CABTC offers obedience classes for dogs of all ages. We recognize how important it is for socialization to begin at an early age, so we encourage students to enroll their puppies as young as 8 weeks old in a Puppy I class. (Those who complete Puppy I may be eligible to apply for an AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy certificate or title.)
Students with a wide range of goals and experiences in dog training are welcomed! In addition to our Puppy and Foundation classes, we also offer classes that help students achieve titles in competitive sports, such as AKC Obedience and Rally.
We love to see our students reach their training goals, so for that reason, we have developed a class “flow.” Taking the classes in order will help ensure your success.
We currently do not offer the option of testing for students with dogs that might be ready to skip classes and enroll at a higher level. If your dog has already earned an AKC title in Obedience or Rally, please reach out to us to discuss your interests and needs.
CABTC’s obedience instructors have many years of training experience with a wide variety of dogs. Many of our instructors compete in various AKC venues and some have competed at the highest levels of their sports and are nationally ranked.
Puppy Class Flow (8 weeks to under 17 weeks old)
Puppy I → Puppy II
Beginner Class Flow (dogs starting 5 months or older)
Foundation Skills I → Foundation Skills II → Foundation Skills III
Preparing for Obedience and Rally Class Flow
Attention I → Attention II → Skills and Drills for Obedience and Rally
Advanced Obedience Class Flow
Beginner Novice → Novice → Beginning Open → Open Obedience Skills → Utility
Puppy Class Flow
- Mon. 6:30pm-7:30pm
- Mon. 8:00pm-9:00pm
- Tues. 6:30pm-7:30pm
Using the AKC S.T.A.R. program, we teach the basic commands: Sit, Down, Stand, Come.
Obedience basics are continued. In addition, handlers will build trust with their puppies through fun exercises that increase body awareness, self-assurance, balance, and stability.
Beginner Class Flow
- Tues. 9:30am-10:30am
- Tues. 6:30pm-7:30pm
- Wed. 5:00pm-6:00pm
- Wed. 6:30pm-7:30pm
- Wed. 8:00pm-9:00pm
This is the first class in our Beginner Class Flow and covers key skills including recalls (coming when called), sit, down, loose-lead walking, and giving up a toy or other desirable object. Dogs also begin to learn how to focus and ignore distractions in the environment.
- Tues. 9:30am-10:30am
- Wed. 6:30pm-7:30pm
This class is a continuation of Foundation Skills I. The class includes the skills necessary for earning an AKC Canine Good Citizen title. New skills include loose-lead walking through crowds, meeting and greeting other people and dogs, tolerating a brief separation from the handler without undue stress and sitting politely for petting.
- Tues. 9:30am-10:30am
- Wed. 8:00pm-9:00pm
This class is a continuation of Foundation Skills II. This class introduces clicker training. Through “free shaping,” dogs learn to offer behaviors that will help them excel in many sports and activities.
Preparing for Obedience and Rally Class Flow
- Wed. 11:00am-12:00pm
- Wed. 6:30pm-7:30pm
Gaining and maintaining your dog’s attention is integral to success in competitive sports such as Obedience and Rally. These skills are first taught when the dog and handler are stationary. Distractions are added gradually to simulate trial conditions and real-life situations.
- Wed. 11:00am-12:00pm
- Wed. 6:30pm-7:30pm
This class maintains and builds upon what was learned in Attention I, and handlers are taught how to maintain their dogs’ attention while the dogs are moving. This is the beginning of “head up heeling” (i.e., the dog maintaining eye contact with the handler while moving in heel position).
Introducing fun and motivational skills to help improve the performance of exercises in all levels of obedience and rally.
Flow for Advanced Obedience
This class is an introduction to the AKC Beginner Novice (BN) title. Skills taught will include entering the ring with the dog’s attention on the handler, set-up before beginning an exercise, heeling, sit for exam, stays, and recalls.
- Mon. 5:30pm-6:30pm
- Tues. 5:00pm-6:00pm
- Fri. 11:00am-12:00pm
Entry-level obedience class. More precise on-leash heeling, fronts, finishes, recalls and stand commands. Introducing taking and holding the dumbbell.
Handlers will continue working on maintaining their dogs’ attention and improving their off-lead heeling. Students will learn how to break down all the Open exercises into small steps.
Calendar
Get involved! Check out our obedience schedule.