Obedience is one of the American Kennel Club (AKC) oldest sporting events - and also one of the most practical - we all want to display our pup's good manners whether on a walk or in the house with company; so it's open to all dogs, however; 2 conditions exist:
1. Your dog must be 6 months old, but that doesn't mean you can't start training (sit, down, stay, etc.) before 6 months.
2. Mixed breeds must be spayed or neutered.
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Now, you must register your pooch with the AKC to keep track of your progress and it allows for many additional event opportunities; here is how you do that:
Your dog will fit into 1 of 4 categories, here we'll cover 3 since the 4th is uncommon:
1 = Mixed
2 = Purebred
3 = Lost (Registration or Dog - maybe you received from a rescue).
- Mixed: You will join the AKC under the official name of the "AKC Canine Partners'" here and joining the AKC means that you receive a registration number so they can track your progress in events like Scent Work, Obedience, Rally, Agility etc. - a lot of events allow mixed breed dogs, which is great! Tied to your ($35) registration you also receive a few more perks like 30 days of pet insurance coverage, AKC Reunite lost pet recovery, and complimentary veterinary visits through AKC Vet Network, which is pretty nice.
- Purebreds: From the AKC, your breeder should have received an AKC Registration Certificate Number or Puppy Registration paper, and passed it along to you. The AKC Dog Registration Link is here. These are the perks for registering: A frameable AKC Registration Certificate, 30 days of pet insurance for newly registered puppies - activate here and details about this will be sent to you shortly after registration; a certificate for a complimentary first veterinary office visit - submit your email address when registering your puppy and the AKC will email you a certificate for a complimentary office visit along with a list of participating veterinarians; eligibility to participate in a wide range of AKC events, including agility, obedience, tracking, field trials, dog shows, etc...Optional registration packages include AKC collar tag with 24/7 lifetime recovery services, a 3 generation AKC pedigree, 1 year subscription of AKC Family Dog magazine and a dog care and training video. Not bad.
- Lost: Registration or Dog - meaning you never received the registration number, such as; you rescued a purebred dog that may or may not have had a registration number. You will pursue a (PAL) Purebred Alternative Listing number and the process starts here. The perk of a PAL registration is an Official Certificate, 1-year subscription to AKC Family Dog magazine, a complimentary visit with an AKC Veterinary Network veterinarian, and 30 days of pet insurance coverage for eligible veterinarian expenses.
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Keep things moving by going here and finding a dog training club that trains beginner / puppy obedience.
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Visit the beginner/puppy obedience class without your dog, and BEFORE you sign up.
Now that your (1) pooch has met the above conditions and (2) you know the beginner/puppy obedience trainer you can (3) officially sign up here with your club and begin obedience training!
