Tallahassee Dog Obedience Club
Training you to train your dog.
Classes
During the months of August through June, TDOC offers training classes to the community, either at the Sue McCollum Community Center at Lafayette Park or at the North Florida Fairgrounds. Classes are six weeks and are open to all dogs (purebred or mixed) three months of age or older. The goal of these classes is to help owners better understand their dogs, and teach their dogs simple skills (walking on leash, sit, down, stay, stand, and come) and good manners. Owners learn how to engage their dogs and keep them motivated. At the conclusion of the Manners & More class, students are given the opportunity to take the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test .
Classes Offered beginning August 14
To Register For A Class
Please call 850-562-4421 on or after your registration date below. The pre-registration date is for club members and students enrolled in the previous class session. The registration date is for the general public. Please leave your name, telephone number, and the age and breed of your dog. Your call will be returned by the TDOC registrar, who will give you additional information about the classes and the registration process. Classes are filled on a first-come basis based on receipt of completed paperwork and payment.
Annual Schedule of Class Sessions
*Pre-registration is for club members and current students
Fee for the six-week class session is $175.00.
Class Descriptions
Puppy Class is for dogs under nine months of age and is part of the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy program. The primary focus of puppy class is socialization with strangers, other dogs and different situations. Puppies are introduced to the basic skills (sit, down, stay, come and stand). Topics such as health and hygiene, housebreaking, basic grooming, puppy behavior and how puppies learn will be covered.
Basic Manners is for dogs of all ages and is the most popular class. The Basic Manners class is more structured than Puppy Class because the dogs are developmentally more ready for structured lessons. In Basic Manners, owners and dogs work on refining basic skills and learning additional skills, while keeping their dogs happy and focused. The Basic Manners class is a prerequisite to the Manners and More class.
In Manners and More, the concept of teamwork is emphasized. Attention and focus skills are enhanced, and owners improve their timing and communication. Teams learn the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen Test (CGC) elements, and the CGC test is offered to all dogs and handler teams at the end of the class session.
The CGC Test is an American Kennel Club certification program that tests dogs in simulated everyday situations in a relaxed atmosphere. The CGC Program has a 10 item test of basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the test are eligible to receive a title certificate from the American Kennel Club. For more information on the CGC, see https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/
Rally is a fun and flexible alternative to standard obedience competition. AKC Rally tests the communication and teamwork between handlers and their dogs. Rally focuses on the dog and handler working together as they navigate through a course with 10 to 20 different signs. Each sign displays a skill for the team to perform, such as making 270-degree turns, heeling through cones, fronts and finishes, and much more. When moving through the Rally course, the handler can speak to their dog, praise them for encourage-ment, and use body language. Novice Rally is always on-leash. Rally Novice Prerequisite: completion of Manners & More class. Rally Intermediate prerequisite: Rally Novice.
Novice, Open and Utility classes are offered for the individuals who would like to train their dogs for obedience competition. Many students start the road to competition obedience or rally by taking a couple of basic level classes, then so appreciate the bond shared with their dogs that they move into competition level training!
