Dog Training and Pet Behaviour Services

Childrens Dog Training Classes

Incorporating the Kennel Club Safe & Sound Scheme
Project Leaders: Lisa Staines & Karen Howells
All Staff are CRB Checked

CHILDREN’S SAFE & SOUND TRAINING CLASSES

Course Structure

• 2 Hour Courses
• For 6 – 11yr olds
• First Hour includes sections of The Kennel Club Safe & Sound Scheme.
• Second Hour is active fun training with the family dog.
• Held Wednesdays in school holidays and occasional Saturdays
• Maximum 10 children per class
• We do ask guardians and parents to be present during the second hour.
• Three Part Series
• Instructing team of 2 – 5 depending on the size of the class.

What is the Kennel Club Safe & Sound Scheme?
This is a project run by the British Kennel Club created to promote educating children on how to stay safe around dogs, both in their own home and outside the home. They provide an innovative set of resources for schools and training centres which we have incorporated into our personally designed classes. To know more please go to www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/465

Safe & Sound Part 1

First Hour (no dogs)
Working with Scooby, the children learn what they should and shouldn't do in a variety of situations involving dogs, both in the home and out in the parks. They then have some fun worksheets to go through and the Kennel Club Safe & Sound computer game to complete to receive their kennel club certificate.

Second Hour (with dogs)
Active training including basic commands such as sit and down. Fun Games including touch and find it. They receive a children's pack during the course and a training certificate at the end of the course.

Safe & Sound Part 2
First Hour (no dogs)
Working with Scooby, we get the group looking at and thinking about the body language of dogs; what different tail positions, face expressions and particular actions mean. This is followed through with work sheets and finally bringing in some real dogs for them to give us feedback on.

First Hour (with dogs)
They warm up with the previous exercises they learnt in Part 1 before moving on to new stuff including stays and heel.  We expand the games they have been taught and include some fun extra exercises. They receive a children's pack during the course and a training certificate at the end of the course.

Safe & Sound Part 3
First Hour (no dogs)
Working with Scooby one last time, we teach the children how to approach dogs safely, how to groom them and be involved with their daily care at home. The last worksheets are a follow through with dog communication.

Second Hour (with dogs)
They warm up with the exercises they have learnt so far. We advance them on a couple of particular exercises including stay when feeding. They then take the dogs around an agility obstacle course.

WHAT CAN OUR CHILDREN GO ON TO DO AFTER THIS?

With older children who have reached a certain standard and are really keen to do regular training with their dog, we would be able to transfer them into standard classes according to their interest.

For younger children it is our intention to start up a regular children's club where they can continue to have fun with their dogs and have a go at different things. At this stage we are keeping a waiting list and will notify everybody as soon as we are able to get this under way. Please let us know if this is of interest to you.