Beginner Obedience

Cost: $90

Minimum Age: 6 months

Duration: 6 weeks (1 class/week)

​This class is for dogs at least 6 months of age. The class will focus on establishing basic behaviors and good training habits for a lifetime of learning, utilizing the separation of the 3Ds (Distraction, Duration and Distance) for learning clarity with a strong emphasis on the “Timing of the Mark” and how treats are used within established science for maximum efficacy. This is an excellent class to continue your leadership skill development. Beginner is an ideal class for preparing to obtain your CGC. Exercises include: Attention Focus, refining Loose Leash Walking (and getting ready for the next step of leash walking), Sit at the front and at the side, Down at the front and side, Stay, Leave It (food and objects), Wait, Handling / Sit for Exam, Stand, plus games to create a solid foundation for Come. S.T.A.R. graduates will find that this class builds upon their excellent skills and yet challenging and informative.

**If your dog has not completed the STAR Curriculum, please consider taking AKC STAR Puppy (if age appropriate). **

Intermediate Obedience

Prerequisite: Beginner Obedience

Cost: $90

Minimum Age: 8 months

Duration: 6 weeks (1 class/week)

This course will continue building on the foundation of OCC’s Beginner class moving towards randomizing reward structure and differentiating between bribery vs rewards. Initial focus will be on transitioning perfect loose leash walking into the more formal Heel with the automatic Sit, emphasizing Halts and pace changes as well as directional turns. Integrating the process of helping your dog learn to generalize and hold longer commands, we will work on Attention Focus duration, Sit Stay durations, Down Stay durations, and the Stand (without Handler support) and work towards Handling in the Stand-Stay. Included are the Intro into a Figure-8 exercise, perfecting the Finish, Long Line Recalls, the Greeting Exercise Game and other Learning Challenges for a fun learning experience. Heavy emphasis on preparing for the CGC-Exam but challenging enough for the dog that has already earned his/her CGC!

Prerequisite: Intermediate Obedience

Cost: $90

Minimum Age: 10 months

Duration: 6 weeks (1 class/week)

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If you have taken Beginner Obedience and Intermediate, join this challenging and informative class to hone your skills and prepare you for the next level. We will play Beginner Obedience games, practice perfect CGC greetings, create flawless figure 8’s and lay a strong foundation for going off-leash with your obedience! We will go through Attention Focus in the Heel as a tool, Independent Down Stays (with duration), Stand for Exam, Wait-in-Motion, Sit-in-Motion, Down-in-Motion, and left and right-side finish. This class focuses on trouble-shooting the Beginner Obedience performance as well as task-analysis to focus on repairing incomplete commands and removing inadvertent body language and leash cues that are dragging your performance down. Designed as a team-building class, all members are invited to step up their game!

Prerequisite: Beyond Intermediate

Cost: $90

Minimum Age: 1 year

Duration: 6 weeks (1 class/week)

Prerequisite: Advanced Obedience. This course is designed with the Obedience Competitor in mind and will focus primarily on preparation for Companion Dog Trials. All candidates will be working primarily off-leash and must have off-leash concepts mastered. The class will set up and practice specifically for trials covering, registration, treat reduction and all concepts necessary to create well-mannered competitors. Weekly class goals will depend on the skill of the student competitors and may vary from class to class. SKILLS REQUIRED: Super Advanced candidates must be able to demonstrate positive control of their dogs with and without the leash. The handler must be able to hold the dog’s Attention Focus for 3 minutes in the presence of distractions with the minimal use of treats; 3-minute SIT STAY away from the dog; 3-minute DOWN STAY without the presence of the handler; must be able to demonstrate a proper return and a RECALL off-leash without a long line. Strong Leave It and Wait are a must, as are STAND, FINISH, FIGURE-8 and HEEL (in an off-leash environment). Candidates who are still mastering off-leash concepts but who demonstrate good skills in ADVANCED are welcome as long as their dog does not pose a significant risk to the dogs that are already completely off-leash. Training Tabs may be utilized. Long Lines may be used. Please bring your own. Dogs at this level should already possess the Canine Good Citizen Urban award.

Prerequisite: Advanced Obedience

Cost: $90

Minimum Age: 1 year

Duration: 6 weeks (1 class/week)

This is an entirely off-leash class. Using all of the concepts learned in previous classes, students will challenge their dogs to work through longer and longer chains of behavior without the use of treats or other inducements. As always, dogs will be worked at their own level and under threshold to achieve success. Ideal for the competitor who needs to wean treats and constant praise out of the working relationship but still challenging and fun for and handler-dog team continuing their training journey.

Prerequisite: Advanced Obedience

Cost: $90

Minimum Age: 1 year

Duration: 6 weeks (1 class/week)

This course is designed with the Obedience Competitor in mind and will focus primarily on preparation for Companion Dog Trials. All candidates will be working primarily off-leash and must have off-leash concepts mastered. The class will set up and practice specifically for trials covering, registration, treat reduction and all concepts necessary to create well-mannered competitors. Weekly class goals will depend on the skill of the student competitors and may vary from class to class. SKILLS REQUIRED: Super Advanced candidates must be able to demonstrate positive control of their dogs with and without the leash. The handler must be able to hold the dog’s Attention Focus for 3 minutes in the presence of distractions with the minimal use of treats; 3-minute SIT STAY away from the dog; 3-minute DOWN STAY without the presence of the handler; must be able to demonstrate a proper return and a RECALL off-leash without a long line. Strong Leave It and Wait are a must, as are STAND, FINISH, FIGURE-8 and HEEL (in an off-leash environment). Candidates who are still mastering off-leash concepts but who demonstrate good skills in ADVANCED are welcome as long as their dog does not pose a significant risk to the dogs that are already completely off-leash. Training Tabs may be utilized. Long Lines may be used. Please bring your own. Dogs at this level should already possess the Canine Good Citizen Urban award.