To register for a class:
Click on the Event Calendar on the Task Bar at the top of the screen.
Click on the month the class starts(top right corner of calendar).
Click on the class you want.
Click on the "Register Now" button.
Fill in your information and follow the prompts.
If you have previously taken a class, go ahead and fill in your information. The link above the field for your first is not working yet.
Class size and availability vary based on instructor availability and class interest. Email us with any questions!
BEHAVIOR-BASED CLASSES
The following classes are designed to help work through the most common behavior problems and help create a well-rounded dog and human team who both understand each other's needs and creates life skills for the team to carry throughout their lives.
The flow of theses classes was designed to be one of the puppy classes followed by the core skills class followed by the CGC per class before taking Obedient Dog and moving into the area you and your dog want.
AKC S.TA.R. Puppy Class
This is the classic AKC-style puppy class! It consists of six classes for all puppies 10 months and younger and covers skills such as loose-leash walking, sit, down, stay with another person, recall (come), reaction to distractions, and socialization. At the end of the class, your puppy will be able to take the S.T.A.R. Puppy test and earn their first certificate through AKC. Attending all six classes is required in order to take the test. The class is taught by an AKC CGC Evaluator.
CDTC S.T.A.R. Puppy Class
Building on the core of the traditional AKC-style puppy class, CDTC puppy class is a new and modified syllabus containing the same core lessons as the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy class with a shifted focus to lifestyle skills and handler/dog relationships for puppies 10 months and younger. Teach your puppy how to calm on command, sit, down, stay, come (recall), different types of play and how to train with it, as well as socialization. Attendance of all six classes is required on order to take the test on week 6 where you can help your puppy earn their first certificate through AKC. This class is taught by an AKC CGC Evaluator.
CGC Prep Class
Through a six-week course you will review and practice the required skills to pass your AKC Canine Good Citizen test! You will cover accepting greetings from friendly strangers, sit-stays, down-stays, recall (come when called), supervised separation, loose-leash walking, and more! After the six weeks ends, the CGC test is offered to graduates for free.
CGC Advanced/Urban/Community Canine
Offered seasonally, these are advanced CGC title classes, building on the skills your dog mastered for their CGC. The first class is taught at the CDTC facility and the remaining classes are taught in downtown Summerville so you and your dog can work in and around the community. Class descriptions will be individually based on what is being offered at the time. Please see the Class/Event calendar for what is being offered and a description of what you will learn.
Core Skills for Handlers & Dogs/Basic Training
Previously known as "Basic Training", this class is anything but basic! This class covers some core skills you and your dog should have to create a healthy relationship! Starting with discovering what your dog does and doesn't like, we move into various topics such as generalization, confidence building, loose-leash walking, impulse control, play, socialization, and answering questions about your dog's unwanted behaviors. This class is for ALL levels of trainer - from beginner to expert, we all have something to learn and take away from this class.
SPORTS SKILLS CLASSES
The following classes are a mix of introductory skills classes as well as novice/sport level classes. It is recommended that anyone interested in the sports classes take either the Basic Training or CGC Prep Class. Sports Skills classes are also recommended before taking Novice Sports classes.
Agility Skills
This is a six-week introductory course of Agility Skills. Working both as a team and independently, you and your dog will create a foundation of skills like stay, targeting, going around objects and over objects. You will also get to help build confidence and physical strength in your dog by using objects like a wobble board. By the end of the six weeks, you and your dog will get to run through a fun course, including going around an object, going around two objects, making the jump, and going through the tunnel. This is a fun, fast-paced class for you and your dog!
Obedience - Novice Obedience
This six-week class is designed to help you and your dog master the skills required for a Novice Obedience title! Dogs will learn heel (on and off leash), a figure 8, sit and stand for exam, recalls (with and without a finish), sit and down stays (with and without distractions).It is HIGHLY recommended, but not required, that you have taken the Rally/OBS/FS course and/or be working in the Obedient Dog class.
Puppy Part 2
This is a six-week class IMMEDIATELY following the CDTC S.T.A.R. Puppy Class. Any graduate of a S.T.A.R. Puppy classis welcome to take this class! It is a fun six-week course that introduces you to various dog sports including agility, scent work, tricks, treibball, and obedience. These classes are FUN and designed to help you and your puppy grow in confidence and relationship.
Rally/OBS/FS skills
This is a six-week class open to everyone that helps prepare you and your dog to take the Rally Novice, Obedience Novice, or Freestyle class. Throughout the six weeks you will learn the core commands and positions necessary to take the next Rally class. Have a blast working your dog through hind-end awareness, heeling patterns, front positioning, and seeing how they deal with various pressures such as environmental, people, and dogs. This is a great way to build up relationship and communication between dog and handler.
