Obedience training should start in puppyhood with the basic skills of Sit, Down, Come and Heel (walk beside handler). We can help train your dog foundation skills, all the way up to competition level. As obedience training relies on the bond between owner and dog, and learning is “situational”, you will need to practice the exercises at home as well.
The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme was established in 1992, and is the largest dog training programme in the UK. The scheme is open to all dogs, young or old, pedigree or crossbreed. Dogs do not need to be registered with The Kennel Club to take part. The scheme promotes responsible dog ownership by teaching owners to train their dog for everyday life situations. There are four award levels: Puppy Foundation, Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Rally is the newest of the KC sports. It involves the dog and handler negotiating a course of numbered stations each of which has a different exercise to perform; think of it as a sort of ‘obedience exercise obstacle course’. It’s a great way to teach your dog new stuff and improving the accuracy of things they already know. Walking with you forwards, sideways or backwards, developing sits, downs and stands. In the higher levels there are jumps, send aways and retrieves too. You don’t need space or equipment to practice rally, so it’s a perfect home based training activity for you both.
