Little Orchard Dog Training Academy
ABOUT US
Since 2002 Little Orchard has been aiming to provide the best start for your puppy or dog. We have Kennel Club listed status for the KC Good Citizens Scheme and KC Rally.
We offer all levels of KC GCDS (Kennel Club Good Citizens Dog Scheme) awards from Puppy to Gold level. Our training is designed to be fun and interactive. We encourage owners to ask questions and share experiences.
We have an experienced training team using a modern approach to training. Within our training team we have a number of Kennel Club Examiners, Sarah is a Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and also Kennel Club Accredited Instructor (KCAI) in CD and GCDS.
Click here to find out more about our team and dogs.
At Little Orchard Dog Training Academy we offer a variety of training courses to suit dogs of all ages and ability levels.
We cater for both pet dogs and working / competition dogs.
Puppy courses are limited to dogs under 20 weeks old (at the first session) but there is no maximum age limit for a dog being trained.
Our courses are regularly updated to suit demand and progression, for example near the end of the Puppy Courses, Bronze Courses will be made available prior to being advertised online.
It has always been the case that shock, vibration and spray collars have not been allowed at Little Orchard Classes. After a great deal of thought and discussion, we will now challenge inappropriate use of “Anti Pull” / “Stop Pull” harnesses, slip leads and the use of extending leads at KC Puppy Classes and KC Bronze Classes. This may result in the trainer asking for the item to be removed and an alternative offered.
This harness type and extending lead are marketed as “solutions” to lose lead walking but they can hinder the teaching of this area in an indoor training environment and harm the dog in the process.
Little Orchard’s Puppy Training Courses follow the Kennel Club Puppy Foundation Award. This means that the Course is structured and has a number of exercises set by the Kennel Club that your Puppy should achieve by the end of the Course. More details of the puppy scheme can be found by CLICKING HERE
HOW LONG IS THE COURSE?
Our Puppy Course runs for 7 weeks with each session lasting for 1 hour. The lessons will take place at the same time and venue each week (unless you are notified in advance by one of the training team).
WHEN CAN I START?
We always encourage owners to start socialising their puppy as early as possible with other puppies, well behaved adult dogs and people. Therefore, we advise you to book onto a Puppy Course after your puppy has had its first vaccination. For some Pups this may be at 8-9 weeks whilst for others it may be 12 weeks. We reserve the right to ask for proof of vaccination and will not allow an un-vaccinated Pup to mix with the other youngsters who may have only had their first vaccine. We aim to prevent future problems that are often related to incorrect socialisation.
IS MY PUPPY TOO OLD?
We allow Puppies onto the Course if they are 20 weeks old or below at the First Lesson.
WHAT’S INVOLVED?
During the Course we ask you to think about how your puppy learns new things and what we can do to make learning situations as easy as possible. We encourage the use of praise, food and toy rewards. This will increase the bond between you and your puppy and make training both a lot easier and a lot more fun.
At Little Orchard the Puppy stays at home for the first lesson. This may sound strange but it allows all of the owners meet for a talk on common behaviour, training and health issues. This is where owners have an opportunity to have any questions answered and iron out any problems that may be specific to their puppy.
The puppies come along to the remaining 6 lessons and that’s when they get to have their say! We take you both through the structured lessons of training and socialisation.
The play carried out is very controlled as too much off lead or rough play is proven to create behaviour problems in later development.
THINGS WE WILL HELP YOU AND YOUR PUPPY LEARN.
- How to behave around other puppies, people and distractions
- Hands are good things and not for biting
- Coming back when called
- Walking on a loose lead
- Sit down, stand and stay obedience
- How to enjoy grooming and handling
- How to greet an adult dog from our tutor team
- Waiting and walking through doorways behind the leader
- Fetching and leaving toys
- Food manners with feeding bowls and taking treats gently
HOW CAN I FOLLOW MY PROGRESS?
As this is a Kennel Club Course, you’ll be given a Puppy Foundation Assessment Diary at the beginning of your Course. Each week your progress will be charted by the instructor until all elements are marked as Passed.
