"A well-trained dog has a happy owner and a well-trained owner has a happy dog".
NEW
We will now have regular tests for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen Award here at Barkingham! The CGC (often required to qualify as a Therapy Dog) is a measure of the sociability of your pet. Our Obedience Courses cover what you and your dog need to pass this test. Please call or inquire at our Front Desk, if you are interested.
We had "Totally Golden" Obedience class going on in July, 2007, with representatives of two separate Gemini litters. Each dog knew to whom it belonged (and that was a good thing)!
WHY OBEDIENCE?
Many dog owners can not appreciate how much they can improve their relationship
with their pet by taking a short course in dog obedience.
In fact, it has been said that many of the dogs that wind up at
the Humane Society are there because the owners never went to obedience training.
Three Gemini goldens earn Titles!
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Dawn, Harper and Chase recently won their Companion Dog (CD) Titles.
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We offer obedience courses that are based on aspects of animal behavior.
We teach from the viewpoint of the dog's background, motivation, and expected reactions,
and we present techniques for both of you to learn controlled behavior in your relationship.
For example, we show the proper way to train your dog to come to you when you call,
and avoid the pitfalls which cause the dog to run away instead!
All of our techniques use positive reinforcement, and we deliberately avoid the
"jerk and pull" approach. Over the years, we have found that a dog will eventually
forget a desired (proper) behavior, in the absence of the punishment that caused
that behavior during training. On the other hand, the pleasant memory of a tasty
little treat will form good and long-lasting habits in every dog.
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Houston won his CD title at Jacksonville in October, 2004.
He now has two legs on his CDX.
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We believe you will love your dog even more when you can give a command
that is instantly obeyed by a smart friend with a wagging tail, who mostly
wants to make you happy. Such dogs never end up at the Pound.
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CLASSES
Puppy Pre-School
Puppies from 4 to 6 months of age who have had their Rabies shots can be enrolled in this six(6) week course
designed to develop a proper dog - owner relationship, wherein the dog
accepts and comes to trust the leadership of its owner - trainer.
Owners are given assistance in choosing an appropriate collar, lead,
and toys. Fundamentals of good health care, including grooming are discussion
topics during the course. Your puppy will learn socialization skills
which will benefit him/her throughout its life. Each regular session begins with a group Puppy Playtime, to instill a good feeling in the dog's mind about coming to "school". During the sessions, specific problem areas
(such as housetraining, puppy-biting and chewing, digging and jumping up)
are covered. Puppies are introduced to Walking-On-Lead, Come, Sit, Down,
Stay, and to the concept of Attention.
Please bring soft, small, easy-to-eat treats to class to use as exercise
rewards. Long-chewing treats and crumbs on the ground are distractions.
Basic Obedience and Problem-Solving
In order to teach you and your dog the fundamentals of obedience, we offer a six
(6) week course in Basic Obedience. We emphasize Positive Motivation Techniques,
where the dog is taught that there is a reward (such as play, praise, or food treats)
for proper completion of an exercise. However, we also believe that physical control
(in the use of a choke collar) is usually necessary as a supplement.
The course is designed to achieve competence in the standard commands:
Sit, Down, Stay, Come, and Heel, and emphasizes the correct execution of commands
by the owner-trainer. This course will allow you and your dog to begin to form a
long-lasting, enjoyable, and fun-loving bond. At the end of the last session, the
trainer and dog will be introduced to several Standard Agility Obstacles (such as the Standard Tunnel).
Please bring soft, small, easy-to-eat treats to class to use as exercise rewards.
Long-chewing treats and crumbs on the ground are distractions.
Intermediate and Advanced Courses
We now offer an Intermediate level course, which covers the exercises needed to obtain the AKC Obedience titles Canine Good Citizen, Companion Dog
and, ultimately, Utility Dog. This course is given on Monday evenings at 7:00 PM.
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SCHEDULE AND FEES
Puppy Pre-School
Several Puppy Pre-School Courses are now running on weekday evenings (for six weeks), and new ones will be starting soon (weather permitting, i.e., no cancellations).
You may request a sign up on our waiting list for this course using our registration form, or calling in to 636-7387. The fee is $85.00 for a
six-week session, to be paid in advance. The courses are size-limited to between thirteen and fifteen puppy-trainer pairs.
Basic Obedience and Problem-Solving
The Basic Obedience and Problem Solving courses are currently given on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings generally at either 6:00 PM or 7:00 PM, and continue for six weeks. Please check with us for exact schedules of up-coming classes.
This course will also be taught on Saturday mornings during the cooler months.
You may sign-up on waiting list for this course using our registration form, or by calling us at 636-7387. The fee is $85.00 for the six-week course ( payable in advance) to reserve your spot. The next sessions will begin again on selected evenings in November and December.
Private and in-house course work is available, also, by special arrangement. Please call Candi to discuss these options.
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REGISTRATION
To get on our waiting list, and to make inquiries, please fill out a
registration request form.
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OBEDIENCE FAQS
What should I bring to the first class?
You need to bring a copy of your rabies shot record to
the first class. A rabies tag is not acceptable proof of unexpired rabies vaccination status.
The first class is an orientation, but bring your dog along as well. Also bring a choke collar if you already have one, and use a 4 to 6 foot cloth or nylon lead (No chains, as these can hurt your hands.). If you don't have a collar please wait until we can instruct you on what to purchase. Also bring soft treats which the dog can quickly swallow. Hard treats leave distracting crumbs.
I have never done any training, how do I know we can do this?
You will learn why your dog acts the way he does
and what makes your dog behave. Once you understand our method, we guarantee
that you will succeed. We only ask that you practice at home during the week,
as this will insure your progress in the class.
How old must my dog be?
We accept puppies who are at least four (4) months old, and have had their rabies shot.
We ask that you enter him in the puppy class so that he is together with his peers.
Puppies have a short attention span, and must be trained differently than adult dogs.
Can my husband also join me? Can my child train the dog?
We believe that anyone who will be living with the dog and attempting to control the dog should know the concepts that you are learning, the methods that you are using and the instructions that you are practicing. There are as many ways of training dogs as there are trainers, and it is often best that the members of your family attend at least the first session of course instruction, to familiarize them with our teachers and methods. After that we recommend that only one person handle the dog in class training.
Junior handlers (preferably 13 years or older) are welcome to participate as the prime trainers, as long as parents are present on the sidelines throughout the class to oversee the lesson. Parents may not drop off minors at classes.
If I drop out, do I get a refund?
If you find, before attending the 1st class,
that you can not begin the session, we will give you a complete refund, if we can fill your spot. If we cannot fill your spot, we will retain the fee and reschedule you for the next session; or, if you will not be attending our class at all, we will credit your account, less a $25.00 administrative fee (recognize that we lose the balance since you left the spot empty).
The demand for these courses, and the availability of times to schedule them is such that we can not offer refunds if you drop out after starting the course.
What if the weather is bad?
Classes are not held in the rain, and will be rescheduled for the same time slot in the next week. Our training fields were designed to have excellent drainage so that they can be used promptly after a rain storm. However, the student is advised to call us if there is any question about cancellation and rescheduling. In any case, you will not be charged for rain- or grounds-canceled classes, but you will be expected to attend any make-up class that results from such cancellation.
Where are you located?
We are located just south of Rockledge on US Highway 1, 1/2 mile South of Barnes Boulevard. Please look for our map link on our Homepage.
