Springfield Dog Training Club Offers the Following Classes

Puppy Socialization
This class is for puppies under 4 months of age. We emphasize activities that encourage the development of a confident, well-adjusted puppy. The class deals with house-training, crate training, grooming, proper socialization, and beginning obedience. This is a 6-session class. It meets once a week for six weeks.
Your puppy must have at least 2 series of shots before attending class. Dobermans, Rottweilers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Pit Bulls are especially susceptible to Parvo Virus, and we advise you to follow your veterinarian's recommendations for these breeds. You MUST bring your shot records from your veterinarian with you to class the first night. The class limit for this class is 15. NOTE: Puppies must be in the owner's possession at least two (2) weeks PRIOR to the puppy attending puppy class.

Agile Puppy
This class is for puppies up to eight (8) months old and have completed Puppy Socialization class. We use puppy sized miniature agility equipment while mainly focusing on building confidence for the puppies.

Versatile Puppy
    This class is for puppies up to eight (8) months old and have completed the Puppy Socialization class. Class will consist of in- and out-door recalls, controlled walking, tricks, retrieving, and scent games.

Home Manners
    This class is for dogs over 4 months of age. The class covers sit, down, stay, walk on leash, come when called, sit and stand for examination, and home manners. This is a 7-week class--1 night a week--with a book and a workbook. The first class is orientation. Do NOT bring your dog the first night of class. The limit for this class is 12 students.

Public Manners
    Prerequisite: Home Manners or the combination of Agile Pup AND Versatile Pup. This class is for those wishing to progress farther with their training, and gain more control over their dogs. This class helps to prepare dogs to pass the Canine Good Citizen test given the last night of class. The CGC is a certification offered by the American Kennel Club. The class also prepares dogs and handlers to continue to the obedience or rally competition classes, and to obedience/agility skills.. The limit for this class is 12 students.

Beginner Novice Class
Prerequisite Obedience/Rally Skills. This class concentrates on teaching the Novice exercises for those with the goal of competing in Obedience Trials. The foundation skills learned in ORS are built upon and formed into formal exercises as done in trials, the goal of the class being Pre-Novice. The limit for this class is 12 students.

Advanced Novice Class
Prerequisite Beginner Novice. This class consists of proofing the exercises learned in Beginner Novice, ring handling, and some exercises from Open and Utility. The goal of the class is a Novice routine as
done at an Obedience Trial. The limit for this class is 12 students.

Competition Heeling
30-minute class of ring preparation and proofing for Novice, Open and Utility heeling. This class is concurrent with Open/Utility and is included in the class fee fore those classes. Novice handlers are encouraged to work in Open on exercises other than heeling.

Obedience/Rally Skills
Prerequisite: Must have completed Public Manners class or equivalent. The Obedience/Rally Skills class is to teach the dog the skills required to continue on into either the Beginner Novice class or the Rally Novice class. Methods are motivational yet are geared to teach precision. This is a challenging class involving different methodology on some of the exercises learned in the Home Manners and Public Manners classes. It is geared for those who want to compete with their dogs, yet is also a place for people to take their dogs who simply want to continue training.

Rally Novice Class
Prerequisite: Obedience/Rally Skills class or equivalent training. This class prepares the handler and dog participation in rally. The requirements for participation in this class are that the dog have either completed an Obedience Rally Skills class, or know how to do the skills required. That is, heeling maneuvers including tight left circles and turns, motivated right circles and turns, good response to sit and down, a short stay, a close front and both finishes. The Rally Class is primarily learning proper handling for each novice sign, running courses, and ring rules. This class covers the Novice signs only.

Rally Advanced Class
Prerequisite: Rally Novice class. This class teaches the Advanced and Excellent signs.

Open Class
This class assists in preparing dogs and handlers for earning the title of Companion Dog Excellent. This limit for this class is 12 students.

Utility Class
This class assists in preparing dogs and handlers for earning the Utility title. The limit for this class is 12 students.

