Class Descriptions
PUPPY KINDERGARTEN
This Puppy-K class follows the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program to provide fun, socialization, and basic training skills for puppies. S.T.A.R. stands for Socializing, Training, Activity and Responsibility. The focus is on puppy behavior issues and learning skills for both you and your puppy. The suggested age range is eight to 16 weeks. S.T.A.R. Puppy Testing and Certification is offered at the end of six classes. This class runs continuously. Please see the Class Calendar for the night and time of class.
BEGINNER
Beginner classes teach your dog how to come reliably when called, walk politely on a loose leash, heel by your side, pay attention to you, stop nuisance behaviors, and learn the classic sit-down-stay. This is our most popular class. We offer two Beginner classes each six weeks for one hour. Please see the Class Calendar for the nights and times of classes. A current Rabies vaccination is required to join this class.
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
INTERMEDIATE provides an opportunity to work on the skills learned in the Beginner Class to achieve better precision and to improve attention. Longer stays, faster recalls, and some hand signals are taught using a fun and positive approach. This is also the class where Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog exercises are taught. This six week class meets for one hour. Please see the Class Calendar for the night and time of class.
ADVANCED is for dogs who have completed Intermediate or are proficient in Intermediate skills as determined by the instructor. These six week classes meet for forty-five minutes. The earlier Advanced class will prepare trainees for achieving their BN title. The second Advanced class will work on Therapy dog exercises and Rally. These classes run continuously. Please see the Class Calendar for the night and times of classes. PDTC Training Members are given preference to train in this class.
RALLY
This Rally class teaches you how to read and perform Rally signs. Each week a new group of signs will be broken down according to AKC regulations. You and your dog will practice as a group and at the end of each class a mini run will be setup with the signs used during that class. This six week class meets for one hour. Please see the Class Calendar for the night and time of class. PDTC Training Members are given preference to train in this class.
TRICKS/FETCH
This class is a combination of Tricks and Fetch. Successful completion of PDTC Beginners is a prerequisite for this class. The Tricks portion will teach ten tricks to get your AKC Novice Trick title. Examples are: crawl, wave, hold, and touch. The Fetch portion will teach retrieve to get the first level of the Novice Fetch title which requires three retrieves with a ball, toy or bumper. This six week class meets for one hour. The Tricks portion runs for the first half hour and the Fetch portion runs in the second half hour. Trainees may attend the full hour or either half hour. Please see the Class Calendar for the night and time of class. Tricks testing is offered at the end of the six weeks.
- NOVICE: This class covers all the AKC Beginner Novice and Novice exercises; Heeling on and off leash (including Figure 8), Sit and Stand for Examination, Recalls/Finishes, and Sit/Down Stays.
- OPEN: This class covers all the AKC Open Exercises; Heeling off leash (including Figure 8), Command Discrimination, Drop on Recall, Retrieve on the flat and over the high jump, Broad Jump, and Stand for Examination. The prerequisite for this class is that the dog must be reliable off leash.
- UTILITY: This class covers all the AKC Utility Exercises; Signals, Scent Discrimination (articles), Directed Retrieve (glove exercise), Moving Stand, and Directed Jumping (go outs). The prerequisites for this class is that the dog must be reliable off leash, as well as having a solid retrieve.