Important Information About
Changes to Class Enrollment
- The date classes will open for enrollment is posted on the Home page of the website.
Classes for Session 4 will open May 30 - No enrollment will be accepted before the date posted for enrollment to open
- A waitlist will be kept for the current session only and will be used if someone needs to cancel their class on short notice
- Enrollment are to be made through DogBizPro only. No phone, email, or other means of enrollment will be accepted. Paper applications may be accepted in limited situations.
The changes have become necessary due to the number of classes offered each session. The enrollment process must be as simple and straight forward as possible to prevent errors and to be manageable.
All Classes are 6 weeks in length
$135 for non-members; $85 for members
No walk-in enrollments will be accepted.
Advanced Utility practice is available on Thursday evening from 6:30 – 8:00 on nights when there is no club meeting. There is no instructor assigned for Advanced Utility. Participants pay for ring time.
Questions about enrolling in a class should be sent to enrollment@gkcdtc.org
Questions about which class to take should be sent to training@gkcdtc.org
Online Registration
Schedule for 2023:
Session 1 – begins the week of Jan 25
Session 2 – begins the week of Feb 27
Session 3 – begins the week of Apr 24
Session 4 – begins the week of June 12
Session 5 – begins the week of July 31
Session 6 – begins the week of Oct 2
Session 7 – not offered in 2023
Please note: Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, class dates may change.
PET CLASSES
Puppy Class
Requirements: Puppies must be between three and six months old.
Equipment: OWNER MUST BRING A LEASH, COLLAR, AND SOFT TREATS.
In this 6-week class, puppies will be socialized and will learn how to:
• Walk on a leash
• Sit, lie down, stay, and come when called
• Manage new situations
• Owners will be introduced to balanced training.
Puppy Grad
This 6-week class is a continuation of Puppy Class for those puppies not yet ready to move on to the Beginner class. When offered, Puppy Grad includes the S.T.A.R. Puppy evaluation. S.T.A.R. stands for Socialization, Training, Activity, Responsibility
If the instructor is a S.T.A.R. Puppy evaluator, participants may chose to take the S.T.A.R. Puppy evaluation at the end of class. The STAR Puppy evaluation can be given to puppies up to 12-months old. S.T.A.R. Puppy can be the 1st step to the Canine Good Citizen award. Please see the AKC site for more information on S.T.A.R. Puppy.
Beginner
Requirements: Dogs must be at least five months old.
Equipment: A training collar will be furnished as part of the class fee.
Owners: Please have a 6-foot LEASH (leather or nylon) AND SOFT TRAINING TREATS
In this 6-week class dog/handler teams will be taught how to:
• Sit, down, and stand on command
• Stay and come when called
• Walk politely on leash
The class will also focus on the following home manners:
• Grooming and handling, include checking ears, teeth, and feet
• Stopping jumping up and nuisance barking
• Relinquishing toys, food, and other items at
handler’s request
• Teaching door respect and “leave it”
Advanced Beginner (CGC)
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Beginner class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
This 6-week class will prepare the dog/handler teams for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test (CGC) which will be given on the last night of class. Items on the CGC test include:
• Accepting a friendly stranger
• Sitting politely for petting
• Appearance and grooming
• Out for a walk on a loose leash
• Walking through a crowd
• Sit and down on command and staying in place
• Coming when called
• Reaction to another dog
• Reaction to distraction
• Supervised separation
Registered/listed dogs that pass are eligible for a certificate and may add the CGC title after their names (There is an additional fee to AKC to have the title added to the dog’s AKC registration).
Dogs who have not taken the Advanced Beginner class at GKCDTC may come for the test given at the final class of the session. The cost is $10 and advance notification is required.
Tricks
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Beginner class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
Dog/Handler team will be taught behavior shaping skills and methods to learn tricks including those listed under the AKC Trick dog title guidelines. This is a 6 week class unless otherwise stated.
Not offered every session.
COMPETITION CLASSES
Beginner Novice
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Advanced Beginner class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
This 6-week class will provide new handlers with an introduction to formal showing in the obedience ring. It will also teach dog/handler teams the exercises necessary to compete in AKC-sanctioned dog shows in the Beginner Notice (BN) class. These include:
• Focused Heeling and Footwork
• Figure Eight
• Sit for exam
• Sit stay
• Recall
• Introduction to dog shows
Novice
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Advanced Beginner class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
This 6-week class will teach dog/handler teams the exercises necessary to compete in AKC-sanctioned dog shows in the Companion Dog (CD) class.
Dog/handler teams will be taught the following:
• Heel on and off leash
• Figure Eight
• Stand for exam
• Recall
• Stay while retrieving leash
• Stays and other skills
Introduction to Open – when offered
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Novice class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
This 6-week class will teach dog/handler teams the exercises necessary to compete in AKC-sanctioned dog shows in the Graduate Novice (GN) class.
Dog/handler teams will be taught the following:
• Heel Fee and Figure Eight
• Drop on Recall
• Dumbbell Recall
• Dumbbell Recall over High Jump
• Recall over Broad Jump
• Introduction to Command Discrimination (Stand, Down, Sit)
Open
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Novice class or demonstrate equivalent skills
This 6-week class will teach dog/handler teams the exercises necessary to compete in AKC-sanctioned dog shows in the Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) class. This class builds on the skills taught in the Intro to Open class.
