COURSES
All applications for training should be addressed to our email address (info@hdtc.co.uk) and include the following: your name, postal address, email address, contact telephone number, dog's breed, age, sex and if you are a first-time dog owner. This information will help us to suggest which of our courses will be most beneficial to your dog and allows us to contact you to discuss your training needs before sending you an application form. Please note that places on courses are allocated on a first come, first served basis on receipt of a fully completed application form and payment of the course fee. Confirmation of a course place will be acknowledged by post. We limit intake numbers to six puppies on the Puppy Foundation Course and eight dogs on the Basic Obedience Courses. Our courses often get booked up well in advance of their commencement date. See course dates listing under "times".
If you would like to come down to see us training, just call Pat White on 0208 969 5670 or Christine Davis on 07969 951 141 to arrange a date to attend one of our sessions. You may also register for training on Thursday evenings at St. Dunstan's Church Hall, Friars Place Lane, London W3 7AW during our term times (see "times"). PLEASE DO NOT POST correspondance to the Club address at St. Dunstan's as the Church has no facilities to accept our post. You may also apply for an application by post to Patricia White, 53A Oxford Gardens, London W10 5UJ.
Registration forms or additional information about Hammersmith DTC can also be obtained by telephoning Pat White before 8pm or Christine Davis between 9am - 5pm.
EVENING BEGINNER OBEDIENCE COURSES (7:15-8:15pm & 8:15-9:15pm) Thursday evenings:
We run two six week beginner courses simultaneously but three weeks apart in start dates, both with the same syllabus (See 'times' for dates). The course is strictly limited to 8 dogs. The course fee is £95.00 and includes a new training lead. At the end of the course we would expect your dog to walk by your side without pulling, to sit, stand, lie down and stay on command, to know a wait, to reliably come when called away from other dogs and distractions and be able to socialise safely and confidently with other dogs. This can only be achieved by you practising with your dog every day at home and homework sheets are provided to reinforce what has learned in class and for owners to share with their family.
This is reward based layered training, so we build on your dog's new skills week on week. Weather permitting, we work both inside and outside to replicate a dog's natural environment. We ask that those joining these courses commit to six weeks sequential class training to maximise what is being taught. At the end of a six week course, those dogs who need more practice or are very young, may join weeks 4-6 of the other beginner's course to reinforce their skills. The cost of this three week refresher is £30.00.
DAYTIME PUPPY FOUNDATION COURSE (10:00-11:00am)
Tuesday mornings:
The puppy foundation course is four weeks in length, runs on Tuesday mornings 10-11 a.m. and in given months (see 'times'). The course is strictly limited to puppies between the age of 8-14 weeks at start date. The course fee is £75.00 and includes a new training lead. The purpose of this course is to help puppies and owners form a real bond and introduce basic obedience and social skills as the puppies settle into their new homes. This is a reward based interactive course with questions encouraged. Homework sheets are provided after each class to reinforce what is covered during class. Puppies need to have had their first vaccinations before starting on this course (with your vet's approval).
Many of these puppies go on to join our evening beginner courses, having had a structured programme of reward based training on the Puppy Foundation Course.
ADVANCED CLASS (9:15pm-10:15pm)
Thursday evenings:
This is a mixed ability class for dogs who have attained a consistent level of competence from our beginner course. Dogs who have not done their beginner training with HDTC will be assessed before being offered a place on this programme. Virtually all the dogs at this level are working toward their Kennel Club Good Citizens Tests (bronze/silver/gold levels). The course fee is £30.00 for every three weeks and we require on ongoing commitment to training to offer a place as we do not see this as a drop in class. Clicker training is introduced in the 9:15 class and all training is reward based. Exercises included in this class include off lead heel work, retrieve, introduction to scent, recall with distractions, out of sight stays, send away, introduction to agility and lots of fun and games to keep the dogs intent on their owners and enjoying using their brains. Weather permitting, we try to work outside as much as possible.
Dogs need to be able to disregard other dogs working around them-good stays are also imperative as they form the basis of many advanced exercises.
Note: Places are allocated on a first come first served basis and courses, which we limit to eight dogs per course, often get booked up well in advance of their commencement date. On the first night of training you will need to bring your dog's valid vaccination certificate with you.