Class Descriptions - Charleston Dog Training Club

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Classes Offered By Charleston Dog Training Club

Not sure which class to take? Check out the links below:

For Puppies 10 months and younger For dogs older than 10 months

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.

Conformation
This class has two main objectives:

1. To give you tools to train your dog for the conformation ring, and
2. To give you the opportunity to practice in a ring environment.

We will discuss the nuances of presenting your dog to enhance their strengths. The class will concentrate on practice to improve your skills in the ring, giving both you and your dog confidence to win. Six weeks, $120.

AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy
Socialization – Training – Activity – Responsibility. This program is for puppies less than one year old. You will learn how to communicate with your puppy to begin teaching basic obedience skills – including leash walking, sit, down, come when called, allowing another person to handle your puppy. The class is taught by an AKC CGC evaluator. Upon passing the test given at the last class you can enroll in the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program. 6 weeks, $120.AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy video

Basic Training Class

If you have a dog under 10 months, please consider going into the AKC STAR Puppy Class prior to Basic Training.

This class will focus on building a great relationship with your dog through clear training and fun. It will also better prepare you to go on to the CGC Prep Class & Skills & Sport/performance classes.

Some highlights of the course include the Rewards Preference Test, How to Stop My Dog From doing That, Game Play in Training, Zen Bowls & Clear Cues.

There will be homework assigned each week with reinforced instruction and practice in the weekly visit to the Training Center. From this class you can go on to participate in any number of activities associated with dog sports or hobbies.

Canine Good Citizen Prep class

Get ready to take The AKC CGC test with this six-week class.

If this is your first class that you will be taking with your dog then I highly recommend you start with the AKC STAR Puppy class if your dog is under 10 months or The Basic Training Class if your dog is over 10 months.

This class teaches the 10 skills needed to pass the CGC test. It is open to all dogs – purebred and mixed breeds. Having a CGC may be an advantage when renting a residence or obtaining homeowner insurance. It may be required prior to registering as a therapy dog. The class is taught by an AKC CGC evaluator.

Canine Good Citizen is a nationally recognized program that instills a sense of responsibility and good manners in dogs and owners alike. The heart of the CGC program is the 10-step CGC test. The CGC test consists of the following practical exercises:

Accepting a friendly stranger
Sitting politely for petting
Appearance and grooming
Walking on a loose leash
Walking through a crowd
Sit and down on command and staying in place
Coming when called
Reaction to another dog
Reacting (or not reacting) to a distraction
Supervised separation.

Line Dancing

Dancing with your dog!!! Yep, you read that right. We are going to learn line dances and creative ways to incorporate our dogs into this fun activity. Great exercise for you and your dog. Humans do not need to have any experience. Dogs should have some basic obedience skills. Walk with a loose leash, sit, & down.

Treibball

Intro to Treibball

What is Treibball?
Treibball (pronounced Tribe-ball) originated in Germany and means “push ball”. It is a low-cost, low-impact sport, any dog and handler can play. The game consists of “herding” a number of inflatable exercise balls into a soccer-like net and only requires a few fitness balls, some treats and a love of working with your dog.

What will I learn?
Skills that will be taught and used in this six-week class are:
Targeting objects with the nose
Pushing an object with the nose
Going around an object clockwise and counter clock wise.
Going to an object & recall
Sitting & Down positions from a distance

What Level do I need to be?
This class is for all levels.
Beginner dogs learn new skills while having fun and interacting with you.
Intermediate & advanced dogs can be participate in a new activity making the understanding of their skills more reliable.

What do I need to bring?
Dog: Any size / Any level
Treats: Treats should be soft food that are small and the dog can eat easily. Bring lots of treats. Examples: hot dogs or string cheese cut up into small pieces, pupparonies, homemade liver or salmon treats. Make sure you have LOTS of treats. Bring more than you think you will need. You can also bring a tug toy along with food treats.
Leash: A 6’ leash will work best
Collars: Any collar. The least corrective the collar the better.
A flat marker: This can be pretty much anything you can lay flat on the floor. It should be no more that 12” in diameter. The dog will be asked to go out to the marker and wait for the next command so make it pretty sturdy so it doesn’t get damaged or fly away.

Tips:
Get a toy ball from Walmart to start. Find one that the middle of the ball comes to the dogs nose. It will be hard to find one that size for a big dog, but just get the biggest one they have.
Watch some of the Treibball videos online.

