Agility Program

1. We are unable to accommodate Agility drop-ins because our Agility classes tend to be full.
2. Agility dogs must have good manners, must have a good recall, and a 7 second stay wouldn't hurt.
3. Successful completion of the Agility Foundation class at IPOC is a prerequisite for all Agility classes.
4. Agility classes with fewer than 3 registered students will be cancelled.

Proof of vaccination is required at the start of each Training Session.

Every dog must have a properly fitted training collar, a 6 ft leash, and a dog crate.

Train your dog with high value, light color treats that will be easy to see on our dark mats.

View our class schedule for current classes, times, and fees.

Agility Foundation

Students will be taught sits, stays, recalls, flat work, targets, body awareness, and will be introduced to obstacles. The minimum age for dogs in this class is 6 months.

Agility 1

Both beginner dogs and handlers are introduced to each piece of Agility equipment on low, modified versions of equipment for the safety of dogs, and to help them acquire confidence.

Agility 2

Before leaving Agility 2, dogs should be able to use all equipment.

Dogs should be reliable off leash with few distractions and able to work at a distance away from the handler.

Handlers should understand front, rear, wraps, and go outs.

Also, handlers should know how to walk a course and be able to run their dogs through a course with few verbal commands or using the dogs name many times.

Agility 3

For competition level dogs.

Dogs must be able to work off leash and respond to handler commands.

Handlers learn techniques for working at a distance, front and rear crosses, and running full courses.

In Agility 3 and Agility 4, the skills acquired in Agility 2 are refined and improved by adding greater control, tighter turns/wraps, and more distance work.

Advanced handling skills such as blind crosses, back side jumps, etc are introduced.

Agility 4

For advanced competition level dogs.

Handlers work on techniques for Open and Excellent level competition.

View our rulebooks page to read or download the current AKC Agility Regulations.

Conformation Program

You will work your dog with an instructor/judge to learn to show in conformation.

The Conformation class is a run through that simulates a show, and students always drop-in.

The instructor plays the role of judge, goes over the dog, and has the dog move around the ring. The handler has an opportunity, through the simulation of a show, to prepare the dog for the show ring. The instructor and the handler address problems and work to improve ring skills.

In the class, you and your dog will:

• train for the stand for examination,
• train to use bait appropriately,
• train the correct way to gait -- e.g. to move in the ring,
• train for the stand for examination on a table -- for table breeds only,
• train to use Juniors' techniques -- for Junior handlers only.

Conformation Class is offered once a week in the evening and sometimes in the morning.

Classes usually run continually with no set start or end of sessions. Occasional interruptions depend on the instructor's schedule.

Please call for information, and leave your name, your phone number, and when we should return your call.

Rally Program

Rally is a fun sport for owner and dog, and it's a great way to begin showing your dog.

Please watch the AKC's introduction to the sport of AKC Rally:

Also, watch what AKC Rally enthusiasts say about Rally:

The Rally title levels increasing in difficulty and complexity are:

• Novice
• Intermediate
• Advanced
• Excellent
• Master

Required Elementary Skills Prior to enrolling in Rally

The dog must be able to follow the commands of the handler to:

• Heel (walking the dog on the handler's left side with the leash held loosely)
• Turn right
• Turn left
• About turn
• Figure 8
• Circle to the right
• Circle to the left
• Turn 270° to the right
• Turn 270° to the left
• Sit
• Lie Down
• Stand
• Stay
• Come when called (recall)
• Front
• Finish to the right
• Finish to the left

Crates

Instructors will teach students how to perform the Rally exercises. That will intially be done without dogs. Once a handler understands the skill, they will introduce it to their dog. While the students are learning to perform the exercises, the dogs need to be secure, waiting quietly in a crate.

Prerequisites for IPOC Rally Classes

• For the Rally Novice, Rally Intermediate, and Rally Advanced classes, the prerequisite is Advanced Basic Obedience.

  Co-enrollment in a Competitive Novice class is extremely valuable for Rally Novice, Rally Intermediate, and Rally Advanced.

• For the Rally Excellent and Rally Master classes, your dog must be able to perform controlled off-leash heeling, such as is required for the Novice CD Obedience title.

  Co-enrollment in an Open Obedience class is extremely valuable for Rally Excellent and Rally Master.

• View our rulebooks page to read or download the current AKC Rally Regulations
• IPOC's rulebooks page also has AKC Rally video playlists showing the performance of all Rally exercises, from Novice through Master, as well as other helpful links

Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program

The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program is sponsored by the AKC and is open to all dogs, purebreds and mixed breeds.

