Puppy

This is currently a 7 week course for puppies who have had their first vaccination and are up to 6 months old at the start of the course. The course aims to help you develop your puppy in to a calm, well-mannered dog that is happy to greet people and other dogs, respond to basic commands (sit, lie down, recall), accept grooming / vet checks and understand the first steps in walking closely with you when on a lead.

Classes are kept small (maximum 8 puppies) and the emphasis will be on helping you and your puppy to enjoy the training process. The course is run by one or more trainers who will ensure that you get the best instruction for your puppy.

Beginners

This is currently a 7 week course for puppies older than 6 months, puppies who have completed the Puppy Course & want to progress and for older dogs who may not have had the opportunity of previous training. The course aims to progress puppies on from their initial training and to develop your dog in to a calm companion though basic obedience training. In addition to basic commands, we will also develop loose lead walking.

As with the puppy class we have a maximum of 8 dogs and the emphasis is on building a partnership with your dog that is relaxed and positive. The course is run by one or more trainers who will ensure that you get the best instruction for your dog. Handouts covering the classes activities will be given out during the course.

Kennel Club Good Citizen

The Kennel Club developed these nationally recognised qualifications for dogs to demonstrate their attainment of set levels of obedience. We run courses covering the skills needed to pass Bronze, Silver and Gold levels and organise formal tests about every 6 months. Classes run on a rolling basis so you can decide with your trainers when you are ready to take each test. There is usually a waiting list for these classes.

Competitive Obedience

This class is an introductory course in Competitive Obedience. Places are limited and give you the opportunity to learn from others and also share your experience. Positive reward based training methods are used and emphasis is given to building your relationship with your dog. We aim to advise and inform on the standards and techniques needed for the distinctive requirements of competitive obedience. Class members will have the opportunity to represent the Club at the annual Hampshire Rally competition which is a friendly inter-regional club obedience event hosted by a different club every year. The funds raised by the event go to charity.

Please familiarise yourself with our Code of Conduct before starting this class.

Club Activities

We love training and working our dogs and have two key activities that members can get involved with to further their training, have fun and enjoy trying out some different skills. The first is on a Thursday evening at our normal venue, Basingstoke Rugby Club at 8.30pm. This is a good class to attend for dogs that have achieved their Gold Good Citizen Award or are working towards it and are comfortable working around other dogs on and off lead. We focus on general obedience work/drills/games but also try different activities from movement puzzles, body conditioning work, scent work and even some man trailing! It is also a great way for club members to get together, have a chat and some refreshments and keep connected and up to date on all things dog training. We very much welcome contributions from anyone who has got a specific skill they can share e.g. training for agility, Rally, heal work to music. We ask for a small contribution to each class that you attend (currently £5), there is no set structure so you can come as little or often as you wish, but please advise Caroline our Bookings Secretary in advance if you are interested.

Our second activity for members (and when we run our workshop for those interested in competitive obedience), takes place on the second Sunday of each month at Pamber Heath Village Hall from 12.00-4pm. We run two workshops, the first from 12.15-1.45 and the 2nd from 2.15-3.45pm. Dependent on space you can attend one or the other or both but we ask that these classes are paid in advance, in 3-month blocks, so that we can be assured to cover the cost of hall hire. The cost for these classes is £10 for one or £15 if you stay for both. In these sessions we work towards developing our competitive obedience skills and preparing for the Hampshire Rally as well as our Open Show which is run jointly with Newbury & District Dog Training Society each June. This is a large show with 400+ people entered in the various classes that form competitive obedience competition. We also offer opportunities to further practise for the Good Citizens Award Scheme if assessments are coming up and run sessions on scent work, training for enrichment, problem solving, training for independence and keep our canine friends active, stimulated, happy and relaxed. If you are interested in any of the above, please contact the Bookings Secretary.