NVDTC CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

ALL CLASSES RUN 6 WEEKS UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE ON CLASS SCHEDULES.

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BEGINNING OBEDIENCE CLASSES:

Includes Puppy (12  weeks to 5.1/2 months), Adolescent (6 month to 1 year) , Good Manners 1 (1 Year +)

Visit our registration page tor details on how to sign up for a class. View upcoming classes.

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PUPPY

Designed for young dogs up to 5 ½ months of age.  

This class is an introduction to basic obedience, life skills, socialization, confidence building and bonding. Dogs must have received at least two DHPP immunizations by the start of class.

 

ADOLESCENT

Designed for dogs 6 – 12 months of age.

This class focuses on young dogs who are new to the training class environment, or young dogs who participated in Puppy Class and want more practice with skills, socialization and confidence building.

 

GOOD MANNERS 1

Designed for dogs 1 year of age and older.

This class is for dogs who are new to the training class environment or continuing from Adolescent Dog. Basic obedience skills are covered, expanded upon and proofed with distractions.  

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INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED LEVEL CLASSES:

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GOOD MANNERS 2

A continuation of Adolescent Dog and/or Good Manners 1.

This class focuses on polishing known skills plus learning heeling patterns, finishes (right / left) and working with more difficult distractions.

Prerequisites:  Dog should be solid on Sit, Down, Recall, Leave It, Watch Me / Attention, Touch Hand, Walk Nicely on Leash and Stay.

 

CANINE GOOD CITIZEN

The American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The program is open to all dogs, pedigree and mixed breed. The CGC is not a competition but does expect the dog to successfully complete 10 required exercises.  

To learn more about the Canine Good Citizen Program, visit www.akc.org/.

 

RALLY

A rally ring contains a course of signs and stations that handler and dog must complete. Side-by-side the team navigates the course as the owner helps his/her dog perform different exercises successfully.

To  learn more about rally visit  www.akc.org/sports/rally/.

 

SCENT WORK

This sport mimics the task of working detection dogs. In this sport, dogs are trained to recognize specific odors (birch, anise, clove and cypress) and alert the owner when the odor is detected. To learn more about Scent Work visit  www.akc.org/sports/akc-scent-work/.

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SPECIAL CLASSES: 

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COMMUNITY WALKS 

First class meets at the “club” for training new skills, followed by two field trips to introduce or proof your dog to new situations and different obstacles on the streets of downtown Napa. 

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Adolescent Dog, Good Manners 1 or equivalent class. Dog must be people and dog friendly. Dogs should have a solid sit, down, stay, leave it, and walk nicely on a loose leash. Skills taught: heeling on both sides, cut / pass / flip, dog potties on command, walk in a busy neighborhood with noise and distractions, going up and down stairs without pulling, and riding politely in an elevator.

Age: Dog must be at least 9 months old.

 

CONFIDENCE BUILDING

Learn through exploring different obstacles to walk on, climb over, go under, or stand on. The room set-up changes with each class day. Dog and handler explore the course at their own pace. This is a good class for young dogs, shy dogs, fearful dogs, and dogs that just want to have fun.

No age requirement or prerequisites.

 

DELIGHTFUL DISTRACTIONS

Distractions are sight, sound, auditory, movement, smell and tactile in nature. Obedience skills of sit, down, stay, come, leave it, watch me, and loose leash walking are trained and proofed against these distractions. Distractions can be familiar, like a bouncing ball or food on the floor or new, like a train whistle or moving toy.

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of Adolescent Dog, Good Manners 1 or equivalent class. Dog must be people and dog friendly.

No age requirement. Distraction challenges are matched with the dog’s skill level.

 

MIGHTY MIGHTS

A class just for SMALL DOGS under 20 pounds at maturity. The class is designed for the small dog to learn basic obedience skills, build confidence, and reduce reactivity; all in a safe environment. Lessons and teaching methods are geared to the needs, learning style, and comfort level of small breed dogs and their owners.

 No age requirement or prerequisites. All ages welcome.

 

OUT AND ABOUT—DINING OUT

Dining out venues are a picnic with your dog, buffet and patio dining at a restaurant. We train for each venue at the “club” followed by a field trip the following week.

 Prerequisites: Successful completion of Adolescent Dog, Good Manners 1 or equivalent class. Dog must be people and dog friendly. Dogs should have a solid sit, down, stay, leave it, and walk nicely on a loose leash.

Age: Dog must be at least 12 months old.

 

STRENGTHENING THE BASCIS

This class strengthens and proofs basic obedience skills; sit, down, stay, come, leave it, watch me, impulse control, and loose leash walking. The owner and instructor decide on the skills that need improvement. Class is then structured to improve those identified obedience skills. Dogs work at their own pace. If you want to expand your dog’s obedience skills or just refresh them, this is the class for you.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Adolescent Dog, Good Manners 1 or equivalent class. Dog must be people and dog friendly.

No age requirement. 

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CANINE FREESTYLE: 

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This sport combines obedience, tricks, and music. Working on both sides of the handler, a dog learns heel work which is combined with other moves such as weaving, spinning, and jumping. Currently Dogs Can Dance offers a variety of classes including Drill Team and Musical Rally Challenge at Napa Valley Dog Training Club.

To learn more about Canine Freestyle and to sign up for classes, visit www.dogscandance.com/.