Competitive Obedience
This class will be a continuation of the AKC Open exercises. We will work on the six tasks a competitor must master to compete in Open. I plan to break down each exercise to its smallest parts so that our team mates can understand what they need to do to make up the whole. This starts from entering the ring with a proper mindset for serious work to leaving the ring with your dog under control and the judge saying “Congratulations you have qualified”.

Rally Novice

AKC Rally is a team sport. You and your dog navigate a course, side by side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. At each sign there is a skill to be performed. It is a fun family sport, and participants can give verbal praise and instruction as well as use hand signals to guide the dog. It is a great introduction to all AKC Companion events and focuses on the dog and handler working as a team.

In the Novice class we will learn all of the 42 Novice signs and by the end of the 6 week session you and your dog will be able to maneuver through full rally courses. Taking this class once is not sufficient for most teams to be ready for competition. You may find it necessary to take the class more than once if your goal is to enter the ring. You may find that you and your dog enjoy the time spent working together and wish to take the class more than once even if you are not interested in competing. Either way, we strive to make this an enjoyable class for all.

Prerequisites

You should be able to walk reasonably well with your dog in heel position and on a loose leash
They should be able to sit and lie down on command. (We hope that you have taken the CGC Class and Obedience 101 to develop those skills but those classes are not required).
Your dog should be willing to rest in a crate at times. Part of each class will be for handlers only.

Items to bring to class

Small treats
4 to 6 foot leash
Flat buckle or limited slip collar. No harnesses or flexi-leashes

Dog Socialization

CDTC Dog Socializtion video

Come have a dog play date with all your friends at the club. Your dog must have completed our STAR puppy program or passed a CGC test within a year to participate in this group.

Keep your dog socialized. Unfortunately, after the intensive period of early socialization (Puppy Class) period many owners slack off. They see that their hard work has paid off and that their puppy is friendly and sociable in every situation they find themselves in. What they don't realize is that dogs naturally become more shy and standoffish as they get older. Adolescent and adult dogs develop fears and phobias to stimuli that they aren't continually exposed to. Keeping your dog well-socialized to other dogs is not so easy, and often this area of their socialization deteriorates the most rapidly.

Check out our Rowdy Rover class if your dog isn't playing well with others.

Rally Advanced

The Rally Advanced class is a continuation of the skills learned in the Rally Novice class. We will learn the 22 Advanced signs as well as work on off-leash skills. We hope you and your dog enjoy the time spent working together building your teamwork skills. We strive to make this an enjoyable class for all. After taking this class, you will find the Rally Drop-In class an excellent way to continue to hone your skills

Prerequisites

You should be able to walk reasonably well with your dog in heel position and on a loose leash. Dogs should be able to sit and lie down on command. A prerequisite to this class is the Rally Novice class.

Items to bring to class

Small treats
4 to 6 foot leash
Flat buckle or slip collar. No harnesses or flexi-leashes.

Canine Good Citizen

The class teaches the 10 skills needed to pass the CGC test administered at the end of the course. It is open to all dogs – purebred and mixed breeds. You will work on basic obedience skill such as sit, down, come, stay, preparing your dog to have good behavior when around other dogs and people. Having a CGC may be an advantage when renting a residence or obtaining homeowner insurance. It may be required prior to registering as a therapy dog. The class is taught by an AKC CGC evaluator. 6 weeks, $120.

This class continues working on basic obedience skills, beginning preparation for competing in AKC Beginner Obedience, or just improving current obedience skills. 6 weeks, $120.

Beginning Your Obedience Journey

This class will be structured to introduce competition obedience to teams that have a desire to show in the AKC obedience ring. We will start with the fundamentals of healing. Footwork, body language, and total communication with our teammates. We will work on the six exercise that make up a Novice run. This will require daily work with your dog. Homework will be assigned weekly with follow up emails and an open form to email your progress throughout the class and beyond.
Immediately follow this class I will be helping train teams to move up to the Open exercises. This class will be available to you on an audit bases for teams who have the time to stay and get a jump on the next step in your obedience journey.

The classes below are not offered every session. They will be offered again in 2020.

AKC Scent Work

Novice class is an introduction to the fun sport of Scent Work. It is low impact and fun. Dogs learn to recognize Birch and will practice container searches, interior, and exterior searches. $6 weeks, $120. Starts January 9, 2020.

Advanced class will learn to recognize Anise and learn the advanced skills.

Focus for Competition Obedience

This class is for students who plan to compete in AKC Obedience. 6 weeks, $120.

Intro to Agililty

Students will learn skills needed prior to taking a beginner class at Lowcountry Dog Agility. 6 weeks, $120.