Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enroll in one of your classes?

Please use our registration page to enroll.
I have a puppy.  May I enroll in a class?

Before you register for one of our classes, your pup should have had all of his shots:   rabies, DHLP (distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parainfluenza ), and parvovirus.

That usually means that you must wait until your pup is four to six months old; if you are not sure, please ask your veterinarian.

If your pup has had all of his age appropriate shots, you may register for a class.
When may I teach obedience to a puppy who is too young for class?

A puppy is ready to learn at six weeks, but you won't be able to register for our classes until he's had all his vaccinations.

While you wait for your puppy to grow, your pup would benefit from your reading The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete, ISBN 0-316-57839-8, or your watching the DVD which is based on that book.
My dog has had some obedience training.  May I skip the Beginner class?

Please make arrangements to register for a class, but be sure to tell us when you apply that you want to skip the Beginner class.

Our Club's Secretary will arrange for you to meet with our Training Director who will test both you and your dog.

The Training Director alone will determine which class you may join.
Will you teach me how to train my purebred dog for the show ring?

Yes.

We offer training from basic obedience classes through Utility classes, and we will teach you handling for the show ring in the Beginner class.

Please register for a Beginner class, and tell us when you apply that you are interested in handling for the show ring.

Our Club's Secretary will inform your instructor of your special interest.
Do you train dogs to pass the CGC, Canine Good Citizen, test?

Yes.

Graduation from our Club's Intermediate Obedience class will provide you and your with the knowledge necessary to pass the AKC's CGC test.

When you and your dog are ready, schedule a CGC test with our Club.

To participate in the Intermediate class, your dog must graduate from the Beginner class, unless the Training Director determines that the Intermediate class is appropriate for your dog.

In the Beginner class, your dog must perform the basic exercises on lead: heel, sit, down, stand for examination, sit and stay, down and stay, come when called, and walk through a crowd.

In the Intermediate class, we practice off lead the same exercises taught in the Beginner class as well as the exercises for passing the CGC test.

The continued socialization of your dog that occurs with participation in classes and with the exercises from the Intermediate class will help you get ready for the CGC test.
My dog is obedience trained.  May I join your classes to practice downs only (or any other single obedience exercise)?

No.

You may not join our classes to practice only one obedience exercise. If you are interested in practice for an obedience trial, please register for one of our classes.
On what kind of surface are the obedience classes taught?

All of our classes are taught on rubber mats over a wood floor.
Why will I need a leather training lead?

A leather lead allows you to assume a better grip because it fits in your hand better than the broader, bulkier leads made from nylon webbing.

As you and your dog progress in obedience, the lead will become unnecessary, and your dog will respond to your voice commands or your hand signals alone.
I have a dog. Will you train my dog in my house?

No.

The Club's obedience classes are held only in our training hall.

We won't teach classes in another venue.
I don't live near you. Will you help me find obedience classes closer to my house?

Not all dog obedience clubs are affiliated with the AKC, but those that are may be found in, AKC's club search page.
Will you help me find obedience classes closer to my house in northern New Jersey?

If you seek an obedience club in northern New Jersey but our own Club is too far away from you, please look at our Links to other venues for dog training page.
Do you know where obedience classes are taught only for my breed of dog?

No.

We do not know who or which organization teaches dog obedience classes only for your breed of dog.

Our Club sponsors dog obedience classes in several different sessions each year, and dogs of all breeds may be registered for any of our classes.

It is necessary neither for your dog to be purebred nor for its breed to be recognized by any breed club for you to register for our obedience classes.
Can you help me find a breeder?

No.

Our Club does not operate a breeders' referral service.

Look for a breeder either in the New Jersey Federation of Dog Clubs' online breeder directory or in the AKC's Breeds page.

If you are looking for a breeder, you may have decided not to buy a pup from a puppy mill through your local pet store.   As you search for a breeder on the web, consider that puppy mills may be listed in the pages of search engines.  Caveat emptor:   Search for a breeder by using the web's best search engine's advanced search page.
Do you teach tracking classes?

No.

Our Club currently does not teach tracking classes, and we neither have nor maintain a schedule of tracking classes taught by other organizations.

Contact the Lenape Tracking Club to get started in tracking.  Please note that our Club is not affiliated with them.
Is an obedience title a prerequisite for obtaining a tracking title?

No.

Tracking events are listed in the AKC's website's Event and Awards Search page and The Match Show Bulletin.
Do you know if agility classes are taught near my house?

No.

Our Club currently does not teach agility classes, and we neither have nor maintain a schedule of agility classes taught by other organizations.

Agility classes are, however, taught outdoors at the Barking Hills Country Club.   Please note that our Club is not affiliated with them.
Do you operate a lure course?

No.

Our Club does not operate a lure course.

You may find one at Barking Hills Country Club.  Please note that our Club is not affiliated with them.
Can you help me find my lost pet?

No.

Our Club does not operate a pet-finding service.

Speed is critical.  Try to post a color picture of your pet with your name and telephone number(s) all over your neighborhood so that anyone who may find your pet can call you.  You might also keep checking with local shelters and animal hospitals to see if anyone has taken your pet to one of them.

Please note that our Club is not affiliated with any of the following websites and that the articles that follow are listed for your convenience as they may help you plan a campaign to locate your lost pet:
- The Humane Society of the United States' Finding a Lost Pet,
- PetRescue.Com Inc's How To Find A Lost Cat Or Dog,
- the Missing Pet Network's Finding a Lost Pet -- Where to Start,
- Diana Guerrero's note about rewards in Finding a Lost Pet, and
- TEAM's How to Find a Lost Pet.
Can you train my dog to not bite my neighbor or his children?

No.

Teaching a dog to not bite cannot be accomplished in a dog obedience class.

A dog who bites people or other animals should be taken to a behaviorist for a complete evaluation.  If the behaviorist and the owner agree that the dog can be turned around, the minimum would call for a training/desensitization program.

Please keep your dog away from the stimuli that evoke his biting behavior until he has been trained.

St Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison has a class specifically for aggressive dogs.
My aggressive dog may bite my infant at feeding time.  Please help me.

Your child should not go near your dog while the dog is eating, but may approach the dog at other times when both are under your supervision.   You might try allowing your child to give the dog a treat at other than meal times — again, under your supervision.

That same advice applies to any other children who may be in your household.

Warn the children against moving suddenly to pet the dog until the dog has become used to them, and don't leave the children alone with the dog.

Until the dog gets used to his new home and the children in it, confine the dog to a crate whenever children are present and you are not with them.

It takes more than a couple of weeks for a dog to get used to a new environment; even afterward, never leave children alone with the dog. You must always supervise both the children and the dog.

Patience is the key.
I want to become a professional dog trainer.  Can you help me get started?

To become a professional dog trainer, if you haven't done so already, take some dog obedience classes, and put a few obedience titles on some dogs.  Before you become a dog trainer, you must do that.

Next, apprentice yourself to a good trainer, and observe how the training is done.