The CGC Program's goals are the encouragement of responsible dog ownership and imparting basic training and good manners to dogs.

IPOC conducts the CGC Test upon graduation from the Basic Obedience class.

The fee for the CGC test appears on our Home page.

Prong collars, halter-type collars, harnesses, clickers, or treats may not be used during the CGC test.

Owners of dogs who pass the test may obtain a certificate from the AKC that is suitable for framing.

The CGC test is described thoroughly at the AKC's website.

Service Dog Skills Program

The class helps a handler train a dog to become a mobility service dog.

We work on the skills that the handler needs to train the dog so that the dog's behaviors may mitigate the handler's disability. In other words, assist with physical support, balance, stability, retrieves, deep pressure therapy, help getting up, etc for handlers with mobility disabilities.

We discuss and practice public access, and other issues pertaining to service dogs, and we also do field trips to local stores and restaurants to practice public access.

The class follows the standards set forth by Assistance Dogs International for handlers and dogs.

The class does not prepare students to train for medical alerts, hearing, emotional support, therapy, or guide dogs for the blind.

The class covers Federal and State laws pertaining to service dogs, public education, general and specific service dog tasks, as well as public outings.

Prerequisites

1. The handler must have a disability recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) , and
2. that disability must be verified by a letter from a physician. That includes veterans with PTSD.
3. The dog must be of an appropriate size and temperament to assist with physical support, balance, and stability for handlers with mobility disability.
4. The dog must have taken the Basic Obedience class, or show proficiency in obedience, and
5. must show no aggression toward other dogs,
6. animals, or
7. people.

Goals

The purpose of this class is to provide the core principles that handlers and dogs need to assist the disabled handler with a mobility disability.

We teach the handler how to train the dog for the tasks and jobs that the dog will need to mitigate the handler's disability.

The skills that we teach include retrieving, carry and deposit, tugs to open doors and cabinets, nose and paw nudges, and bracing with and without a harness.

Scent Work Program

Proof of vaccination is required at the start of each Training Session.

Every dog must have a properly fitted training collar and a 10 ft leash.

Train your dog with high value, light color treats that will be easy to see on our dark mats.

View our class schedule for current classes, times, and fees.

Equipment required for all Scent Work classes

• Dog crate for crating your dog during class
• One clean small glass jar with a metal lid, such as a baby food or small mustard jar
• 10 foot leash
• Harnesses are optional

Scent Work Beginner

Dogs and handlers will be introduced to the sport of Scent Work.

Handlers will be introduced to the mechanics of the hide and how to navigate a course.

Dogs will be introduced to the different odors.

Prerequisites for Scent Work Beginner class

• EITHER successful completion of the Basic Obedience
• OR successful completion of the Basic Obedience pass/fail evaluation administered by an IPOC trainer
• The evaluation will be scheduled with a designated IPOC trainer, who may be contacted through the registrar
• The evaluation fee will be the same as the Basic Obedience pass/fail test
• The evaluation must be completed before a student may enroll in an IPOC Scent Work class
• View our rulebooks page to read or download the current AKC Scent Work Regulations.

Scent Work Advanced

Training will include a continuation of detection tests with more advanced hides, multiple hides, blind hides, and distractions.

Prerequisites for Scent Work Intermediate class

• Pass the Scent Work Beginner class
• The instructor's permission
• The instructor will inform students of what other equipment will be necessary.

Obedience Program

The Puppy and Basic Obedience classes are entry level classes, and they are exempt from prerequisites.

All other Obedience classes that are not entry level classes have the prequisite of successful completion of the Advanced Basic class at IPOC.

We may be able to accomodate Obedience drop-ins for some classes, but you must obtain permission from a class' instructor each time that you drop-in.

Proof of vaccination is required at the start of each Training Session.

Every dog must have a properly fitted training collar and a leash. Most classes recommend a 6 ft leash, but there are exceptions, e.g. Scent Work classes prescribe a 10 ft leash.

Train your dog with high value, light color treats that will be easy to see on our dark mats.

View our class schedule for current classes, times, and fees.

Puppy Class

The Puppy class is for pups who are from 8 weeks to 5 months old at the time of enrollment. Handlers should arrive equipped with a leash, a collar, a tug toy, and plenty of small, easily chewable treats that are easy to see on our dark mats.

The class includes the following as well as much more:

1. Introduction to different walking surfaces
2. Introduction to Agility
3. Reliable recalls
4. Developing a relationship with your puppy
5. Tricks
6. Traditional obedience behaviors such as sit, down, stand, walking on a loose leash

Basic Obedience

The Basic Obedience class is for all dogs who are 6 months old or older at the time of enrollment.

