# How do you get started?



## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

How do you get into agility, rally, or obedience? There does not appear to be clubs local to me to ask at least none who aren't breed specific. Looked at the AKC website. The closest one that also does training is about 45 minutes from me. Do you have train at a certain place? There are a few training centers closer to me but they are not associated with AKC. I don't know if I would even compete in anything. Just for fun.

Just looking to find out how to get started. I just started with basic obedience classes with Buddy to build his confidence. He needs a job and is smart. Unfortunately he has minimal intrest in retrieving so that is out. He will be going for CGC I know that much only. (May decide to do pet therapy with him- BARK type. He is really calm with kids)

I am amazed at all your dog's videos. I never thought of this because Lucky was a retriever if you throw it or told him to get it he would til he was too tired. The yorkies are pets who also retrieve like Lucky did. They learned as puppies. Buddy never did. He is learning how to doggie play.

I'm putting the cart before the horse. Just determined to find something of him to better in rich his life. We still have months of foundation work ahead of us with the basics. I goal right now only is if he escape he will come when called and not have to be followed/ chased for hours.


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

Nope you don't need to train at a certain place. I think most organizations that are listed on the AKC websites are clubs that are licensed to hold trials, but recently more and more private businesses are opening that offer great training and provide a place for those clubs to hold trials. 

For example, I live by Ann Arbor, Michigan. We have an official AKC club, the Ann Arbor Do Training Club who has training classes and holds trials at their location (they have outdoor agility trials in the spring and late summer). There are also three businesses that teach agility classes for people who show in AKC in the area, two of those places also have facilities where AKC clubs hold AKC agility trials. the Ann Arbor Dog Training club will be holding agility trials at one of them on a Saturday and Sunday in February and the Ibizan Hound Club of the US will have a trial the day Friday before.

We have many NJ members and if you tell us the general area where you live, some one can recommend a great place to train.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

A lot of really great training places are privately owned facilities, not clubs. If you tell us where you are we might be able to help find you a place.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Selli-Belle said:


> Nope you don't need to train at a certain place. I think most organizations that are listed on the AKC websites are clubs that are licensed to hold trials, but recently more and more private businesses are opening that offer great training and provide a place for those clubs to hold trials. We have many NJ members and if you tell us the general area where you live, some one can recommend a great place to train.


I live in near Clinton, NJ


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

We have a dog club in the closest town 40minutes away that I joined several years ago. My sister read that they were offering flyball class and she wanted to do it with her lab cross. Well that took alot of work as Mari-Sol hated the ball. I bought her so many different kinds of balls to get her excited to retrieve. Shirley( my sister) worked with he every night for about a month. Now Mari-Sol has to play chuck-it twice a day. So be carefull what you wish for. This club was( is) and sad little club no real dog trainers bt yet they charge 60 to 80$ for a class. I took an agility class with them and I liked and so did my dog so I started buying my own equipement. I got some good deals and then I got the clean run stuff off the net and I worked it that way. I hope to one day compete with Jige in this venue.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I drive about 45 minutes to dog class... 

You can check on barkbytes.com for a listing of obedience clubs. I like clubs because there's a bit more diversity in what you can do with your dog. Like where I trained yesterday I was asking my instructor about tracking. It comes down to whether I want to do it or not. These classes and the tracking tests are offered every year. The other club I train at offers introduction to field training classes in summer.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

General V said:


> We have a dog club in the closest town 40minutes away that I joined several years ago. My sister read that they were offering flyball class and she wanted to do it with her lab cross. Well that took alot of work as Mari-Sol hated the ball. I bought her so many different kinds of balls to get her excited to retrieve. Shirley( my sister) worked with he every night for about a month. Now Mari-Sol has to play chuck-it twice a day. So be carefull what you wish for. This club was( is) and sad little club no real dog trainers bt yet they charge 60 to 80$ for a class. I took an agility class with them and I liked and so did my dog so I started buying my own equipement. I got some good deals and then I got the clean run stuff off the net and I worked it that way. I hope to one day compete with Jige in this venue.


