Program Details
Competition obedience is a canine sport that tests your dog’s ability to perform a series of exercises working with you as a team. The exercises consist of heeling, sit and down stays, stand for examination, retrieving, directed jumping, recalls, scent work, etc. There are three levels of obedience; Novice (earn a CD title), Open (earn a CDX title), and Utility (earn a UD title), there are also optional titling classes. Each level is more difficult than the previous, similar to achieving a higher education.
Each of the classes is normally 6 weeks in duration. Classes meet once per week for 1 hour. The classes provide the instruction necessary for each of the skills at the given level. Class tuition ranges from $90.00 to $130.00 per full class session for Bayshore Club members and $100.00 to $165.00 for non members.
The Competition Obedience Training Program consists of a series of classes focused on each of the competition/skill levels. There are four Novice level classes which teach the basic competition skills. Each class in the progression builds on the skills learned in the previous class and prepares the team for the obedience trial ring. The Novice classes teach all the skills necessary to achieve the Companion Dog (CD) title. The main skills taught are; Heel on Leash and Figure Eight, Stand for Examination, Heel Free, Recall, Sit, Stay and Get your Leash, Long Sit, and Long Down. While these skills appear simple, there is a significant amount of precision involved and the classes provide the knowledge and training to become proficient at these skills with the necessary precision.
The next three classes prepare the team for the Open or Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) competition level. The CDX level exercises taught are; Broad Jump, Figure Eight and Heel Free, Drop on Recall, Retrieve over High Jump, Retrieve on Flat, Command Discrimination and Stand, Stay and Get Your Leash. While some of these exercises appear to be similar to the Novice level (CD) exercises, there are additional requirements for those exercises that add a degree of difficulty to the basic exercise.
The last three classes in the Competition Obedience curriculum will prepare you and your dog for the Utility Dog (UD) level, which is the most advanced level of Obedience competition. The UD level exercises taught are; Signal Exercise, Scent Discrimination Article No. 1, Scent Discrimination Article No. 2, Directed Retrieve, Moving Stand and Examination, and Directed Jumping. These exercises build upon the Open (CDX) level exercises being more complex versions of the CD level exercises and combining aspects of previous exercises.