Skills for Open:
• Heel Free and Figure Eight
• Command Discrimination (Stand, Down, Sit)
• Drop on Recall
• Retrieve on Flat
• Retrieve over High Jump
• Broad Jump
• Stand Stay – Get Your Leash
Introduction to Utility – when offered
This class is for the dog/handler team ready to learn the exercises for the AKC Utility Dog (UD) title. It is not for the team already competing in the UD Class.
One exercise each week will be introduced, including:
• Signal Exercises
• Articles
• Directed Retrieve
• Moving Stand
• Directed jumping:
Utility
Requirements: This class is for dogs for dogs who have earned the Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) title or demonstrate equivalent skills.
This 6-week class will teach dog/handler teams the exercises necessary to compete in AKC-sanctioned dog shows in the Utility Dog (UD) class.
Skills for Utility:
• Signal Exercises
• Scent Discrimination Article #1
• Scent Discrimination Article #2
• Directed Retrieve
• Moving Stand and Examination
• Directed Jumping
Rally Skills
Requirements: Dogs must be at least six months old and have completed the Advanced Beginner class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
In this 6-week class dog/handler teams will learn the exercises needed to compete in
• AKC Rally Novice (on lead)
• AKC Rally Intermediate (on lead)
• AKC Rally Advanced (off lead)
• AKC Rally Excellent (off lead)
• AKC Rally Master (off lead)
The description for the Intro to Rally class is below.
Expanded Rally Skills – when offered
Requirements: Dogs must be at least six months old and have completed the Rally Skills class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
Expanded Rally Skills will focus on advanced skills plus introduce some newer skill sequences to improve dog/handler team performance. It will offer teams more flexibility and encourage teamwork.
Tricks
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Beginner class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
Dog/Handler team will be taught behavior shaping skills and methods to learn tricks including those listed under the AKC Trick dog title guidelines. This is a 6 week class unless otherwise stated.
SCENT WORK
All Scent Work classes are using new curriculum in 2023
Scent Work I – Introduction to Scent Work
Requirements: Dogs must be six months of age or older for non-Club members; three months of age or older for Club members.
Does your dog love to sniff? Are you looking for a way to work them mentally and physically with an activity that is easy for you to do and fits your busy schedule? Do you need something to help build your dog’s confidence or curb unwanted behaviors stemming from boredom? Great! Then the 6-week Scent Work I – Introduction to Scent Work class is for you!
With instructor’s permission, puppies who have not taken the Puppy class may participate if they are socialized, leash trained, and crate trained.
This class was previously named Intro to Scent Work.
Scent Work II – Odor and Elements
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Scent Work I -Introduction to Scent Work
This 6-week class builds upon the foundation skills learned in Scent Work I – Introduction to Scent Work and focuses on skill building while searching for a particular odor. We teach the dogs to search for the odor and to develop odor obedience.
This class was previously named Scent Work II – Intermediate (multiple odors) <OR> Advanced Scent Work.
Scent Work III – Beginning Trial Preparation
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Scent Work II – Odor and Elements
This 6-week class is for dogs who have completed Scent Work II – Odor and Elements and have shown proficiency in finding the initial target odor.
This class was previously named Scent Work III – Competition Skills (complex searches) <OR> Scent Work Skills.
Scent Work IV – Advanced Trial Preparation
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Scent Work III – Beginning Trial Preparation
This 6-week class is designed for dog and handler teams who have completed Scent Work III – Beginning Trial Preparation. The search areas will become larger and with more distractions and distractors and odor movement.
This is a new class for 2023
Scent Work V – Competition Skills
Requirements: Dogs must have completed the Scent Work IV – Advanced Trial Preparation
This 6-week class is for teams that have completed Scent Work IV – Upper Level Trial Preparation. Teams will continue to learn and hone skills including how to set hides, leash handling, and trial readiness. The classes will be conducted per the needs of the teams in each class.
This is a new class for 2023
OTHER COMPETITION CLASSES
Conformation
Requirements: Dogs must be at least three months old.
Dog/Handler teams will learn the art of how to stack, gait and present for Judge’s examination to compete in AKC Conformation Events.
Junior Showmanship classes are available for children between the ages of 9 and 18. Please check with the instructor.
Introduction to Rally – when offered
Requirements: Dogs must be at least six months old and have completed the Advanced Beginner class or demonstrate equivalent skills.
This is a 6-week class designed for exhibitors new to Rally trials and those who have not earned a Rally Novice title.
AKC Rally® is all about teamwork. You and your dog navigate a course together, side-by-side, at your own brisk pace. You move through a course with signs where the dog performs different exercises. The courses are designed by the Rally judge with 10-20 signs per course, depending on the class level. The signs include various turns and commands such as sit, down, stay, etc.
Unlimited communication from the handler to the dog is to be encouraged and not penalized. While touching isn’t allowed, you can use verbal commands, clap your hands, pat your legs, and use hand signals to praise and encourage your dog.
Note: Not all classes are taught in every session.