Beginner Course

The Beginner course is for all beginners, whether they have completed the Puppy Course or not. Many of our puppies go on to do our Beginner Course, but we also welcome new dogs who go straight in at Beginner.

Katie runs the classes in a relaxed and friendly manner - it's crucial that dogs and owners alike enjoy the training and are made to feel relaxed and comfortable. All of the training methods used are positive and reward based.

The Beginner Course teaches all the basics of obedience training, as well as many vital socialisation aspects. It also covers a lot on being a responsible dog owner. Once the dogs have been taught the three basic positions, SIT, DOWN and STAND, these invaluable skills can be used when grooming, teeth cleaning, nail clipping, veterinary visits etc. Hygiene, cleanliness, inspection and handling are also modules within our Puppy, Beginner and Young Handler courses.

What sort of exercises will be taught during the Beginner Course?
As most dogs attending the Beginner Course will have a limited understanding of the basics, this is where we’ll begin. However, as the dogs quickly pick up all the basic commands throughout the course, we will move onto slightly more complex exercises. Here’s some examples of the type of exercises that will be in the course:

The Basic Positions (sit, down and stand)
Getting (and holding!) your dog's attention
Recall (including the “wait”)
Walking nicely on a loose lead
Calling away from distraction
The “Leave” (up close and progressing to slight distance)
The “Stay” (for at least one minute)
Door Control (learning not to barge/bolt out through doors)
Controlled walking amongst other people and dogs
Greeting humans (without jumping up!)

There will be several other exercises included within the course; the above are just a few examples. Katie has written an extensive training manual, which fully complements and supports the course and is included in the course fee - these are handed out during week one of the course.

The Beginner Course is for dogs of a sound temperament. Dogs who show an adverse reaction to being in close contact with other dogs would probably be better having a one-to-one session, in the first instance.

Class sizes are limited, and tend to book up quickly, so book now to avoid disappointment.