PET CLASSES

STAR Puppy

This class is for puppies 12 weeks to 5 months old at the start of class. STAR Puppy program is designed to get dog owners and their puppies off to a good start. It is an excellent first training class for puppies and provides a lead-in to the AKC Canine Good Citizen program. Handlers must attend all 6 class sessions to take the test and obtain the certificate.

MON 5:30-6:00 pm Deb Hughes Limit 6

Puppy Class

This class for puppies 3 to 6 months old. Puppy classes are designed to familiarize your puppy to the world around him. Focus is on understanding your puppy, beginner obedience exercises, and socialization. Puppies must have had all age appropriate vaccinations by the first class. Bring vaccination documentation to the first class.

MON 5:30-6:00 pm Charlie Williams Limit 6

Canine Good Citizen: Prep and Skills

The CGC (Canine Good Citizen) is a ten-skill training program that focuses on basic good manners and obedience, instilling the values of responsible ownership, and strengthening the bond between you and your dog at home and in the community. OTCGL offers the CGC test several times a year and this class will get you ready to take that test. The instructor may offer CGC testing at their discretion. Pre-requisites: Dogs must be under control, understand basic obedience commands, and be able to walk on leash.

WED 6:30-7:15 pm Celeste Gerlach Limit 10

Family Dog

This class focuses on impulse control & manners for the family dog. Before your dog can walk politely down the street, they need to learn to ignore those tempting distractions that cause them to drag you down the sidewalk! We will focus on exercises & games to help your dog learn to keep their attention on you! Dogs must wear buckle or martingale collar or a harness (no prong or slip collars). Must be able to be around other dogs without barking. Bring lots of small, soft, high-value treats. Pre-requisite: 6 months old or completed puppy class

WED 7:00-7:30 pm Roxann Wilkinson Limit 6

Household Manners

This class is for handlers who want to help their dog become a happy and well-adjusted member of the family. We will use impulse control to teach skills such as wait, leave it, settle, and not jumping on people. We will also use positive reinforcement to teach skills such as sit, down, come, and a bit of loose leash walking. To be successful, handlers will learn the importance of rewarding desired behaviors as well as patience, consistency, enthusiasm, and making training sessions fun. In this class, dogs will be exposed to other people and dogs and must be able to train in a group class. Dogs must wear a flat buckle collar, martingale, or harness.  Bring lots of small, soft, high-value treats. Dogs should be at least 6 months of age or have completed a puppy class.

THURS 7:00-7:45 pm MaryAnn Schropp Limit 6

Enrichment Games for a Healthy, Happy Dog

Prerequisite:  This class is open to all dogs over 1 year of age.  Dogs must be able to work with their owner within a reasonable distance from another handler/dog team while maintaining control and focus to their owner. Please bring plenty of small treats.  This class will require owners to be punctual to participate in some setup of props and preparation for play activities.

Are you and your furry friend looking for fun activities indoors as the weather gets colder?  Do you notice behaviors from boredom or stress from inactivity?  This class will provide a variety of enrichment activities to stimulate your dog mentally and physically while strengthening your bond. Get ready to try interactive play activities for search and scent, impulse control, focus, agility and balance, and intelligence.  You and your dog will also use your skills to participate in team game activities. Make it-Take it, DIY toy projects will be offered based on class interest. 

WED 7:30-8:15 pm Celeste Gerlach Limit 8

Let’s Play! Using Games to Teach Obedience

Like small children, most dogs learn best in short, active sessions. If the games are fun and interesting your dog will learn and remember them much more quickly and because the dog is an active part of the process, they are more likely to comply when asked to do something that isn’t as much fun (like staying still or going into their crate). This class will cover sit, down, come, and stay (loose leash walking will be worked on as time allows) and your dog will think the two of you are just playing! All you need is some enthusiasm, a big bag of small soft treats, a 4-6 foot leash, and a buckle or martingale collar or harness (no prong or slip collars) A willingness to act a bit silly is a bonus!

WED 7:45-8:15 pm Roxann Wilkinson Limit 8

Beginner Tricks

Learning tricks is a great way to increase the bond with your dog and have fun at the same time! This positive reinforcement class will begin with teaching basic marker training. We will use marker training, shaping, luring, and other techniques to teach our dogs tricks and learn things that can be used at home, in classes, and even future sports. Your dog must be on a 6 foot leash, and bring lots of high value small, soft treats…and a positive mindset…and get ready to have fun. Lots of props will be available. Pre-requisites: dogs must have basic leash manners and able to participate in a group class.

