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 adopted from shelters must be in the new owner's home at least two (2) weeks PRIOR to the puppy attending puppy class.

Agile Puppy
This class is for puppies up to 1 year of age that have completed Pup Soc 1. We use puppy sized miniature agility equipment while mainly focusing on building confidence for the puppies.

Versatile Puppy
    For puppies under the age of one year who have completed the Pup Soc 1 and the Agile Pup classes. Class will consist of in- and our-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 class limit for this class is 12.

Public Manners
    Prerequisite: Home Manners. 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. The class limit for this class is 12.

Novice Class
Prerequisite: Obedience/Rally Skills class. The Novice class is for preparing the dog and handler to compete in Novice obedience. The dog should have completed the Obedience/Rally Skills class. The Novice class stresses obedience handling as opposed to rally handling, and concentrates on teaching handlers to withdraw food and voice lures. All of the Novice exercises are included in this class: Heeling, Figure 8, Stand for Exam, Recall, and Stays. The class limit for this class is 12.

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 Novice obedience class or the Rally 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 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 rally sign, running courses, and ring rules. This class covers Rally Novice, Advanced and Excellent signs.

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

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

Obedience/Agility Skills
Prerequisite: Home Manners or Versatile Puppy. This course will help handlers and their dogs build on the basic skills they began learning in Home 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 class limit for this class is 10.

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 class limit for this class is 10.

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 class limit for this class is 10.

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 class limit for this class is 8.

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 class limit for this class is 8.

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, motivational retrieving, and childrens' classes, etc. Check our web pages for up-coming events!