Classes

Classes are held every Tuesday and Wednesday evening either at 6 or 7:00 PM.  All classes are held at HVOC's training grounds which are completely fenced and lighted.  Classes are 8 weeks long and each class session runs 50 minutes.  The only exception is the first session of the Puppy Class and Beginner Level 1.  These two classes have a two-hour orientation for the first class.  Please consult the schedule for exact start times for each class.  Register online at the  Class Registration page.

Confirmation of Registration
Confirmation of your registration will be sent to you prior to the start of your class.  In the event the class is full or your application was received after the closing date, you will be given an opportunity to reschedule at a later date or your money will be refunded.

Does the Club give refunds?
Normally there are no refunds.  If your instructor feels that your dog is too aggressive for a group environment, you will be given a refund and recommendation for private instruction or behavior consultation.

How much does it cost?
Standard fee: $85 per 8-week course.
Shelter or breed Rescue dogs:  $50 for first 8-week course only (proof of adoption from valid agency must be attached to check).  If paying by PayPal bring proof of adoption to orientation class.
Drop in Conformation & Obedience Ring Prep class fees:  $2 per class for non-members; free for members

Which class should I take?
(See descriptions and admission criteria below)

Beginning Home Obedience:  Puppy Class (3-5 months), or Beginner 1, 2, and 3.  These classes all emphasize communication, control, management, problem solving, and good manners.

Competition Obedience:  If you are interested in competing in AKC or UKC licensed trials, we offer Novice, Open, Utility, and Rally classes to achieve Obedience and/or Rally titles.

Class Descriptions

Puppy Class
For puppies 3 to 5 months of age.  Puppies are taught simple obedience behaviors very gently.  Only buckle collars are necessary.  Emphasis is on socialization and increasing the puppy's self-confidence as well as basic care and safe management of puppies.

The Wednesday night section will be taught OFF LEASH for most of the class time.  There will be numerous short training interludes integrated within the play session.  Owners will be learning how to observe, handle and train their puppies while the puppies are learning to play with other puppies and socialize with the owners.

Admission Criteria:  Must be a puppy 3-5 months old.  At least two sets of puppy shots are preferred.  Equipment needed: buckle collar and soft treats.  If a particular puppy is too large at 5 months, the owner should be referred to a Beginner 1 class.

Beginner Level 1
For dogs 5 to 6 months of age or older.  This is the first level of classes after puppy class.  Standard obedience behaviors are taught so the dog is starting to learn more acceptable behaviors when walking on a leash, greeting people and better control in the home.  Understanding dog behavior and dealing with the average problems is also addressed.  Download a copy of the Beginner 1 Course Summary and the weekly outline in doc format.  Both the Summary and weekly outline are also available in pdf format.

Admission Criteria:  No prior behaviors are required.  However, if a dog is determined to be too aggressive to people or other dogs, they may be asked to leave.  A refund and recommendation for private training should be given.  If the dog is just a little fearful and needs gentle exposure to other dogs and people, the dog may be admitted.  But caution should be exercised in approaching the dog and having him or her too close to other dogs.

Beginner Level 2
Emphasis is on developing more reliable responses to obedience commands under more distracting circumstances.  This class could be for owners not interested in competition but who want a more reliable, confident dog that would be safe in most situations.  However, owners who are interested in competing may want to enter this class if their dog is still fairly immature and needs more exposure to other dogs before he can calmly learn more advanced skills.  A well-mannered, obedient companion is the goal of this class.  Graduates will take the Canine Good Citizen exam after successfully completing the course.

Class meetings:  This class will consist of 7 action-packed weeks of instruction, and class members will participate in the CGC test given on a Saturday morning following the completion of the Beginner II term.  CGC testing for terms that begin in 2009 will be held on February 28, May 16, July 18, September 12, and November 21.  There will also be additional testing July 10 - 12 at the Wags for Wishes event in Chula Vista.

Admission Criteria:  Students who have received approval from their HVOC Beginner 1 instructors are eligible.  Applicants who have taken a beginner obedience class outside of HVOC may ask to be reviewed for eligibility on the first night of class.  General admission criteria are a dog that can walk nicely on a leash and respond to verbal commands to sit, down, come and stay without excessive physical manipulation.  If the dog does not meet these criteria, then Beginner 1 might be more appropriate.  Note: Any applicants who have not previously attended the two-hour orientation class for the Beginner 1 and Puppy class should attend this class before enrolling in the Beginner 2 class.

Beginner Level 3
Additional fine tuning of all basic obedience commands, socialization and better off leash control.  Some fun new behaviors such as tricks will be introduced.  Course includes one two-hour Saturday session for a walk in the park and off-leash control practice.