Rally Novice
This six-week class takes you through all the signs required to earn the first leg of your Rally Novice title! Each week you will learn and practice the required signs, building up to week six when you do a run of a qualifying Rally course! Core skills include heeling, front positions, a right-sided command(such as close), various turns (left, right, about), stay and various finishing positions. AKC is now accepting video submissions and you can use this course to submit your first run for review by an AKC judge. It is recommended, but not required, that you take the Rally Skills class before entering this class.
Scent - skills
In this six-week class you and your dog will together build what is called HUNT DRIVE, or the dog's ability to search for something. Together you help build up the game of search and develop skills that can lead you in multiple directions - even on to your Scent Sports class! This class is designed to be a fun game for you and your dog and helps your dog build confidence and skill working away from you.
Scent-Novice
This six-week class is designed to help you and your dog prepare to enter your first scent work trial! It is highly recommended that you have taken the scent skills class before entering this class. Maintenance of your own scent kit is required at this level to include birch scent in a container and disposable gloves. Birch scent is often a cotton swab with the stem cut off with two drops of Birch essential oil applied.
Treibball/Herding
This six-week class is for all levels of dog/handler teams and is a fun game of "push ball"! It includes your dog "herding" balls into a goal and is a blast for your dog. Dogs will learn how to push the ball, go counterclockwise and clockwise around objects, target objects with their nose, going to objects, and sits/downs at a distance. A great class to have fun and practice obedience.
DROP-IN CLASSES
These classes are offered intermittently based on instructor availability.
Conformation
This drop-in classis for those who are interested in competing in conformation with their dogs. Content varies but includes skills and knowledge to improve both your confidence and your dog's confidence in the ring as well as allowing you to practice and improve your skills. This will help you create that "competition picture" by allowing you to practice in the ring.
DART Training
DART Training helps you and your dog work through pressure in competitive indoor dog sports. Covering environmental pressure, equipment pressure, and pressure from people, you will break down each of these things and help your dog work through this.
Obedient Dog
This weekly class is a drop-in style that helps handers and dogs perfect their various obedience skills. It is recommended to take AFTER you have completed the Puppy-Basic-CGC class flow. Skills should be known for best results. This class will cover heeling, position changes, turns/change of direction, greeting a stranger, standing for exams, and recalls. This class is designed to help your dog master their obedience with distractions!
Rally - Advanced/Masters
This drop-in style class is designed to help teach you ways to minimize point loss in the arena. Kim has a great knowledge of what judges are looking and can help you and your dog reach your goals.
Socialization & Enrichment Days
Offered bi-weekly, these classes offer CONTROLLED socialization, exposure, and enrichment for you and your dog. Each day varies but what is guaranteed is opportunity to work your dog or puppy in a safe and controlled environment through different sensory, physical, environmental, and cognitive activities and games to increase their confidence. To drop into this event, you MUST have completed a S.T.A.R. Puppy OR Basic Training class OR be actively registered in one. A waiver is required to be signed at the event.
THERAPY DOG PREP CLASS
This class is designed to prepare handlers and their dogs for visits to institutions, facilities, and any other place where Therapy Dogs are needed. The primary objective of the the Therapy Dog is to provide comfort and companionship in a way that promotes healing and improves the quality of life for the people being visited and the staff who care for these people.
So what's the difference between Therapy Dogs and Emotional Support Animals? First, a Therapy Dog can help multiple people, sometimes even at the same time! An emotional support animal (as well as a Service Dog) is dedicated to helping one person all of the time. Another important difference between therapy dogs and ESAs is how the law recognizes them. ESA owners get special protections that allow to have their animals on airplanes and in rental units; these laws do not cover therapy dogs. Therapy dogs may only go into facilities where they are invited. If your dog is at least one-year old and has some basic training (sit, stay, come, walk on a loose leash most of the time), this may be the class for you! We can teach you to work as a team with your dog. A Therapy Dog must have an outstanding temperament. This means that the dog should be outgoing and friendly to all people, tolerant of other dogs, and non-aggressive toward other pets. If you dog has these qualities and you are interested in getting started, please register for this class. Our ultimate goals to create teams to visit facilities together. It's a great way to build a strong relationship with your dog, meet like-minded people, and help address a real need in our community.
Want more classes? Shoot us an email about what you would like to see next!