WED 7:00-7:30 pm Mary Ann Schropp Limit 6

COMPETITIVE CLASSES

Intro to Obedience

This positive reinforcement beginner class will focus on: attention/focus, beginning heelwork, sit/down/stand, stay, recalls, fronts, and finishes. Dogs must be at least 6 months of age, taken a puppy or household class or have basic manners, including walking on a loose leash and ability to train in the presence of other dogs. Bring lots of small, soft treats. Dogs must be on a buckle or martingale collar or a harness, and a 6 foot leash.

THURS 6:15-6:45 pm Mary Ann Schropp Limit 6

Intro to C-WAGS Obedience

This class will familiarize handlers with the unique rules and exercises of C-WAGs obedience (with a focus on Level 1 exercises, and where appropriate, Level 2 exercises).

We will practice C-WAGs exercises with an emphasis on training best practices! The use of reward markers will be strongly encouraged, and specific markers will be discussed to help dogs find success quickly in the C-WAGs exercises.

Pre-requisites: Dogs should wear a flat/buckle/martingale collar and/or a non-restrictive body harness. A basic understanding of sit, down, stay, front, and loose-leash walking or heeling is very helpful, but does not need to be polished. Dog should have some familiarity working for food rewards. If your dog benefits from using a station, snuffle mat, or other prop during waiting periods, please feel free to bring these items. We will use a LOT of cookies in this class, so please plan accordingly!

*C-WAGs offers virtual titling options in obedience – if your canine partner is mildly-moderately reactive and you are interested in attending, please contact the instructor.

TUES 7:30-8:15 pm Carrie Pfeifer and Linda Alkema Limit 5

Beginner Novice

Pre-requisite: Dogs should be able to sit, down, come when called, have a short stay, walk on a loose leash, and have taken a beginning obedience class. Class uses positive reinforcement to teach skills to compete in Beginner Novice: heel on leash, figure 8, sit/down/stay, recall with fronts, and sit for exam. Focus is on competitive obedience, but non-competitive handlers are welcome. Focus on building engagement through rewards and praise. Bring LOTS of high-value soft treats.

TUES 5:30-6:00 pm Vicki Bowerman Limit 6

WED 2:00-2:30 pm Vicki Bowerman Limit 6

FRI 10:00-10:45 am Margo Maidlow Limit 8

Novice

Dogs should be at least 6 months old and able to sit, down, stay, come when called, & walk on a loose leash. Beginner Novice is NOT a pre-requisite to take this class. This positive reinforcement class focuses on the Novice exercises (heel on leash, figure 8, heel free, stand for exam, recall with finish, sit/stay get your leash, and group sits & downs).  Focus is on competitive obedience, but non-competitive handlers who want to improve their skills are welcome. 

MON 6:15-6:45 pm Cindy Jones Limit 6

TUES 6:30-7:15 pm Dick Hemmer Limit 10

FRI 11:00-11:45 am Margo Maidlow Limit 8

Novice

This positive reinforcement class focuses on the skills necessary to execute the AKC Novice obedience exercises. Skills include: fronts, finishes, heel on and off leash, pivots, figure 8, stand for exam, recall, sit/stay get your leash, group sits & downs, and attention under distractions. Focus is on competitive obedience, but non-competitive handlers who want to improve their skills are welcome. Dogs should be at least 6 months old and should be able to sit, down, have a short stay, come when called, and walk on a loose leash. It is recommended to have taken a household manners/obedience or Beginner Novice class, but is not required.

THUR 10:00-10:45 am Renee Baenen Limit 6

THUR 12:15-1:00 pm Renee Baenen Limit 6 NEW CLASS SESSION!

Open Prep

Pre-requisites: Dogs and handlers should be ready to compete or already competing at the AKC Novice level. Dogs should be able to sit, down, stand, stay, come when called, and work on and off leash. It is recommended to have completed a Novice obedience class, but not required. This positive reinforcement class focuses on the skills necessary to move from AKC Novice to Open. We will focus on off leash obedience with special attention on heelwork, while introducing retrieves on the flat and over a jump, position changes, recall with a drop, and the broad jump.

THURS 11:15-12:00 pm Renee Baenen Limit 6

Open

Pre-requisite:  Must have taken Intro to Open class. Dogs should be able to work off leash. This class uses positive reinforcement and to teach the Open exercises:  off leash heeling, off leash figure 8, command discrimination, drop on recall, retrieve on flat, high jump, broad jump, and stand/get your leash. 