The diary also allows you to keep a record of imnportant information such as Owner details, vaccine information and Family Tree. Alongside the diary Little Orchard has produced a series of weekly handouts that will be given at the end of the lesson with information about what has been covered and things to work on at home before the next session.
And finally, at the end of the Course if all goes well, you’ll receive the Puppy Foundation Assessment certificate and the Good Citizen Scheme Puppy rosette. Then comes the Bronze award……
Our Gun dog training is truly positive, fun and kind and about as far away from purest gun dog training as you can imagine. We use companion dog training methods and food / toy rewards.
We work with pet dogs having a lot of fun and run a mixture of weekly regular groups, guest workshops and 121 trial lessons or to work on a specific element of the training.
WHAT WE COVER
- Use of a whistle for recall and stopping
- Holding many items though clicker training and fun
- Teaching retrieves
- Progressing the retrieving and directional work via many lessons
- Loose lead walking
- Stays, social skills and obedience around distractions
- Steadiness around dummies and other dogs retrieving
THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT OF OUR GUNDOG TRAINING LESSONS
Helen and Winnie: “We found the beginners gun dog course a lot of fun as well as helping to embed a lot of basic training skills such as stay and wait and recall. My Labrador loved it!”
If you are interested in having some fun with Gun dog training we advise a 121 half hour training assessment tailored to work with you and your dog.
If you are passionate about the idea of field trials and are seeking to compete then our Course may not be suitable for your requirements and we would advise you work with someone more specialized in this field.
Our Mind & Body and MAC (Multi Activity Course) training Courses are unique to Little Orchard and have been developed by us to strengthen the bond and partnership between you and your dog through fun and focus.
Both options will allow you to work on increasing your dogs confidence and skills. There is no test or exam at the end! The course aims to create lots of fun for dogs and their owners and look to further the handlers understanding and training skills.
MIND & BODY
This is a 8 week course and is good for working or active dogs. It has also helped a lot of dogs that have found the formal training challenging or a little boring. The lessons increase core strength and body awareness whilst challenging the dogs mind through clicker training. We alternate each week between “Mind” sessions and “Body” sessions.
Dogs that have worked towards Good Citizen’s Silver award are invited to join the mind and body course. The course is aimed at owners that want to take part in progressive training and have lots of fun and strengthen the bond and understanding between them and their dog. The course can help you decide what training you may like to move onto and whether that is Agility, Rally, Gun dog or obedience.
Some of the tasks included in the course include
- Clicker training for fun and focus
- Free shaping and training behaviours – enhancing your clicker training skills
- Forward focus work over low poles, new surfaces and obstacles
- Foot awareness for front and back feet with stepping in, out and onto obstacles
- Teaching new tricks
- Working with footstools, hoops, mats, jump poles, wings and tyres as obstacles
- Stays with distractions
- Teaching your dog to settle
- Games for mind stimulation
- Heelwork to music moves to enhance fun and body awareness
- Obedience and life skills to assist working dogs or those in training
MAC – MULTI ACTIVITY COURSE
MAC is an 8 week course which allows dogs to experience a number of different activities within 1 course. We will do a lesson of each of the following during MAC:
- Hoopers
- Agility
- KC Rally
- Heelwork to Music
- Obedience
- Tricks and Games
- Parkour
- Fitness and Movement
Dogs that have taken part in the Good Citizen’s Bronze award are invited to join MAC.
Emma and Ronnie: “With a very reactive dog, the Multi Training Course classes that I am attending with Ronnie are perfect and so enjoyable. With something different every week from Obedience, Parkour, Rally, Hoopers, Agility. They all work Ronnie’s brain, learning in a fun environment that builds confidence and our relationship together all helped under the guidance of Sarah at Little Orchard.
Ronnie thrives on having direction and guidance into doing the right thing and with all the fun activities they are not only helping to improve who he is but can also be used in all aspects of our day to day life and training.
The added bonus of working around other people and dogs is invaluable to us and at the end of the hour session when he is tired leads to a very peaceful afternoon. I would highly recommend.”
