Family Dog Center Class Descriptions

Family Participation is welcomed and encouraged

Open House

Mon-Tues-Wed-Thur 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Saturday 10:30am to 2:30pm

Please stop by and visit our facility, meet our Instructors and have a cup of coffee ! Map

At Family Dog Center,

we urge all of our clients to use

No-Choke Training Collars

Professional Training

for the Family Dog

Agility, Obedience and Beyond

Questions? 815-893-7933


	Newsletter Sign Up

Class List and Descriptions Click on Class Title for details

Small Class Sizes - about 10 dogs per class

Two-Person Instruction Teams for every class

All class sessions are one hour long with the first 45 minutes dedicated to group training and the remaining 15 minutes is spent working on the dog's special needs.

Special Issues Class
New-Puppy Seminar
Puppy Fundamentals
Puppy II
Basic Obedience Training

Intermediate Obedience

Agility Conditioning:

Agility Fundamentals

Agility Intermediate

Canine Good Citizen (CGC)

Therapy Dog Certification

Dancing with Your Dog

Rally-O

Puppy Fundamentals

For Puppies ages 10 weeks to 5 months

During this 6-week class, your instructor will help you incorporate playtime with your puppy into teaching your puppy to be a well-mannered family pet.

Below are a few of the topics that will be covered in Puppy Foundation Training Class.

Obedience:

Walking nicely and properly on a leash with you
Basic Obedience Commands such as “Sit”, “Down” and “Come”

Good Manners:

Socialization with people and other puppies in a controlled environment. Socialization in a controlled environment will help teach your puppy to become a dog that will be relaxed and comfortable around other dogs and people.
Teaching puppies appropriate play
Teaching puppies good manner such not to jump or not to bite

Grooming / Health topics such as:

Nail clipping · Dental Care
House Breaking Hints

Agility:

Introduction to mini agility obstacles. A wonderful dog sport that reinforces basic obedience commands and provides exercise for your dog and you.

Class Fee: $90.00

Back to list

Basic Obedience Training

For Dogs ages 5 months and older

During this 8-week class your instructor will help you begin to form your dog into a well-mannered family pet.

Below are a few of the topics that will be covered in Basic Obedience Training – Level I Class.

Behavior issues such as:

Jumping
Nipping
Chewing
Barking

Basic Obedience Commands such as:

“Heel” (Walking on a leash nicely at your side)
“Sit & Stay”
“Down & Stay”
“Wait”
“Come”
“Stand”

Direction Changes and Pace Changes such as:

About Turn
U Turn
Fast
Slow
Figure Eight

Agility:

Pre – agility exercises

Goals:

Bonding with your dog
Learning to read your dog’s body language and react appropriately
Well behave family pet
Walking nicely on a lead
Building the foundation for more advance classes and canine sports

Class fee: $100.00

Back to list

Agility Conditioning:

A good healthy agility dog is an athlete that needs conditioning on two-levels: Physical and Obedience.

This 8-week class is designed for dog’s that are new to the sport of agility. During this class our instructors will help you begin to develop your dog both physically and obediently for agility success. This class is not a full exercise program. It’s objective is to get your dog to be more physically active and to focus on your commands.

The class structure includes:

Obedience Commands:

Walking on a leash ·
“Sit”
“Down”
“Come”
“Wait”

Agility Obstacles:

Standard Jump
Weave Poles
Board Jump
Tunnel
Tire

Also, putting several obstacles together and running a mini-agility course

Class fee: $110.0

Back to list

Agility Fundamentals

The introductory agility class is designed for those dogs that have successful completed a Basic Beginner Obedience Class, Agility Conditioning Class or has been evaluated and approved by the Family Dog Center staff.

During this 8-week class is introduction agility class you and your dog will: ·

Be introduced to the basic Agility Obstacles
Individual Obstacle training
Series of Obstacles training

Agility Obstacles that you and your dog will be introduced to:

Jump
Tunnel
Board Jump
Pause Table
Weave Poles
A-Frame
Dog Walk
Teeter – Totter
Tire
Chute Tunnel
Combining 2 –3 Obstacles Together
Week 8 - Running a mini-agility course

Class Fee: $110.00

Back to list

Agility Intermediate

These 8-week classes are designed for dogs that have had an introductory agility class and are solid on basic obedience commands.

During this class, you will begin to:

Run (or Walk) Obstacle Course
Perfect techniques on the proper execution of obstacles on our Agility Course
Work your dog off lead; perfect your off-lead work
Have great fun and exercise with your dog

Remember: Family Dog Center of Illinois stress that all students and dog need to work at their own pace and comfort level. You do not need to be an athlete to enjoy this class.