Admission Criteria:  Most dogs successively completing Beginner 2 or who already have a CGC certificate may be eligible for this class.  Dogs should be calm in the presence of other dogs and reliably be able to do most of the Beginner 1 and 2 behaviors.  This class is for owners interested in continuing to train their dogs, and who are not interested in competition.  They desire to learn more advanced skills such as tricks and even a higher degree of reliability of obedience behaviors, particularly off leash.

Sub-Novice
The foundation class for the competitive obedience classes.  Focus is on prompt, attentive and technically correct response to the obedience commands needed for the beginning competition dog and handler. 

Admission Criteria:  Most dogs successfully completing a Beginner 1 or 2 class may be eligible for this class.  Dogs should be mature and calm enough in a group setting to focus and learn some of the more advanced skills.  Dogs should be able to respond to the owners verbal commands to sit, down and come without needing excessive physical manipulations, and can walk with the owner under reasonable control.  This class is for the owner interested in competition.

Novice
All ring procedures for the Novice class are practiced.  Emphasis is on attention and reliability.

Admission Criteria:  This is for dogs who have successfully completed Subnovice or can demonstrate that they can:

• Heel on leash with reasonable attention doing standard heel patterns including change of pace and all the turns and sit promptly at all halts.
• Respond promptly to all commands to sit, down, back, finish and come regardless of the position of the handler.
• Heel on leash in a 30 feet circle without food or toys.
• Maintain a solid stand stay on leash while being examined by another person without feet movement or change in position.
• Maintain a sit stay for 2 minutes and down stay for 3 minutes with mild distractions present.

Rally
Teaches all skills to compete in Rally.  In Rally, dog and handler follow a course in which they independently perform the exercises indicated by multiple signs using positive reinforcement.

Admission Criteria:  This is for dogs who have successfully completed Subnovice I or can demonstrate that they can:

• Respond to a come command and sit somewhere near front position.
• Stand, sit and down with the owner at the dog's side.
• Tolerate a mild exam on the stand for exam.
• Do one of the finishes, even if not perfectly.
• Do a one minute sit and down stay with the owner 6 feet in front of the dog.
• Heel reasonably well at owners side, doing a large circle to the left.

Beginning:
Dogs entering should be mature and calm enough in a group setting to focus and learn some of the more advanced skills.  Dogs should be able to respond to the owner's verbal commands to sit, down and come without needing excessive physical manipulations, and can walk with the owner under reasonable control.
 
Advanced:
For dogs passing Beginning Rally or who are able to comfortably do most of the exercises in Rally Novice.

Beginning Open
Foundation exercises for Open are taught, such as the retrieve, signals, scenting, jumping, and drop on recall.  Dogs may advance to the regular Open class once they are starting to do the individual behaviors required for those rings.

Admission Criteria:  Must have successfully completed the Novice class and be under control off-leash.

Open
All the standard exercises for the Open class are practiced.  Dogs should be able to do simple retrieves and jumping for entry into class.  Emphasis is on reliability regardless of distractions.

Admission Criteria:  All the standard exercises for the Open class are practiced.  Emphasis is on reliability regardless of distractions.  Dog must have successfully completed the Beginning Open class or have instructor's permission.

• Reliably do all the Novice exercises off leash.
• Retrieve a thrown dumbbell 10 feet without distractions.
• Do a moving drop on recall without distractions.
• Jump over a high jump holding a dumbbell and return to the handler.
• Jump over a broad jump without distractions.
• Do an out of sight long sit and down for at least 1 minute.

Utility
All the standard exercises for the Utility class are practiced.  Dogs should have some of the utility foundation exercises for entry into this class.  Emphasis is on reliability with varying circumstances.

Admission Criteria:  This is for dogs who have successfully completed the Open class or can demonstrate that they can do all of the Open exercises off leash.  Even if unreliable, they should also be able to attempt do most of the utility exercises without distractions.

Obedience Ring Prep
Various levels of distractions are placed inside and outside an obedience ring.  Dogs and handlers can practice Novice, Open, or Utility exercises using distraction to enhance their attentiveness in the competition ring.

Conformation Ring Prep
This is an ongoing practice class for the conformation ring.  It is available weekly on a drop-in basis for a $2.00 fee each night.  While very limited instruction is provided, participants are able to hone their conformation handling skills by gaiting, stacking, and having their dogs examined in a conformation ring setting.

Policy Regarding Children on Training Grounds

Due to the potential for injury, no children under 10 years of age can be on HVOC's training grounds without supervision and permission from the instructor of the class.  A parent is the primary trainer in class in the Puppy and Beginner 1 class.  If children do accompany a parent and get permission of the instructor, they must sit quietly by the fence and not be disruptive to other dogs and classes.

Confirm class time on the Register page.
There can be modifications to this schedule.