You will learn to teach your dog to walk on a loose leash, sit, lie down, stand, come when called, and stay in one place.

Basic Obedience's goal is to prepare dogs to pass the AKC's CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test that is administered by an AKC CGC® Approved Evaluator and that requires your dog to:

• Accept a friendly stranger
• Sit politely for petting
• Welcome grooming and examinations
• Walk with a loose leash
• Walk through a crowd
• Sit and down on command and Staying in place
• Come when called
• Behave politely around other dogs
• Display confidence in the face of distracting situations
• Endure 3 minutes of supervised separation

The Basic Obedience Pass/Fail Test

Passing Basic Obedience enables you to register your dog in IPOC's more advanced classes. To pass Basic Obedience, your dog must:

• Wait at the gate to enter the ring
• Sit stay for 30 seconds
• Down stay for 30 seconds
• Stand stay for 5 seconds
• Go to Place (one leash length away), and sit or lie down
• Accept a friendly stranger
• Sit for exam
• Loose leash walking
• Loose leash walking, Normal speed
• Right turn
• Loose leash walking, Slow speed
• About turn
• Loose leash walking, Fast speed
• Left turn
• Halt
• Recall

Advanced Basic

The prerequisite is passing Basic Obedience.

Advanced Basic is for you if you want to take IPOC's more advanced Obedience classes. You will be taught:

• Heel position
• Sphinx Down
• Stationary Attention
• Perch Work
• Sit Stay
• Down Stay
• Restrained Recall
• Heeling With Attention
• Sit for exam
• Stand for Exam
• Pivots
• Side steps While Heeling
• Left Turn
• Right Turn

Beginner Novice

Beginner Novice focuses on the fundamentals of each Novice exercise. Within each class session, handler teams will practice trial warm-ups, gate entrance, and elements of loose lead heeling, sit stays, as well as recalls.

Class goals are for both handler and dog to acquire a working understanding of the AKC's Beginner Novice optional class' expectations, rules, and requirements for

1. Heeling pattern (on lead),
2. Figure 8 heeling (on lead)
3. Sit for Exam (on lead)
4. Sit Stay (off lead)
5. Recall (off lead)

The prerequisites are

1. pass Advanced Basic,
2. have your instructor's recommendation,
3. be able to demonstrate competency in on-lead skills:
   • loose lead heeling,
   • heel position,
   • stay position,
   • etc.

Required equipment

1. well-fitted training collar,
2. 6 foot competition approved lead,
3. high value rewards,
4. crate,
5. optional:
   • 20 to 25 foot long line,
   • retractable leash.

Urban Dog

The prerequisites are

1. pass Basic Obedience,
2. have an AKC CGC title.

The goal of the Urban Dog class is to teach you to train your dog in the foundation skills needed to maneuver safely and successfully in urban locations while gaining control and confidence.

This class also prepares you and your dog to master the AKC Urban Canine Good Citizen test; no other class is needed.

Each week the class will meet at a different location around Lakeland to work on skills specific for that location. Some of the skills introduced and reinforced are:

1. walking on a loose leash under control, through a crowd, on a busy sidewalk, or in a dog friendly public building,
2. ignoring dropped food and containers,
3. sitting and lying down on command,
4. standing on command,
5. staying in place,
6. coming when called,
7. behaving politely around other dogs,
8. staying in a long down while you are in a public building or eating at a restaurant,
9. crossing streets, skywalks, and parking lots,
10. behaving politely at dog friendly restaurants,
11. navigating complex stairs and elevators,
12. becoming accustomed to noises (vehicles, horns, sirens, construction), moving objects (bicycles, joggers, carts), and other distractions (different surfaces, people wearing hats/coats, or carrying/using umbrellas),
13. safely entering and exiting buildings and cars, and
14. accepting a friendly stranger.

Necessary items for the class:

1. dog bowl and water
2. 6 ft leash
3. 20 ft line or leash
4. closed toe shoes
5. high value treats/toy
6. waste clean-up bags

Competition Novice

In Competition Novice you will learn, proof, and work to perfect the AKC Novice exercises. There will be special focus on attention, footwork, and handling skills.

To join this class, the dog

• should be able to walk on a loose leash,
• should have a relatively solid sit,
• a solid down stay, and
• a good start to the recall exercise,

• should have an understanding of the AKC Novice Exercises (Safari users: Advance by hand to page 59)
• and the desire to compete in AKC Trials to earn the AKC Obedience Novice title -- the CD

View video of the AKC Novice Exercises

View our rulebooks page to read or download the current AKC Obedience Regulations for the Novice class.

