Glandore Dog Training Club of Ulster

Why train your dog?

Who wants a dog which jumps up and pushes small children over, who barks at the postman, or who growls at every stranger it meets? Not many of us, and with society changing all the time, we as dog owners are increasingly being made aware of our responsibilities, some of them legal. These include cleaning up after our dogs, having them under control when in public, and not allowing them to bother people around us. In Northern Ireland, dogs are required to wear licence tags at all times (except when they are working). No longer is it acceptable to let dogs free-roam during the day when we are out at work, even in country areas, and Councils will charge for returning your dog if it is found out unsupervised.

Taking your dog, whatever its breed or age, to training classes is a useful and rewarding experience, as training with your dog forges and strengthens your relationship with it. Most owners who bring their puppy to basic obedience classes quickly learn the way to have a dog at home who is easy to live with. Others are 'bitten by the bug', going on to train for advanced exercises such as scent discrimination and distance control.

For more information about classes and times for Obedience training, click here. If you are interested in Agility training, click here.

Club membership is currently £15.00 per family/partnership per year (£7.50 renewal), payable on 1st January. Then you pay £3.00 per lesson for one dog, £4.00 for 2+ dogs, whether obedience or agility. (Club membership entitles you to attend either or both, it's up to you.)

To speak to the Club's PRO, Rachel Cooper, email or telephone 07855 474 414.

Of course, sometimes owners only seek help when there is already a problem with their dog. They may have adopted a rescue dog, which has come with ready-made problems, such as separation anxiety or aggressive tendencies. Training classes can help in such situations, athough some cases may require more focussed one-to-one attention. If you have a dog with a specific problem, be honest about it and discuss this with the class trainer when you come to the class. It is likely that they will have seen just the same problem before, and will find strategies for you to address the unwanted behaviours.