Beginners | Sunshine Coast Dog Obedience Club

THE 8 WEEK
BEGINNERS OBEDIENCE COURSE

Perfect for dogs of all ages! Get the right start with the foundational skills in this eight week course!

Classes are held Monday nights at 6.00PM, 6.30PM and 7.00PM.

2023 COURSE DATES

Intakes open 4 weeks prior to the start date. Classes fill up very quickly, so be online and enrol at 11.00am sharp!

Next Intake: Enrolments open 11.00am Sat March 4
Classes start Monday 3 April and run to 29 May

Upcoming class blocks:

enrolments open 6 May @ 11.00am - classes run 5 June to 31 July

enrolments open 8 July @ 11.00am - classes run 7 August to 25 September

enrolments open 2 Sept @ 11.00am - classes run 2 October to 20 November

TOTAL COST: FROM $130*

Includes:
Club Joining Fee
Annual Membership
Class Fees

* total cost slightly varies with membership level, fee chart below

8 Week Course = 1 orientation session for the handlers and 7 practical training classes with the dogs

MEMBERSHIP FEES

SINGLE: $15/yr

DUAL: $20/yr

* must be resident at the same address, or persons who are partners in the conduct of a kennel.

JUNIOR (12 - 18 yr old): $5/yr

LIFE MEMBER: $0/yr

* valid only for those nominated & approved for this membership at an AGM

HONOURARY MEMBER: $0/yr

* valid only for those nominated & approved for this membership at an AGM

Upon first applying for membership a $25 joining fee applies.

Memberships are annual with renewals due in December to be valid for the following calendar year.

Updated vaccination history for each dog is a requirement for each renewal.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Dogs must be at least 14 weeks old from the start date of the course.
Handlers MUST be at least 14 years old to train a dog in a class.
Payment must be made within 24 hrs of submitting an enrolment form.
Dogs must be fully C5 vaccinated, with proof supplied upon enrolment and at every renewal period.
One handler per dog, per class. To minimise distractions and maximise space, one person per dog per class.
Our beginners classes are balanced training focusing on good manners, loose lead walking, foundational obedience skills - not behaviour correction or modification classes. Dogs experiencing serious behavioral issues are recommended to seek private training before attending group classes.
There are NO refunds for missed classes. Any refund must be approved by the Management Committee.
Fees applied to the Beginner's Obedience Course are not transferable to other classes. If the Club cancels a class ( eg. due to inclement weather) a voucher is given to credit on a future class.
If members miss classes there is no opportunity to make them up at a later date.

FAQS

WHY AREN'T INTAKES ALWAYS OPEN? WHY MUST I WAIT TO ENROL?

The SCDOC is a 100% volunteer-run organisation. We run as many classes as our resources allow. To open more frequent intakes we need additional instructors and extra space on the grounds.

When class numbers are high, or ran too close to each other, the quality of training is reduced. We want everyone to get the most out of their training so we opt to cap class numbers and open intakes as often as we can :)

CAN MY DOG COME IF HE HAS BEHAVIOUR ISSUES?

We do not take aggressive or severely reactive dogs into our classes. If your dog is experiencing behavioral issues please email our Chief Instructor. We can make an assessment an recommend an appropriate private trainer, veterinary behaviorist or behaviour modification specialist.

IS MY DOG TOO YOUNG/OLD TO COME TO TRAINING?

The club can safely accommodate dogs of all ages.

Puppy school: baby puppies from 8 to 10 weeks old as of class 1 (at least have first vaccine on board).

Beginners obedience: minimum of 14 weeks old, no maximum.

All other classes: There is no age limit. Some Golden Oldies come just for fun, exercise & socialisation!

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?

Beginners Obedience Course Fees include 1 x hour-long orientation session, 7 x half hour fieldwork classes, annual membership to the club + once off joining fee.

WHERE ARE CLASSES HELD?

We are located inside the Buderim Sports Complex at 176 Ballinger Road, Buderim, Queensland. We're on the right hand side, past the hockey fields. We have our own private, fully fenced grounds where we hold outdoor, grass field training.

For the puppy class, we have a special undercover area which is veterinary-grade cleaned prior to each session to keep the young ones safe until they are fully vaccinated.

WHAT IF I'VE TRAINED ELSEWHERE OR HAVE PRIOR EXPERIENCE?

If you have completed a formal obedience course with your current dog at another club or training centre (puppy school doesn't count!) then let us know! Email our Chief Instructor Jenny on chiefinstructor@sunshinecoastdogclub.org.au to discuss and organise an assessment. Pending your assessment we may place you in a more suitable class level :)

WHAT HAPPENS ONCE THE BEGINNER'S COURSE IS OVER?

Once you have finished the initial 8 weeks of training you'll graduate into the intermediate level - green class!

From that point classes are $7 each, paid casually as you go. We have four levels of obedience plus trial training, so there is plenty left to learn and heaps of fun yet to be had!

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

The club is run entirely by volunteers, we have heaps of roles you could do! You can...

Take attendance at the counter, become an instructor, join the grounds keeping crew, participate in the committee, plus heaps of ad hoc jobs need doing all year round! Have a chat with us on a club night to get involved :)