Intermediate/Beginning Open

The Intermediate/Beginning Open class is for dogs who have completed their Novice Title (CD) or who are able to pass a Novice skills test.

Dogs entering the Intermediate/Beginning Open Class should be able to:

1. Heel Free (heel off leash), without a lure.
2. Do a Recall with a Front.
3. Do an on leash Figure 8 without luring.
4. Perform the Stand-Down-Sit position changes either beside or directly in front of the handler with hand and voice commands

The goals of the Open class are:

1. Drop on Recall, with voice and/or hand signal.
2. Heel Free (heel off leash), without constant luring and talking to the dog.
3. When a dumbbell is placed in the dog's mouth, she should willingly take the dumbbell and
   • walk with it in her mouth,
   • perform a Recall and come to a Front,
   • perform a Recall over a jump and come to a Front,
   
   without dropping it.
4. The dog will perform a Recall over the Broad jump.
5. The dog will perform a Command Discrimination exercise (Stand-Down-Sit) from 1-6 ft, or at the end of a 6 ft leash.

Advanced Open/Proofing

The Advanced Open/Proofing class is for students who plan to compete in the Open Obedience ring. This class will polish and proof the skills necessary to be successful in the Open Class at an Obedience trial.

The prerequisites for Advanced Open/Proofing are:

1. The dog has a Graduate Novice title (GN), Open title (CDX), or is able to pass an Open skills test.
2. The dog Heels Free and stays in heel position, without constant verbal or physical corrections and without luring.
3. The dog correctly performs a Drop On Recall, without moving more than one body length after being given the command to Drop.
4. The dog Retrieves a dumbbell of the Flat, without dropping it and comes to Front while willingly holding the dumbbell.
5. The dog willingly Retrieves the dumbbell over the High Jump and comes to Front position, without dropping the db.
6. The dog performs the Command Discrimination exercise at the end of a 6 ft leash, without excessive commands.
7. The dog correctly performs a Broad Jump.
8. The dog Stands while the handler goes outside the ring, gets the leash, and returns to heel position by the dog.
9. No food will be used for luring. Food may be given only between exercises.

Beginning Utility

The Beginning Utility class is for dogs and handlers who are ready to start learning the AKC Obedience Utility class exercises with the goal of earning the AKC Obedience Utility title -- the UD -- at obedience trials and also for dogs and handlers who merely wish to continue training the Utility exercises:

View video of the AKC Utility Exercises

Handlers and dogs will learn the rules of the Utility ring, while building a stronger team partnership.

View our rulebooks page to read or download the current AKC Obedience Regulations for the Utility class.

UDX (Advanced Utility)

The Advanced Utility class is for dogs and handlers who are preparing to compete for the AKC's UDX title in the AKC's Open B and Utility B classes.

Handler and dog teams practice and proof exercises to enable dogs to understand instead of merely knowing the Open and Utility classes' exercises.

View our rulebooks page to read or download the current AKC Obedience Regulations for the Open and Utility classes.

Tricks

Tricks training is a great way to have fun and build a stronger relationship with your canine friend as well as earning AKC Trick Dog titles. We will work through lots of super fun tricks that you can show off to your friends, and you will be the coolest dog parent in town! Come join the fun!

Pay To Train

When you arrive, please review the Ring Board, then sign the waiver, and pay your fee.

Handlers must setup any equipment that they may need, and they must put away all equipment that they set up..

When handlers leave the Training Center, the rings should be left free of any equipment.

Pay To Train is NOT a Ring Rental, and it is by appointment only.

To make an appointment, find your Pay To Train event in IPOC's Google Calendar, click that event, read who is in charge, read that person's preferred way to be contacted, and request an appointment by 6:00 PM at the latest the night before you expect to use our ring.

The hours that PTT is offered have been divided into 30 minute long slots, and they begin either on the hour or on the half hour. The most time slots that may be purchased each day is three, but that may be repeated if there are vacancies.

Pay To Train is an opportunity for you to train your dog in an air conditioned building, with mats and equipment provided by IPOC. In return, you pay a very small fee for that privilege.

In order for everyone who would like to take advantage of an excellent training opportunity, we must institute some rules:

1. The maximum time in any one ring is 30 minutes.
2. Cooperate and rotate so that all trainers get fair turns in the rings. After all trainers have had a turn in a ring, trainers may purchase additional time slots.
3. Two or more people may work together in a ring to provide distractions or to help each other but only if all parties agree.
4. Offer to help each other.