Both Hoopers and Agility are mentally and physically challenging for the dogs. The dogs have great fun and exercise whilst testing out your training, control and directional skills.
We have all breeds and sizes of dogs on our Hoopers and Agility Courses. It is especially good stimulation for working breed dogs or dogs that find obedience training difficult to concentrate on.
These options can be great fun for handlers too, increasing your bond with your dog, your understanding of each other and is great exercise. All training is done in a positive way and we are happy for you to use treats, praise, toys, and clicker training.
These options can be great fun for handlers too, increasing your bond with your dog, your understanding of each other and is great exercise. All training is done in a positive way and we are happy for you to use treats, praise, toys, and clicker training.
No rough handling of dogs is allowed at any of our lessons. If this occurs you may be warned but if it persists you may be asked to leave the course.
Our equipment is professional competition standard equipment for both activities.
HERE IS A LIST OF AGILITY EQUIPMENT WE WILL USE
- Tunnels: 3m, 4m and 5m
- Weaves: Upright weaves, channel weaves
- Jumps: Tyre jump, Cavaletti jumps, KC height jumps, long jump
- Contact equipment: The A frame, dog walk, see saw
NOTE: Some of the Agility equipment can be damaging to dogs whose joints are still developing. Therefore we will not allow young dogs (under 12 months) to fully use certain pieces of equipment.
Teaching on our contact equipment starts off at ground level or with mini equipment. As you progress and gradually grow in confidence, you will find you start to support your dog until they have learnt the equipment. However, as they learn, it will be your challenge to learn and adapt your handling skills to progress further and keep up with the dog.
At Little Orchard we hold Agility and Hoopers sessions booked in blocks. You do not have to compete in competition Agility to join this training course.
Footwear – Lessons will only take place if the appropriate footwear is worn. Open toe footwear such as sandals and heavy boots are not suitable. We recommend trainers or football boots with a good grip.
Kennel Club Rally came to the UK having been popular and well established in America for a number of years. Sarah and Stu have been competing with their dogs and enjoying the training involved with Rally and this has led to Little Orchard becoming more involved with the sport and having KC Rally listed status with the Kennel Club. Sarah, Stu and several Clients are qualified KC Rally judges.
HOW BIG IS A RALLY COURSE?
There are a number of Levels in Rally but everyone starts in Level 1. At Level 1 there are a maximum of 12 signs making up the Course plus a Bonus. As the level increases, the number of signs increases along with the difficulty of the tasks required. In level 6, there are a maximum of 18 signs.
WHAT DO OUR COURSES COVER?
- We now offer three levels of Courses.
- Our “Starter” level Course is 8 weeks long and focuses on Levels 1,2 and 3. We introduce the idea of Rally and have a go at the basic signs.
- Our “Intermediate” level Course is 10 weeks long and focuses on the level 3 & 4 signs, alongside training level 1 & 2 courses and also learning about scoring and judging courses.
- We then have “Rally Club” which is an ongoing competition club with classes every week. This covers all levels of signs as well as judging and stewarding.
WHAT IS KC RALLY?
Rally involves negotiating a Course made up of sign stations. Each sign represents a manoeuvre or exercise that must be completed by the dog and handler. Each handler starts with a Perfect Score of 200 (excluding the Bonus) and as you work around the Course, points are deducted for various things. A lot of the positions and skills needed for Rally are introduced during the Kennel Club Good Citizen training . Completing the KC Silver Award will give you a good start in Rally.
SOME OF THE TASKS WE TEACH ON ALL COURSES INCLUDE
- Focus work
- Expanding clicker training skills
- Working as a dog and handler team to train and problem solve
- Loose lead walking
- Waits and recalling
- Teaching the heel position
- How to teach the signs for the appropriate level
We run indoor and outdoor courses in a number of venues depending on the time of year.
Online booking is not available as we like to ensure that dogs are booked onto appropriate courses.
Payment is required in order to secure a course or appointment. Once booked and paid, refunds cannot be given for non attendance at training. Where possible, alternative sessions may be offered.
