Courses
Puppy Foundation Course
Sundays: 5.15pm to 6.15pm or 6.15pm - 7.15pm
6 week course (Designed to be taken over 6 consecutive weeks*)
Cost: £86 (inclusive of one years membership)
This is a series of classes for puppies aged 12 weeks to 5 months old.
All puppies must have evidence of completing their inoculations.
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Abingdon Dog Training Club's Puppy Foundation course aims to provide a means of socialising puppies and to lay down a foundation for education and training. It is an excellent lead into our 8 week basic obedience training which your puppy can attend from 5 months old.
There will be a certificate awarded upon completion of the course.
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*In an effort to manage class sizes we ask that you try to attend every week, missed classes will be lost and can not be carried over past the end of your course date. If you miss 2 or more classes you may not pass the course.
8 Week Bronze Course
Sundays: 7.15pm to 8.15pm
(Please see our calendar for course start dates)
Cost: £80.00 (+ Membership if not already joined via Puppy Class)
(There is a very high demand for places on this course, which is frequently over subscribed. You may need to be placed on a waiting list for future course availability.)
The minimum age requirement for this course is 5 months. Places are limited and are booked on a first come first served basis. All pet dogs, who meet the age requirement, will be eligible to apply for a place on the next available Bronze Course whether they have qualified through puppy class or not. The club reserves the right to assess the dogs and advise owners on basic obedience and solve minor behavioral problems prior to reaching a standard where entry to the Bronze Course is approved.
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The 8 week course is structured to work towards the Kennel Club Good Citizens Dog Scheme Bronze Award. This course covers basic pet obedience exercises including sit, down, stay, recall & controlled walking. It is an excellent basis for more advanced training with us, and will give you the skills and confidence that you need to be able to train your pet dog.
There will be a certificate awarded upon successful completion of the course.
Course FAQs
How old does my dog have to be before we can start a course?
Your dog must have received their initial vaccination to join the Puppy Foundation Classes, or 5 months old to start the 8 Week Basic Obedience Course. Dogs must be 12 months old to take the Gold course, and have successfully completed Bronze and Silver.
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Does my dog need to be vaccinated?
Yes, all dogs must have up to date vaccinations before they come to the club, you will need to bring your dog's vaccination certificate with you on your first night at the Club. For puppy's vaccinations, ask your vet how many days after their inoculations start before puppy can socialise. (This can be up to 10 days later)
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​There is no requirement from ADTC for dogs to be vaccinated against Kennel Cough to attend.
Does my dog need to be microchipped?
After 6 April 2016 all dogs will be required to have a microchip. Owners of dogs in England that come to the attention of the police or local authorities will be scanned. Those found without a microchip will have the benefits explained to them and be given a short period to comply. If they fail to chip their dog, owners will face a fine.
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How much is the course?
Details can be found on here
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What equipment do I need?
You will need a suitable collar (with ID tag) and lead for your dog, a non squeaky toy, dog blanket or bed and training treats, - the only other equipment you will need is your voice! If you have any questions on what is the most suitable equipment to use, we will be able to advise you of this on your first night.
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What if I'm having problems with my dog?
If your dog has any issues (barking, dog-dog aggression, biting handler etc) we would rather you told us whilst booking, and there is a questionnaire we ask you to complete. We may invite you for an assessment, where we can advise you on a course of action, and ensure you can control your dog in a class environment as stated in our club rules. Assessment does not guarantee a training place, and if the issue is behavioural we may need you to find one to one training / behaviourist help before joining a class. Often the issue is not as bad as you think, and we can work on it together in a class.
Aggressive or reactive dog?
Abingdon Dog Training Club aims to serve the local community, we don’t work with individual problem dogs. We would need to be sure your dog would not disrupt the course for other attendees. Your dog needs to be suitable to attend training, as many of our exercises involve the dogs working at close proximity. Desensitising and counter-conditioning with aggressive or reactive dogs is not something we can provide in a class environment. We are happy to assess on a case by case basis, but you may need to seek help from a behaviourist before joining a class.
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Do I have to come every week?​
The 8 Week Basic Obedience Course is a structured course that only has one intake of dogs every 8 weeks, so it is best if you can arrange your time to be there for all 8 weeks. If you continue training at home in the week it is possible to catch up on a missed class.
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The 6 week Puppy Foundation Courses will also have fixed course start dates.
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Missed classes will be lost and can not be carried over past the end of your course date.
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Attending regularly is better for the continuity of your dog's training, but if you do need to miss a week let your trainer know in advance and they can tell you what to work on at home.
What are your class sizes?
We aim to limit the number of puppies attending to a maximum of 15, and don't allow handlers to carry over missed classes (if you don't attend one week you will lose that week).
The course is run by two qualified trainers who can be assisted by additional qualified trainers when needed.
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The 8 week Bronze course normally has 10 places, however on occasions when we know the dogs that will be coming up through Puppy Foundation, we may increase this number.
The course is run by a qualified trainer and they will be assisted by an additional qualified trainer who will also demonstrate with one of our dogs.
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The club is run by a volunteer committee of 5 qualified trainers, plus 1 further member, 3 are normally on hand to assist in classes when required.
Do you have waiting lists?
We limit Puppy Foundation class size so you may have to wait for availability. We advise you to apply as soon as possible (even before you bring your puppy home). Puppies need to have received their initial vaccination before joining, and we try to give you a start date before your puppy is 18 weeks old.
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The 8 week Bronze course is very popular. There is no requirement to have completed the Puppy Foundation course to apply for the Bronze course.
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In a effort to manage class sizes you may have to wait for availability.
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Non-attendance on the first night may jeopardise your place on a course.
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We ask that you try to attend every week, missed classes will be lost and can not be carried over past the end of your course date.
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Can my child/children train the dog?
In the puppy courses, we encourage as many members of the family as possible to get involved in training the dog, especially the children, as it helps the dog to understand it's place within the family.
From the Bronze course onwards, for insurance purposes, whilst at Club, all handlers must be 14 years or over.
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All children aged 15 and under must we accompanied by a responsible adult.
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