Obedience/Agility Skills
Prerequisite: Public Manners or the combination of Puppy Socialization, Agile Pup, and Versatile Puppy. This course will help handlers and their dogs build on the basic skills they began learning in Home Manners/Public Manners or in the three consecutive puppy classes (Puppy Socialization, Agile Pup, and Versatile Pup) and show how these skills may be applied in agility training. While this course will serve as a foundation for those wishing to continue their agility training, it is also intended to improve general handling skills, build confidence in both handlers and their dogs, and enhance the relationship between people and their canine companions. This class is designed for one working dog per student due to simultaneous exercises. The limit for this class is 8 students.

Prerequisite: Obedience/Agility Skills OR Demonstrating to a member of the Agility Committee before class starts the following exercises: Go to the Table for a 10 second sit stay and a 10 second down stay, controlled walking on a loose leash, recalls to handler over a jump and on the flat, demonstrate an understanding the target plate, demonstrate hand awareness flat work, demonstrate contact touch command on the low dog walk, and demonstrate good jumping skills and send to the tunnel. The purpose of this class is to start or re-learn the contact obstacles in agility, channels weaves and open and closed tunnels. This class is designed for one working dog per student due to simultaneous exercises. The limit for this class is 10 students.

Prerequisite: Obedience/Agility Skills OR Demonstrating to a member of the Agility Committee before class starts the following exercises: Go to the Table for a 10 second sit stay and a 10 second down stay, controlled walking on a loose leash, recalls to handler over a jump and on the flat, demonstrate an understanding the target plate, demonstrate hand awareness flat work, and demonstrate good jumping skills and send to the tunnel. The purpose of this class is to introduce on the ground skills or flat work skills along with an understanding of cues and body language to use when jumping your dog. This class will continue to work on the channel weaves and open and closed tunnels. This class is designed for one working dog per student due to simultaneous exercises. The limit for this class is 10 students.

Agility Weaves
This class is for the handler and dog to improve their weave performance. In order to enroll in this class, the dog must be 80% on their weave performance. This means that the dog can successfully complete a set of weaves--6 or 12 poles--80% of the time. This is not a class that teaches the dog to weave, but rather it is a class to proof and improve the dog's performance in the weaves.

Pre-Novice Agility Class
     Proofing Contact Distance and Setting up Courses Safely. Prerequisites: Successful completion of the ABC and ABJ classes per the Instructor’s signoff. This class is also for students that need work on proofing obstacle distance, would like to learn how to set up a course safely and read a course layout map.
     Purpose and Goals of the Pre Novice Agility Class: To proof all the obstacles in agility with handler distance to include an emphasis on using a verbal release from all the contacts. The Student will learn accurate, exact and consistent body language for all obstacles. The weave poles will go from 4 poles, to 6 poles, and finally to 12 poles during this class. Students will start building independent obstacles completion no matter the handler location. Students will learn to always release the dog from a contact with a verbal release. One focus will be on teaching “between the obstacles” and how to handle the dog “between the obstacles.”
     This class will provide handouts regarding; agility rules, regulations, obstacles, and how Agility Judges…judge agility runs in AKC, UKC and NADAC, also training opportunities and record keeping. Students will learn how to set up an agility course and how to read a course map. To this end, students will be asked to help set up the agility ring for each class and take down the agility ring at the end of each class. Students will each have a course layout map to learn how to read and prepare to train for agility.

Novice Agility Class
Prerequisite: Agility Basics-Contacts & Jumps, and dog must be able to run short sequences of agility obstacles off leash in order to start preparing to show at the novice level. Thus, off-leash control of the dog is required. We will now add handling and actual course layouts. This is a class to stay in until you receive your first title. The limit for this class is 8 students.

Advanced (Competition) Agility Class
Prerequisite: completion of one agility title. This class is designed for students competing in Advanced Agility classes. We will concentrate on more handling and more involved course layouts. The limit for this class is 8 students.

Tracking Class
Tracking classes prepare dogs and handlers to earn the AKC TD (Tracking Dog) title. This class has limited enrollment.

Special Classes
The Springfield Dog Training Club also offers special classes on occasion, including obedience handling, clicker training, come when called, motivational retrieving, and childrens' classes, etc. Check our web pages for up-coming events!