5 we continue to add more Rally-O signs and practice the types of tasks expected in an Obedience trial ring so that you and your dog are ready to get involved in this element of dog sports if you wish.
Contact
Bendigo Obedience Dog Club Inc
For enquiries please contact: [email protected]
Training Ground: Finn Street Recreation Reserve, Bendigo Vic 3550
Postal Address: PO Box 2396, Bendigo Mail Centre, Bendigo 3554
facebook.com/BendigoObedienceDogClub/
