Welcome and please feel free to explore our website.  If you are new to dog training and to dog sports, you may want to start with the information below on our beginner classes.

In normal times, we hold regularly scheduled and very affordable dog obedience training classes as well as many other classes and events for various dog sports at our spacious, up to date training facility in Halethorpe, MD (immediately south of Baltimore near the junction of I-695 and I-95).

SPRING 2023 ROLLING REGISTRATION SCHEDULE :

• 3/8 – Catalog Posted to ODTC Website
• 3/14, 6am – Registration begins for ODTC Contributing Members 
• 3/17, 6am – Registration begins for ODTC Training Members
• 3/20,  6am – Registration begins for ODTC Provisional Members &  Nonmembers
• Week of 4/3 – Spring Classes begin

WINTER 2023 INTRODUCTORY CLASSES

(For Advanced Classes, please see our full Course Catalog )

[OB101] Puppy Kindergarten 
Instructor:  Rachel Lachow                      
Class Limit: 6
Starts:  4/4/23
Day/Time: Tuesday, 10am (6 Weeks)

Eligibility:  For puppies 14 weeks to 6 months old.  Emphasis on positive socialization to people and other puppies, environmental surroundings and contacts.  General behavior topics will include crate training, housetraining, reading body language, and reducing nipping and jumping.  We will focus on skills like attention to owner, loose leash walking, rear end awareness, good play and greeting skills with dogs and people, sit, down, come, wait, even tricks!  This is a “food” reward-based class.  Note: Bring current rabies certificate for puppies over 4 months to the first night of class.  Puppies attend the first class.    Front Training Room.

[OB105A] Basic Obedience
Instructors:  Tamalee Kramp 
Class Limit: 10                                               
Starts:  4/4/23
Day/Time: Tuesday, 7:15pm (7 Weeks)

Eligibility:  For puppies older than 6 months or adult dogs just starting training.  Note: Registration priority is given to students who have graduated from ODTC’s previous session of [OB101] Puppy Kindergarten or [OB102] Star Puppy classes.

The course will introduce dogs to all the basic obedience commands such as sit, down, stand, come, off, and loose-leash walking.  In addition, we will practice the commands with real life training exercises, such as not bolting through the door when opened and park bench manners, etc.  This is a “food” reward-based class.  NOTES:  1) At least 3 dogs must be registered for class to be held.  2) The FIRST day of class, please come WITHOUT your dog & with a copy of your dog’s Rabies certificate.   Main Ring 1.

[OB105B] Basic Obedience
Instructors:  Francine Bethea
Class Limit: 7                                               
Starts: 4/4/23
Day/Time: Tuesday, 6pm (7 Weeks)

Eligibility:  For puppies older than 6 months or adult dogs just starting training.  Note: Registration priority is given to students who have graduated from ODTC’s previous session of [OB101] Puppy Kindergarten or [OB102] Star Puppy classes.

The course will introduce dogs to all the basic obedience commands such as sit, down, stand, come, off, and loose-leash walking.  In addition, we will practice the commands with real life training exercises, such as not bolting through the door when opened and park bench manners, etc.  This is a “food” reward-based class.  NOTES:  1) At least 3 dogs must be registered for class to be held.  2) The FIRST day of class, please come WITHOUT your dog & with a copy of your dog’s Rabies certificate.   Main Ring 2.

[OB110] Continuing Basic with AKC CGC & Tricks  
Instructors:  Dana Hoppes  & Debby Brannan                                            
Class Limit: 7
Starts:  4/4/23
Day/Time: Tuesday, 6:15-7:15pm (8 Weeks)

Eligibility:  For puppies older than 8 months or adult dogs just starting training.  Dog reactive dogs are not allowed in this class.  

Note:  Priority will be given to OB105 (A/B/C) students that were given approval from the instructor to move up to OB110 class.  

Prerequisites:  This class is open to dogs that have a sound temperament and clear understanding of the basic exercises, dogs owned by handlers with recent Basic obedience training or dogs that have been evaluated by the instructor. 

In this class we will cover all of the Canine Good Citizen exercises to prepare you for the CGC test.  The students will be taught how to train and handle their dog to successfully complete each of the CGC exercises. Additionally, tricks will be taught to prepare your dog for the Novice Trick Dog Test.  At the eighth week of class an AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test and the AKC Novice Trick Dog test will be offered (date to be announced in class).   Main Ring 1.

[OB110A] Continuing Basic with AKC CGC & Tricks  
Instructors:  Judi Ruff & Russ Bobb                                
Class Limit: 10
Starts:  4/4/23
Day/Time: Tuesday, 4:30 – 5:30pm (8 Weeks)

Eligibility:  For puppies older than 8 months or adult dogs just starting training.  Dog reactive dogs are not allowed in this class.  

Note:  Priority will be given to OB105 (A/B/C) students that were given approval from the instructor to move up to OB110 class.  

