DogBasics Puppy and Dog Training Classes 2009

Please be advised that the courses are held in Offley(Hitchin), Hertfordshire.
Click here for maps and pictures of Offley and the training areas.

We only use reward based training methods and we want to show you that dog training can be fun!

Come and view a class first!

To make sure the classes at DogBasics offer the right type of training for you, please come along and watch a lesson or two before you sign up to your course. You would have to leave your dog at home.

If you would like to come and watch a lesson, please email us to find out our schedule.

PUPPY COURSE (also called Puppy Play Group)

No. of dogs: 6 per group Age group: puppies up to 6 months No of lessons: 6 (1 theory, 5 practical) Where: secure garden Each lesson: 1 hour Course Price: £40 Exercises: Sit, Down, Stay, Recall, Walking on lead without pulling, Focus exercises, Not jumping up, Leave, Health check and lots of socialising! Theory: Dog Language click here for more info

BASIC DOG TRAINING

No. of dogs: 6 per group Age group:  6 months and up No of lessons:  6 (1 theory, 5 practical) Where: football field Each lesson:  1 hour Course Price:  £55 Exercises: Sit, Down, Stay, Recall, Walking on lead without pulling, Focus exercises, Not jumping up, Health check, Search, Leave (give). Theory: Dog Language, Learning Theory; varied rewards, positive leadership, pauses, stress/relaxation click here for more info

INDIVIDUAL LESSONS

No. of dogs: 6 per lesson Age group: all ages No of lessons: individual Each lesson: 1 hour Course Price:  £7/lesson in field, £5/lesson if held in garden or on walk Exercises: Depends on the theme of the lesson. See list below. Course goal: Depends on the theme of the lesson. See list below. click here for more info

FIRST AID THEORY LESSON

No. of dogs: none, only for humans No of lessons: individual Each lesson: 1-1,5 hours Course Price:  £10/lesson Exercises: principles of First Aid, First Aid kit, Aloe Vera, visiting the vet, wounds - cuts and bites, poisoning - chocolate, slug bait, warfarin, grass seeds, stings, gastric tortion / dilation, foreign bodies, worms, ticks and fleas, teeth and teething, travelling with your pet, how to bandage your dogs leg, claw cutting

Individual lessons

For our clients who have taken a puppy course or Basic Obedience course, we also offer individual lessons, where you can work on a specific area - walking on lead, clicker training, agility, search and retrieve.

For these individual lessons, you can pay on the day. The price for each lesson is £7 if it is held in the field, £5 if held in the garden or if it is a walk lesson.

Agility classes

Our individual Agility lessons are very basic and just for fun. Even though the trainer is an Agility course instructor, we don't have the full set of obstacles needed for proper agility training, so this is not a suitable class for those of you looking to compete or who are already competing in Agility.

We can recommend you contact Pam Haynes at The Dog School for fully equipped agility lessons. Her Agility lessons are held in a field in Great Offley (SG5).

DogBasics individual agility lessons are mainly held for mental stimulation and fun for the dog and owner. These lessons can also be a good start up for puppy owners, who's puppies are not old enough to start regular agility lessons. We don't have any harmful equipment, so puppies are welcome! Our agility lessons are also held in a securely fenced in garden, for dogs and puppies who can't be trusted off lead.

We currently have a 6 meter long tunnel, flat tunnel, a table (10 cm high!), a long jump, 12 regular jumps and a couple of weave sets.

You only have to take the Beginners lesson once, so we can show you how to use all the obstacles and teach you a few basic techniques in agility. Once you have taken the Beginner lesson, you can book in for any regular Agility lesson.

We will not offer agility lessons from November to March.

Clicker Training lessons

In the clicker classes you will be shown how to use a clicker and we will go through a few basic exercises like eye contact (focus), touch, down, close, go to bed (sending the dog to a chosen spot). We also go through a few tricks, such as back, slalom through legs, look left and right, etc.

LeadFocus lessons

The LeadFocus lesson is a walk around Offley, where we work on your dogs attention on you, whilst on a lead, teaching them not to pull.

Search and Retrieve lessons

You will be shown the basics of teaching your dog to search and retrieve. If given enough time in the lessons, we'll also work on stay.

First Aid lessons

The First Aid lesson is mainly held by the head nurse at Berry House Vet Practice, Philippa Jackson-Cox. Philippa will give you examples of how to care for your dog if he is badly wounded, when you should rush to the vet and when you can care for the dog yourself. She will also show you how to put a bandage on your dog. After this you will be shown how to teach your dog to accept a health check. This will be followed by an introduction to FLP Aloe Vera products (for more info see www.aloe4animals.co.uk) for those who are interested. You are of course welcome with any questions related to your dog's health during this lesson. Read more about the First Aid lesson.

Beagle jumping hurdles in an agility lesson at DogBasics	Hungarian Viszla in a stay exercise on the agility table at DogBasics
Eurasier puppy and Working Spaniel puppy playing in puppy socialisation session at DogBasics	Day dogs and boarding dogs at DogBasics out on a walk