Lucky was ball/retrieve obsessed. He would get the mail- 1 piece at a time, the newspaper, if I dropped a sock, etc. he would pick it up and bring it to you. He retrieved all day. Buddy is full of energy all the time. 

He will retrieve for 5 to 10 minutes if alone. If Roxy or Cozy are with him to motivate ie they will get it/compete with him he will do it for longer. Which means watch 1-2 off leash dogs while keeping him on a 100 ft leash- Not an easy task. He has send the girls flying by knocking them out at the knees with a leash trip. Roxy is only 3.5 pounds. I don't see this working long term due to safety. I normally would take Lucky out separate when he was playing ball or have him wait between throws. Lucky then 1 of the yorkies would get o retrieve the next throw. Right now it is a free for all- Not safe. 

He needs a job that is why I'm think of doing something formally with him.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Megora said:


> I drive about 45 minutes to dog class...
> 
> You can check on barkbytes.com for a listing of obedience clubs. I like clubs because there's a bit more diversity in what you can do with your dog. Like where I trained yesterday I was asking my instructor about tracking. It comes down to whether I want to do it or not. These classes and the tracking tests are offered every year. The other club I train at offers introduction to field training classes in summer.


Thanks will check this site out.


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## Muddypaws (Apr 20, 2009)

I'm in Bordentown (Trenton area) and there are quite a few private training facilities and clubs in the area. Are you anywhere near Lakewood? Clever K9 does all levels of training and Anne is an incredible trainer. 

I am lucky and my trainer is 5 minutes from me in Chesterfield but I think Clinton is to far north of my area. I will check with my neighbor, they are big in agility and no a lot of trainers/agility folks in the tri-state area.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I subscribe to the Match/Show bulletin which often has club advertisements as well as matches/shows. It seems to go from the Northeast to Md.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

What about contacting the Garden State Golden Retriever Club. Ambika(Hank) is in NJ and competes with his dogs.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

There is a wonderful place about 15 minutes from you in Flemington. The Walker sisters basically run it and they are both AKC Obedience/Rally judges and competitors. And to top it off they are VERY nice.
Hunterdon Canine Center LLC - Home

And in Flanders, about 1/2 hour is Top Dog, one of the top places on the East coast if not the country, which I drive over an hour one way to get to each week.

Top Dog Obedience School


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Muddypaws said:


> I'm in Bordentown (Trenton area) and there are quite a few private training facilities and clubs in the area. Are you anywhere near Lakewood? Clever K9 does all levels of training and Anne is an incredible trainer.
> 
> I am lucky and my trainer is 5 minutes from me in Chesterfield but I think Clinton is to far north of my area. I will check with my neighbor, they are big in agility and no a lot of trainers/agility folks in the tri-state area.


Nope. Not near Lakewood. I'm in North-West NJ about 12 min. from PA Border. Lots of hunting clubs near by not training facilities that I like.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

AmbikaGR said:


> There is a wonderful place about 15 minutes from you in Flemington. The Walker sisters basically run it and they are both AKC Obedience/Rally judges and competitors. And to top it off they are VERY nice.
> Hunterdon Canine Center LLC - Home
> 
> And in Flanders, about 1/2 hour is Top Dog, one of the top places on the East coast if not the country, which I drive over an hour one way to get to each week.
> ...



Thanks. I will check them out soon.


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## Aislinn (Nov 13, 2010)

I used to live in Ann Arbor and belonged to the Club there, though back in Louisiana again, and staying here. You might want to consider going to some local obedience shows and meeting people and finding out where they train. I found a private trainer when I lived in Kansas. I later on became a private trainer and group trainer here in Louisiana and when I lived in MI.

Just saw AmbikaGR gave you some names. Best of luck!


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