Skills needed to advance
Beginning Obedience
Basic communication skills for Handlers and their dogs
- Attention/name
- Heeling with left, right, and about turns, slow and fast
- Sit and Stay
- Down and Stay
- Stand for examination and stay
- Figure 8's
- Recalls
- Finishes
Intermediate 1
Tabs required
- Handler must be able to get dog's eye contact on its name.
- Sit randomized
- Verbal only Down
- Beginning hand signals
- Stand Stay with Handler at end of leash
- Focused figure 8's on loose lease
- Modify body motions on finishes
- Short off/on lease recalls
- Increased length of on leash stays
- with distractions
- with Handlers halfway across room
Intermediate 2
Tabs required
Prep class for CGC
- Heeling with loose leash
- Circle left, right
- Fast, slow
- Left turn, right turn, about turn
- Down in motion
- Sit in motion
- Stand with signal only
- Figure 8's, dogs as posts without handlers
- Increase distance for Signal exercises
- Longer off leash recalls, signal or verbal
- Dogs must be able to stay while handler leaves across room
- Finishes without body cues; verbal or signal to right or left
- Increased level of distractions
- Stays across room
- Handler/dog walks past other approaching Handlers/dogs
Intermediate 3
Tabs required
Prep class for potential Novice Competition
Wood or plastic dumbbell required
- All exercises geared to AKC titling levels
- Focused on and off lease heeling
- Figure 8's, dogs as posts
- Stand stay off leash
- Straight fronts and finishes
- Doodling
- Formal stays with distractions
- 3 minute sits
- 5 minute downs
- Begin retrieving
Advanced Class
Tabs required
Weekly classes will focus on both Open and Utility exercises:
- Heeling off leash with distractions
- Jumping
- directed
- broad jump
- with retrieve
- Go outs
- Directed Retrieving
- a set of 3 gloves is required
- Scent Discrimination
- Articles of metal, leather, or wood consistent with AKC Utility Rules are required*
- Signals
*The articles will be provided by the handler and will consist of two (2) sets only. The handler will choose which two (2) sets are to be used, metal, leather or wood. Each set of articles will be comprised of five identical objects, which may be items of everyday use. The size of the articles will be proportionate to the size of the dog. The metal set must be made entirely of rigid metal. The leather set must be made of leather. The wood set must be made of one or more solid pieces of wood. The articles may be unfinished, stained or dyed and must be designed so that only a minimum amount of fastening material is visible. The articles in each set will be legibly numbered with a different number and must be approved by the judge.