Click-to-Heel’s Competitive Obedience classes take basic training to a new level. If you’re looking for a challenge or would like to take part in a competitive sport with your dog, then our competitive obedience classes will give you the opportunity to put all of your hard work on show.
Take your training to the next level. For those that love the nitty gritty and want to fine tune their training skills and put it to the test. Either in a class environment or as a 1-2-1 session.
Is Competitive Obedience for me?
With classes ranging from Introductory to Championship, Click-2-Heel can prepare you and your dog for showcasing your ability at a competitive level. ‘Showcasing’ takes place at a number of large shows across the UK. You can find a licenced Kennel Club Obedience show taking place somewhere in the UK on most weekends between April and October.
What is Competitive Obedience?
Competitive Obedience originally evolved from the sport of Working Trials. It offers an opportunity to progress your dog’s obedience skills through a number of levels, from Introductory, Pre-Beginners and Beginners up to Championship level. It’s an addictive pastime!
An obedient dog responds reliably to every command given by its handler. From the fundamental basic training of sit, down and recall, the dog is trained to reliably respond to increasingly complex commands, being scored on accuracy and performance. The dog is expected to behave well in public, and around other dogs.
Using positive, reward-based training methods, competitive obedience can be enjoyed by ANY breed or crossbreed/ mongrel, as can any owner.
What exercises are used in Competitive Obedience?
Competitive Obedience involves a set number of exercises, which increase in complexity through the different levels. These include:
- Playing with your dog – because obedience training should always be fun.
- Formal recall – your dog waits for you to walk away, halt and turn to face them, before coming back at your call to sit in front of you, and then beside your left leg.
- Formal retrieve – your dog waits at your left side for you to throw an article before being instructed to ‘fetch’ the item. They will return to sit ‘straight’ in front of you holding the item. You take the item (dog still sitting), before asking the dog to sit beside your left leg.
- Heelwork – Your dog sits at your left side, then walks close to your left leg in a series of directions ending with a sit at your left side.
- Send-away – your dog waits at your left side before running in a straight line to a marked area. They will lay down in that area as you walk as instructed by the ring steward before calling your dog to your left side and continuing with heelwork until told to halt.
- Stay – your dog keeps still in a sit position until (when told) released by you. They will then keep still in a down position until (when told) released by you.
- Scent – a ‘complicated’ retrieve, your dog has to find and bring back a cloth with a scent on it. During this challenge, they must ignore other cloths (some holding no scent on them, some with other people’s scent – depending on class level).
- Distance control – Your dog waits at a designated area in a position chosen by the judge as you move away. At a certain distance, you instruct your dog to move from one position to another until six positions have been completed.
What are the Benefits of Competitive Obedience?
- To give your training a focus – Competition work gives you a goal to work towards
- Develop a closer connection with your dog – Working through more complex precision behaviours deepens the understanding between you and your dog
- To develop your dog’s confidence – Gives your dog the feel-good factor as they apply themselves to training. Help them grow and develop their understanding.
- Increase your dog’s level of socialisation – Obedience training and shows provide a platform for socialisation which is a more controlled environment for you to apply appropriate techniques for building positive experiences
- Owner socialisation – You can meet up with, and share knowledge and experience, with other like-minded dog owners
- Gaining knowledge in a fun environment – Precision work helps you grow your training skills and understand and consider reinforcement rates, schedules and zones, criteria, reading and interpreting your dog’s responses and developing good self-awareness.
Contact us to book your place Classes cost £60 per month. They take place on Monday evenings at 8.30pm, at Great Hollands Community Centre in Bracknell.