DogBasics Puppy and Dog Training Lessons 2010

Please be advised that the lessons 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. 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 Socialisation Sessions (also called Puppy Play Group)

No. of dogs: up to 8 puppies per session Age group: puppies up to 6 months No of sessions: unlimited until your puppy is too big or too boisterous Where: football field Session time: 30 minutes Price: FOC, after you have taken the Entry lesson Exercises: none

BASIC DOG TRAINING

No. of dogs: up to 8 dogs/puppies per lesson Age group:  any No of lessons: you can take as many or as few as you like Where: football field in Offley Lesson Time :  1 hour Lesson Price:  £7/lesson or £5/lesson if 5 dogs or more in class Exercises: Sit, Down, Stay, Recall, Walking on lead without pulling, Heel work off lead, Focus exercises, Greetings without jumping up, Leave, Twist, Stand, Basic distance control Theory: Dog Language, Learning Theory; varied rewards, positive leadership, pauses, stress/relaxation click here for more info

INDIVIDUAL LESSONS

No. of dogs: up to 8 per lesson Age group: all ages No of lessons: you can take as many or as few as you like Lesson Time: 1 hour Lesson Price:  £7/lesson or £5/lesson if 5 dogs or more in class Exercises: Depends on the theme of the lesson. See list below. Lesson goal: Depends on the theme of the lesson. 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 torsion / dilation, foreign bodies, worms, ticks and fleas, teeth and teething, travelling with your pet, how to bandage your dogs leg, claw cutting

DOG LANGUAGE THEORY LESSON

No. of dogs: none, only for humans No of lessons: individual Each lesson: 1-1,5 hours Course Price:  £10/lesson Exercises: Learn to understand your dogs body language and a lot of issues you might have with your dog/puppy could disappear. The most common problem between dog and owner is that the dog is misunderstood, because the owner doesn't know how to interpret his dog. We will look through pictures of dogs, while discussing what the dogs are saying with their ears, eyes, mouths, tails, paws, tongues, body stance, etc. You can ask questions througout about dog behaviour.

Individual lessons

For our clients who have taken a Entry lesson or any course at DogBasics, 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

We can no longer offer Agility classes.

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).

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 and we are happy showing you how to start a trick of your own choosing.

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