Group Class Courses
Updated: Oct 20
A well-trained dog has more options.
At Connective Canine, our group class courses are designed around specific skills and clear objectives. Each program gives you and your dog a structured opportunity to learn, practice, and develop better communication together.
Whether you are beginning with basic obedience or refining precision for competition, the goal remains the same: build skills you can use beyond the training field.
Choose Your Course
Basic Obedience
5 weeks · No prior training required
Basic Obedience introduces the essential skills that support better manners, clearer communication, and more manageable behavior. We work with both ends of the leash, teaching dogs how to respond and owners how to guide them consistently.
What we cover:
Foundational obedience commands and practical manners
Leash handling and communication
Appropriate training tool introduction and usage
Structured exposure to other dogs and environmental distractions
Owner handling, timing, and consistency
How to practice and maintain skills between classes
Prerequisites: No prior obedience training is required. Dogs must be eligible for a group setting and able to participate safely. If you are unsure how your dog will respond around other dogs, we may recommend an evaluation or a structured introduction before enrollment.
This course is a suitable starting point for owners who want clearer expectations at home and better control during everyday outings.
Read more about eligibility.
Advanced Obedience
6 weeks · Prior obedience training required
Foundational obedience is the beginning. Advanced Obedience focuses on developing greater reliability at a distance, with an emphasis on off-leash communication and owner application. For owners who want more freedom with their dogs, reliability matters. A command that works only in a quiet environment is not yet ready for every situation.
What we cover:
Off-leash obedience and responsiveness
E-collar conditioning and appropriate usage
Applying established commands with increasing distractions
Owner handling and practical management
Maintaining communication when the dog is working at a distance
Responsible progression toward greater freedom
Our approach introduces the e-collar as a communication tool within a structured training process. Equipment does not replace training, judgment, or safe management.
Prerequisites: Prior obedience training is required. Dogs should have a working foundation in basic commands and be suitable for the demands of an advanced group environment.
For owners ready to move beyond leash-dependent obedience, this course develops the next layer of communication and control.
Read more about e-collars
Agility
6 weeks · No prior training required
Agility brings movement, problem-solving, and teamwork together. Agility develops engagement, coordination, confidence, and a shared activity that challenges both dog and handler.
What we cover:
Agility foundations and introductory obstacle work
Equipment conditioning and familiarity
Building confidence around equipment
Owner positioning, timing, and handling
Communication while moving through a sequence
Developing a foundation for continued agility training
Prerequisites: No prior agility or obedience training is required, but dogs must be eligible for a group setting and able to participate safely. Equipment work is introduced progressively according to the dog's readiness.
For owners who want to do more than walk and practice commands, Agility offers a structured way to build a new skill together.
Canine Good Citizen
6 weeks · Basic training required
Good manners matter most when they hold up outside the training environment.
The American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program recognizes dogs that demonstrate foundational manners and appropriate behavior in everyday situations. This course prepares dogs and handlers to work toward the AKC CGC evaluation and title.
What we cover:
Obedience skills relevant to the CGC evaluation
Appropriate behavior around people and other dogs
Handler control and communication
Practicing manners in structured situations
Preparing for the expectations of the CGC assessment
Prerequisites: Basic training is required. Dogs should have sufficient foundational obedience to participate productively in the course.
The objective is not simply to perform commands on cue. It is to demonstrate that your dog can navigate common situations with appropriate manners and that you can guide them confidently.
Trick Dog
6 weeks · No prior training required
Training can be practical and purposeful without always being serious.
Trick Dog introduces a different side of learning: teaching new behaviors, breaking skills into manageable steps, and understanding how to shape a behavior through practice and reinforcement.
What we cover:
Teaching a variety of tricks
Breaking complex behaviors into smaller steps
Shaping new behaviors through successive approximations
Timing, reinforcement, and owner communication
Practicing and polishing tricks for assessment
Preparing to meet the requirements for the AKC Trick Dog Novice (TKN) title
Prerequisites: No prior training is required, but dogs must be eligible for a group setting.
The course is designed to teach enough qualifying tricks to work toward the AKC TKN title, subject to the applicable evaluation requirements.
For owners who want a more engaging way to develop communication with their dogs, Trick Dog turns learning into a shared project.
Competitive Obedience
8 weeks · Prior training required
Competition obedience demands a different level of precision. This course is designed for handlers who want to develop competition-level obedience or prepare for sports in which precise off-leash responses are essential.
What we cover:
Precision obedience commands and performance
Off-leash responsiveness and engagement
Handler mechanics, timing, and positioning
Developing consistency across exercises
Competition preparation and practice
Applying obedience foundations to relevant dog sports
Training may support preparation for organizations and sports such as AKC, NARA, USMRA, AS, and PSA, depending on the discipline and the team's goals.
Prerequisites: Prior training is required. Dogs should have an established obedience foundation and be ready for more precise instruction.
This is the next step for owners who want to refine performance rather than simply establish basic commands.
AKC Rally Obedience
6 weeks · Basic training required
Rally combines obedience with a course of designated exercises. The handler and dog must understand the exercises, read the course, and communicate clearly throughout the performance.
What we cover:
Rally exercises and course structure
Obedience skills used in rally
Handler understanding and positioning
Timing, communication, and movement through a course
Practice with signs and exercise sequences
Preparation for rally competition
Prerequisites: Basic training is required. Dogs should have a working obedience foundation that allows them to participate in the course exercises.
For owners interested in a structured sport that combines obedience and teamwork, Rally offers a clear progression from everyday skills to formal performance.
Alumni Class
Every Saturday at 1:30 PM · Graduates only
Training does not become permanent simply because a course ends.
Alumni Class gives Connective Canine graduates a place to continue practicing, revisit foundational skills, and receive guidance on concerns that arise after their initial program.
What we cover:
Review of foundational obedience
Maintaining and refining established skills
Owner questions and handling concerns
Troubleshooting everyday challenges
Continued practice around appropriate distractions
Guidance on maintaining progress over time
Eligibility: Connective Canine graduates only.
Location: Dogma or a posted public training location.
Pricing:
$50 per week
$150 monthly subscription
The Alumni class is for owners who value continued guidance and want to keep their training useful as life changes. The goal is to maintain the standard you have worked to establish—not wait for old habits to return before addressing them.
Contact Connective Canine to discuss eligibility, upcoming course availability, and the right starting point for you and your dog.
Comments