Please Note: We currently do not accept credit card payments. Payments can be made via bank transfers or cheque.
Once dates are booked and paid, trainers are allocated and refunds cannot be given.
Note: We are currently unable to accept credit card payments but can accept bank transfers. Please make all cheques payable to “Little Orchard“
Weekly Courses
The Kennel Club Puppy Course
£125
This is a 7 week course. Lesson 1 is a specialist discussion about training, socialisation and problem solving. This allows the owners to ask many common questions about their puppies. The remaining 6 weeks are practical training and socialising for your puppy. No puppies over 20 weeks old (at the start of the course) are able to join Little Orchard’s puppy classes as this often mixes teenager problems into a puppy learning group. The groups are supported by weekly handouts and videos for reference.
Kennel Club Bronze Course
£136
This is an 8 week course. Lessons 1 to 8 are now all practical training. After completing the Course there’s an optional examination to achieve the Bronze Award. It covers positive learning using clicker training and trick teaching to encourage and motivate your dog. We provide weekly help sheets, a clicker (training tool) and a welcome pack.
** Booking priority is given to Puppies on our courses and 1-2-1 clients **
Kennel Club Good Citizen Scheme Silver Course
£136
This is an 8 week course. Lessons 1 to 7 are practical training and week 8 is an optional examination to achieve the Silver Award. Each lesson individual objectives are set for each person to ensure all course elements are trained and in place by the examination. This allows the handler to work at their own pace. The Bronze Level Award must be achieved prior to doing the Silver award.
Kennel Club Good Citizen Scheme Gold Course
£150
This is a 10 week course. Lessons 1 to 9 are practical training and week 10 is an optional examination to achieve the Gold Award. Course elements include tricks and obedience training along with many training commands. Lots of homework is required for you to complete this course as things really start to get a bit harder! The Silver Level Award must be achieved prior to doing the Gold award.
Little Orchard Platinum Course
£150
This is a 10 week course. Lessons 1 to 9 are practical training and week 10 is an optional examination to achieve the Platinum Award. Course elements include send aways, double retrieve, social test with dogs and people with advanced stays. Lots of homework will be required for you to complete this course! The Gold Level Award (or equivalent level) must be achieved prior to doing the Platinum award.
Little Orchard’s Mind & Body Course
£136
This is an 8 week course. This course is good for working or active dogs. It increases strength and body awareness whilst challenging their mind through clicker training. Reward based games and heelwork are key parts of this course.
Little Orchard Rally Course
£150
Rally Courses are 8 weeks long. We focus on having a fun partnership with your dog and the Courses include learning the Rally signs alongside training level 1 & 2 courses and also learning about scoring and judging courses.
Individual Options or Short Courses
Training 1-2-1 Initial Assessment
£30 / £60per 30 / 60 minutes
A training / socialisation assessment, which will be conducted in a controlled environment. This can be either indoors or outdoors, depending on your dog’s requirements. This ranges from dogs with social issues through to private training options. Tutor Dogs may be used. Note – This is not for dogs with aggression issues.
1-2-1 Training follow-ups / check ins
£30per 30 minutes
Theses are 30 minute follow-up appointments that may take place following an initial 1-2-1 assessment or following referral from a Course instructor. These appointments may also be booked for initial meetings if appropriate.
Little Orchard’s Group Agility Course
£POA
The Group Agility Course is booked in sessions of 8 weeks and each session lasts for 60 minutes. Group numbers are limited. The training is tailored to suit the group’s requirements. You do not have to compete in competitive Agility to join these courses.
Gun Dog Courses
£POAplease enquire via email
Gun Dog Groups are limited to 6 dogs per session. Groups range from “Starters” to “Advanced” and cover Whistle introduction and use, holding items, teaching a retrieve and encouraging natural Gun Dog fun and games. Please email for further details.
Behaviour Appointments
Referral
If your enquiry relates to a behavioural issue that we feel may be better managed by a Clinical Behaviourist rather than through training, we will provide information on the route to referral.
Additional Details
FAQs
stuart@little-orchard.co.uk
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