Class Fee: $130.00

Back to list

Intermediate Obedience

This 8-week class is designed for dogs that have successfully completed a Basic Obedience Class.

Class Structure will include:
Continuing and perfecting basic obedience commands
Beginning to work off leash
Building a foundation for more advance classes and canine sports
Introduction to the sport of Rally
Games to teach your dog
Dog Tricks

Class Fee: 4-Week Sessions: $55.00 8-Week Sessions: $110.00

Back to list

Canine Good Citizen (CGC)

**Dogs should know the basic obedience commands prior to take this class. **

All dogs, including purebreed and mixed breed dogs are welcome to participate in the American Kennel Clubs (AKC) Canine Good Citizan (CGC) program. Dogs must be old enough to have received necessary immunizations such as rabies vaccines.

There is no age limt for the CGC test. Puppies who have completed all immunizations and boosters may be tested, however, because we know that behavior and temperament can change over time, when puppies pass the CGC test, owners should have them retested as adults.

What are the benefits of earning a CGC?

The American Kennel Club will reward your dog with a Certificate
Your dog will have good manners at home and in the community
Shows your fellow neighbors that you are a responsible dog owner
Lays the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, tracking, and performance events.
You will discover the many benefits and joys of training your dog.
You will increase your bond with your dog

At the end of this class session, you and your dog will be prepared to take the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test.

Week One: Your instructor will help you become familiar and comfortable with the 10 exercises you and your dog will need to do to complete the CGC Test.

Week Two: Your instructor will run you and your dog through mock stations of CGC Test.

Week Three: You and your dog will do the official Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Test

Class Fee: $45.00

Back to list

Therapy Dog Certification

Call for details

Back to list

Dancing with Your Dog

Call for details

Back to list

Rally

Call for details

Back to list

Special Issues Class

Not every dog needs a full-fledged 8-week Obedience Training Course.

Some dogs just have Special Issues which need to be addressed and resolved, such as

Housebreaking (Potty)
Nipping
Excessive Barking
Jumping on People
Other Issues

These types of Special Issues is the purpose of this class.

This is a one-hour class in which one of our Specially-Trained Instructors will address the issues of your dog and guide you to the proper way to resolve the issue in a loving and positive manner.

The student may repeat this course, as often as needed - for the one-time class-fee

Class Fee: $100 one-time only fee

Back to list

New-Puppy Seminar

Please Note: This class is NOT required for Puppy Fundamentals.

This is an optional class only.

This seminar is for the owners of puppies from 8 weeks to 5 1/2 months old.

The purpose of this seminar is to help give you, the new puppy owner, the ability to understand and address the special needs and issues of the newest member of your family.

Topics discussed will include: socialization; nutrition; communication; nipping, housebreaking and other puppy behavior issues; basic grooming topics such as nail clipping and dental hygiene and plenty of time for general discussion where you can ask any questions of our Trained and Experienced Professionals

Class Fee: $50.00

Back to list

Puppy II

For Puppies ages 14 weeks to 1/2 months that have completed Puppy Fundamentals class, but are to young for Basic Obedience

Prerequisite: Puppy Foundation I

This is a 4-week class designed for puppies that have completed Puppy Foundation I Class, but are not old enough for Basic Obedience Class. During Puppy Foundation II, your instructor will continue to help you and your puppy have fun while you teach your puppy to be a well-mannered family pet.

Below are a few of the topics that will be covered in Puppy Foundation II Training Class.

Obedience (Continuing and perfecting):

Walking Nicely next to you on a loose lead
“Sit”, “Down” and “Come”
“Stay” and “Wait”
Door Manners
“Go to your Spot”

Good Manners:

Beginning Basic Preparation for the American Cannel Club Canine Good Citizen Test such as Accepting a Stranger and Sitting Politely for Petting.
Proper Dog-to-Dog Greeting Etiquette.
Socialization with people and other puppies in a controlled environment.
Socialization in a controlled environment will help teach your puppy become a dog that will be relaxed and comfortable around other dogs and people.

Agility:

Pre-Agility fun skills
Pre –Agility Mini Obstacle Course (2 to 3 puppy size obstacles)

Tricks & Games:

Give Paw
Fetch & Release
Relay Games
Crawl
Ring the Bell
Beginning Disc Dog
And More

Class Fee: $45.00

Back to list