MON 10:00-10:45 am Marty Siegrist Limit 4

WED 11:30-12:15 pm Cindy Jones Limit 4

Competitive Problem Solving

Is there an exercise in Open or Utility you can’t seem to get a handle on? A new exercise that you would like to start teaching your dog? This is the class for you. Let’s put our heads together and see if we can help you solve your issues if that is what you would like to work on. If it is a new exercise, we will help you put the steps in place to lay a great foundation. If you are already competing at these levels we can also provide some proofing exercises.

THURS 6:00-6:45 pm Jodi Brunson Limit 5

Intro to Utility

Dogs must be reliable in off leash heeling, have a solid recall, and able to retrieve. This class will introduce the Utility exercises. Students should bring a set of predominately white gloves (at least 2 for intro work) and a set of scent articles, either a complete set of standard utility articles or at least 4 wooden dumbbells or dowels, and leather and/or metal articles. These can be every day items like cookie cutters, canning lids (metal), or key chains, gloves (leather).

TUES 6:30-7:15 pm Terri Korthals Limit 4

Utility

Pre-requisite: Must have taken Open or Intro to Utility class and be able to perform Open exercises. This class focuses on training and proofing the Utility Obedience exercises: signals, scent discrimination, directed jumping, directed retrieve, and moving stand.

MON 11:00-11:45 am Marty Siegrist Limit 4

WED 1:00-1:45 pm Cindy Jones Limit 4

UKC Novice and Open

This class is for people and dogs already familiar with AKC Novice and Open who want to try UKC. We will focus on the differences including Greeting the Judge, Jump in Novice, Socialized greeting in Open, Walker in Open for heeling and drop on recall, and Honor down in Novice.

FRI 12:00-12:45 pm Shirley Robertson and Karen Friderici Limit 6

UKC Utility

This class will introduce the Utility exercises for UKC, including the Marked and Signal Retrieves, Consecutive Recalls, plus the more familiar Signal Exercise (Signals and Heeling), and Directed Jumping. Dog needs to be a reliable off leash heeler and able to do retrieving. Owners must have three gloves and at least one of the following: 6 metal or leather or wood articles.

TUES 10:30-11:30 pm Terri Korthals Limit 3

OTHER SPORTS

Intro to Agility Handling

This class is for dogs/handlers thinking about competing in agility but have limited experience. Handling will focus on what you’re telling your dog to do (or not do) by your body positioning (feet, chest, eyes, hands, and motion). We will introduce sequences primarily using jumps. Dogs should be at least 6 months of age (those under 14 months won’t be doing jumps at full height).

MON 12:30-1:15 pm Pete Ostlund Limit 5

Intro to Agility Obstacles

This class is for dogs just learning agility obstacles. We will work all dogs in the ring at one time, on leash. We will take things slowly to build confidence and avoid mishaps. This class is for any dog, whether or not you plan to compete in agility. It will help build the dog’s confidence in themselves and how they respond to different surroundings. Dogs should be at least 6 months of age.

MON 1:30-2:00 pm Pete Ostlund Limit 5

Beginner Rally

Rally is a fun and engaging sport  that emphasizes teamwork between the handler and their dog. The dog and handler work together to navigate a course of signs. At each sign the team performs a task, such as sit, down, turn, etc. Handlers are encouraged to communicate with their dogs with commands, praise, and treats.  Benefits of Rally include: strengthening the bond between dog and handler, improving obedience skills, encouraging physical activity and mental stimulation of the dog, and having fun! This positive reinforcement beginner class is designed for those who have no experience. Dogs should be able to sit, down, and walk on a loose leash. Students will learn Rally basics, including the skills needed to perform the Novice signs. 

THURS 5:30-6:00 pm Marilyn DeRoover Limit 6

Rally: Novice Level

This class will focus on the Novice level of Rally signs, including the proper performance of signs as needed.

TUES 5:30-6:15 pm Shirley Robertson and Karen Friderici Limit 6

Rally: Master Level

This class is for handlers preparing to enter trials competing at the Master level in Rally. Dogs must be crated during the walk through at the beginning of class.

WED 5:00-6:00 pm Marilyn DeRoover Limit 6

Scentwork: Skills Building Intermediate

This class is designed for Teams of Dogs currently experienced in searching for Birch odor who are interested in competing in AKC or UKC in Novice or Advanced Levels.  This Class will introduce 2 new Odors ( Anise and Clove).  Goals will be to increase Dogs drive to search and endurance for longer searches.  We will have 2 hide searches.  This class will introduce low level distractions and how teams can best handle these situations.  Information about Trial day planning and strategies will also be provided.

WED 5:45-6:30 pm Shelly Barton Limit 6

Don’t forget our Drop In classes! The Jan/Feb drop in class schedule will be posted by Dec 15.