All Classes

Puppy Kindergarten

Teach obedience commands (come, sit, down, stay, basic controlled walking) and socialize your puppy (puppies get to play with each other during class, how many weeks depends on the makeup of each class) Discussion topics include spaying and neutering, how to handle children and puppies, multi pet households and solving chewing, housebreaking and jumping problems. Please check with your vet as some vets recommend the young puppies to have had the second in the series of distemper vaccinations before attending a group training class but some are fine with them attending after the initial vaccine depending on age, breed and other factors. There is a limit of 2 people per puppy and children need to be 10 to come to the class without a dedicated adult. If you have more then 2 people wanting to come please contact us at info@northfielddogtraining.com to see if we might have space/room in the class you are attending...

Prerequisites

Puppy must be between 10 weeks and 4 months old when the class begins. If you have a larger breed puppy the younger you can start the better! Please email info@northfielddogtraining.com with questions.

Jumpstart Obedience/Evening

Teach obedience commands (come, sit, down, stay, basic controlled walking). Class focuses on basic control needed for everyday life with your dog and on basic problem solving. This session of Jump Start is held for a shorter period of time for each class and is taught by Terry Jacobus and is held in the smaller training building.

Prerequisites

For these sessions of Jump Start obedience the puppy/dog can be any age. There is no play time for the dogs in this class.

Advanced Jumpstart

This class will build on the foundation covered in basic obedience or Puppy Kindergarten class. Continued work on the basic commands, loose leash walking, stays with distractions. learning to pass other dogs politely, polite greetings of people.

Prerequisites

Our Jump Start or Puppy Kindergarten class or any basic household obedience class or 6 week puppy training class elsewhere.

Intermediate Scent

Prerequisites

Instructor Approval

Intro to Rally Novice workshop

This is a one-night, 90-minute Intro to AKC Rally Novice. We will work on as many of the Novice AKC Rally signs as possible. The goal is to familiarize you with the concepts of Rally, which will then allow you to attend the Thursday night Rally Practice class.

Prerequisites

Northfield Dog Training Heeling class or instructor approval.

Novice Practice

We work on all of the elements of the Novice obedience class, including heeling patterns, Figure 8s, stays and recalls. We also work on beginning jumping, retrieving, and various target games. Sometimes we work on Rally exercises.

Prerequisites

You should have trained at least through Heeling to take this class.

Open and Utility Proofing

We proof several of the advanced (Open/Utility) obedience exercises each week. Utility beginners can get some guidance each week.

Prerequisites

$20/week drop-in fee. You may buy a 4-week card for $60. You may buy an 8-week card for $100. You do not have to use the weeks consecutively.

Intro to Agility - 4 weeks

We work on basic obedience control needed for agility (attention, hand touch, come, stay, spins both directions, target work) and introduce the dogs to all of the different obstacles seen on an agility course, at safely lowered heights. Your dog needs to be comfortable being held by the instructor or assistant, and to have enough self-control to work around other dogs without being disruptive.
Equipment: 4-6 ft cloth or leather leash, flat collar, treat bag, lots of small soft treats, toy that does not roll or squeak, and sensible shoes in which handler can run.

Prerequisites

Puppy Kindergarten or Jumpstart Obedience at Northfield, or equivalent class. Screening required if you have not trained at Northfield before.

Agility 2 - 5 week

We continue to work on the obedience control needed for agility and build on the foundation work started in Intro to Agility. We will introduce the various ways to change sides (including front and rear crosses), start to build the number of obstacles in a sequence, introduce different jump sequences, build on contact obstacle performance, still at lowered heights, and build on weave pole performance, with gradually narrowing channel weaves and 2x2s for reliable entrances. Students are expected to have weave poles at home with which to practice.
Equipment: 4-6 ft cloth or leather leash, flat collar, treat bag, lots of small soft treats, toy that does not roll or squeak, and sensible shoes in which handler can run.

Prerequisites

Intro to Agility or instructor approval. Screening required if you have not trained at Northfield before.

Agility 3 - 5 weeks

We continue to build on the skills learned in Intro to Agility and Agility 2. We will expand on the number of obstacles in sequences (4-6 with side changes, 6-8 without), expand on the types of jump sequences, build contacts to full height for the dogs that are > 12 months old, strengthen contact obstacle performance, and continue to build on weave pole performance, with gradually narrowing channel weaves and 2x2s for reliable entrances. Students are expected to have weave poles at home with which to practice.
Equipment: 4-6 ft cloth or leather leash, flat collar, treat bag, lots of small soft treats, toy that does not roll or squeak, and sensible shoes in which handler can run.

Prerequisites

Agility 2 or instructor approval. Screening required if you have not trained at Northfield before.

Agility Skills 5 weeks

This class focuses on handling skills, building weaving skills, and building contact obstacle sills with emphasis on two-on-two-off contact performance. We build to working a full course of 13-15 obstacles. This is a great course for the 1st-time handler.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of all agility obstacles; comfortable on full height contact equipment; ability to perform short obstacle sequences consistently; working at least 6 weave poles.