COMPETITION OBEDIENCE CLASSES OFFERED AT TOP DOG: All classes are 6 weeks
Attention and Handling: This class is the foundation for the competition obedience program at Top Dog. All students planning to show their dogs for obedience titles must start here. A six-week course on attention will be presented along with distance attention and attention games. Part of the class each night will be spent without the dog, working on handling and footwork (so please bring a crate or plan to leave your dog in the car for the last 15 minutes of class each week).
Competition Puppy Class: This class is for handlers with prior competition experience. An excellent start of puppies 8 weeks to five months of age who are destined for competition obedience. Puppies will be introduced to exercises from all levels of obedience training, including the basics of sit, down, and walking, as well as heeling, retrieving, and go outs.
Advanced Attention, Heeling and Handling: For dogs working at the Novice II level or above. This is an intensive class which will focus on attention work and distractions in attention exercises and in heeling. At least 15 minutes of each class will be spent working on handling without the dogs. This is a great refresher course for those working in open and utility also!
Rally: The suggested prerequisite for this class is the Novice I class, but any dogs who have completed at least the Advanced Beginners class my attend. This class will introduce students to AKC rally competition. Rally is a fun way to begin competing with your dog!
Novice I: This class is for graduates of the Attention and Handling class. More emphasis is placed on heeling with attention. Turns and figure eights are introduced. Distance and distractions are increased for recalls and sit and down stays in preparation for off-leash work. Hand signals, the stand, and fronts and finishes are taught.
Novice II: The Novice II class takes graduates of Novice I and polishes and prepares them to compete in Novice obedience. Heeling, fronts and finishes, stand-stays, figure eights, and all aspects of Novice obedience will be proofed and polished. Dogs will be working off-leash for recalls and stays.
Novice III: The Novice III class, for graduates of Novice II, continues to refine their Novice skills, while beginning to teach Open skills.
Novice Ring Prep: This class brings together all of the Novice skills and prepares students to compete in obedience trials. Rules for AKC and UKC Novice classes will be discussed. Tips and strategy for competing in obedience will be presented. Students in this class will be attending match shows.
Beginning Open: For dogs with reliable Novice skills. Dogs are introduced to retrieving, jumping, drop on recall and out-of-sight sit and down stays.
Open Ring Prep: For dogs who know all of the Open exercises. We will work on proofing and polishing the Open exercises, as well as sequencing exercises for the ring and developing strategies for match shows and obedience trials.
Heeling: Heeling class is an intensive half-hour class to proof and polish heeling. The class is geared toward dogs in the Open and Utility classes.
Open and Utility: These are advanced classes in competition obedience. They cover such exercises as the retrieve on flat, retrieve over the high jump, the drop on recall, and the broad jump, as well as signals, scent discriminations, the directed retrieve, moving stand, and directed jumping.
Rally Classes: At each level the signs and exercises will be introduced and explained. Handlers and dogs will be given ample opportunity to practice each skill. They will then work sequences and full courses.
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