After completing the Basic Obedience Course, further obedience training is available at the club every Sunday from 10.45 a.m. for approx. 45 minutes.  We encourage our members to continue with their training to improve their skills and to allow the dog to continue socialisation with other dogs and people – a very important aspect of dog training

The dog can join in one of the following levels, depending on the skill level of the dog and handler.

Intermediate (Grade 1)

After completing the Basic Obedience Course, the dog will progress into the Intermediate (Grade 1) class.

This level builds on the basic skills and introduces several new exercises:

• Slow and fast pace when heeling
• Return around back of dog after stay, recall, etc.
• Extending the time for sit stay and down stay
• Stand for examination – handler next to dog
• Left about pivot turn

To progress to the next level:

The dog should:

• be starting to co-operate with the handler
• be walking on a loose lead
• be automatically sitting when handler halts
• only need minimum voice encouragement
• be starting to finish in correct position in sit, stand, drop exercises
• be reliable in the sit stay and down stay exercises – at the end of a loose lead

The handler should be:

• understanding the exercises and communicating with the dog
• aware of correct footwork
• checking the position of the dog in each exercise
• encouraging the dog into the correct position when necessary

Advanced (Grades 2&3)

After training in the Intermediate (Grade 1) class, if the dog & handler can demonstrate the necessary skills, they will progress to the Advanced (Grades 2&3) class.

Once again, this level builds on the skills achieved in previous training.

This level introduces:

• halt, stand and down in slow and fast pace
• right/left about turns in slow and fast pace
• down from stand
• “figure of eight”
• recall off lead
• stand for examination – on loose lead – handler in front of dog
• extended times for sit stay and down stay

The next step in obedience is training to enter Obedience Trials.  If you are not interested in entering obedience trials, you can continue training in the Advanced class and improving your skills and continuing the dog’s socialisation.

Masters – Trialling Class

To progress to the Masters – Trialling Class you must be intending to enter Obedience trials, and the dog trained towards the first level of trials, i.e. CCD Community Companion Dog

The dog should be able to do:

• heeling in the correct position on a loose lead, in normal, slow and fast paces
• be proficient in all all turns – left/right about turn, left pivot turn
• need a minimum of verbal direction
• a stand for examination on loose lead with handler in front
• a reliable recall
• sit stay for 1 minute
• down stay for 2 minutes

Training at this level is offered for all levels of Obedience Trials to enable the dog to progressively achieve Obedience titles.

Obedience titles available are:

1. C.C.D.  – Community Companion Dog
2. C.D. – Companion Dog
3. C.D.X. –  Companion Dog Excellent
4. U.D. – Utility Dog
5. U.D.X. – Utility Dog Excellent