Prerequisites:  This class is open to dogs that have a sound temperament and clear understanding of the basic exercises, dogs owned by handlers with recent Basic obedience training or dogs that have been evaluated by the instructor. 

In this class we will cover all of the Canine Good Citizen exercises to prepare you for the CGC test.  The students will be taught how to train and handle their dog to successfully complete each of the CGC exercises. Additionally, tricks will be taught to prepare your dog for the Novice Trick Dog Test.  At the eighth week of class an AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test and the AKC Novice Trick Dog test will be offered (date to be announced in class).   Main Ring 1.

[OB111] AKC Urban CGCU and AKC Community Canine
Instructors:  Judi Ruff & Russ Bobb                                
Class Limit: 12
Starts:  4/4/23
Day/Time: Tuesday, 3pm – 4pm (8 Weeks)

Prerequisites:  Dogs must already have their Canine Good Citizen title (CGC).  

 The 10 test exercises will be practiced and taught in greater detail to prepare your dog for the Urban CGCU and the AKC Community Canine test.  Testing: Week 7 the AKC Community Canine test will be offered. Week 8 the AKC Urban CGCU test will be offered (date and location to be announced in class).  Main Ring 1.

[AG050] Foundations for Dog Sports
Instructors:  Margaret McDowell and Susan Rosenvold
Class Limit: 10
Starts:  4/5/23
Day/Time:  Wednesday, 8:15-10pm (10 Weeks)

Eligibility:  This class is for dogs aged 5 1/2 months & up who have graduated from a Basic Obedience or Puppy Kindergarten class. 

Dogs will be introduced to the basic relationship building and foundation skills needed to be competitive in timed, physically active dog sports such as agility, flyball, rally, and disc dog.  Foundation training includes board & target training; fitness training; impulse control games; drive games with recalls and sends; emphasizing tugging as a reward; rear-end awareness and body coordination exercises. Dogs can and should be entered in this class at a young age (although it is reasonable to expect very young dogs to rotate through it twice to expose them to each foundation exercise twice during their “puppy brain” stage). This class is primarily taught using a clicker to shape behaviors. Students will be exposed to a variety of “proofing” techniques to improve their dog’s performance.

Graduation criteria: (1) ability to hold a “stay” position with handler at least 10′ away; (2) dog exhibits body control coordination through demonstration of class exercises (3) dog can stay focused on handler while working around other dogs in low arousal situations (4) dog sends around an object from at least 5′ away (5) student exhibits understanding of training principles. Students planning to move ahead to Agility 1 have the additional criteria of (1) actively engaging with a toy, viewing it as a reward and (2) dog assumes and maintains a four-feet on position on a travel board.  

Note: The first night of class is required for participation in the course. Dogs do not come to the first night of class.  Agility Ring

Email questions  to Dana Hoppes at registrarodtc@gmail.com

Agility Privates

World team member Terry Herman is offering privates at the building on Monday and Wednesday.  Click here for more information, or  To register for a private lesson:

Mondays or Wednesday Privates: click here: [EL AG540A] Privates

Interested in our advanced class offerings?  See this link.

About Us:  The Oriole Dog Training Club, Inc is a non-profit organization formed in 1945 to  promote  the utility of dogs regardless of pedigree as well behaved and reliable companions  for their own safety and well being, for the pleasure of their owners, and so they will be considered good canine citizens of the community.

We hold regularly scheduled and very affordable dog obedience training classes as well as many other classes and events for various dog sports at our spacious, up to date  training facility in Halethorpe, MD (immediately south of Baltimore near the junction of I-695 and I-95)

Our all volunteer instructing staff is passionate about both companion dog (pet manners) training and dog sports training, and collectively represents decades of experience.

We are a licensed club with the American Kennel Club  (AKC®) and in addition hold group membership with the following dog sporting organizations:

• North American Flyball Association (NAFA®)
• United States Dog Agility Association(USDAA®)
• North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC)
• Canine Performance Events (CPE)
• National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW)
• Barn Hunt Association (BHA)

Our club members range in experience from those just beginning the journey of learning how to train and trial with a dog to talented amateurs with a part-time interest in dog training and even to members who compete or judge successfully at the national (sometimes even international) level.

In addition to dog training classes, we organize and hold numerous community outreach activities, canine health clinics, seminars, workshops, and dog sporting events both at our training building and at multiple locations in and around the Baltimore, Columbia, and Washington DC metro area including:

• obedience (AKC®),
• tracking (AKC®),
• agility (USDAA®, NADAC, AKC®,CPE),
• flyball (NAFA®),
• rally (AKC Rally®)
• scentwork (NACSW, BHA, AKC®)
• coursing (AKC Fast CAT®)

Have questions?  Explore our website or start with our FAQ.

Address:
9 Azar Ct.
Halethorpe, MD 21227

Detailed directions to our facility can also be found here