We are a volunteer organisation providing dog training and education to the local community.
Our training involves group classes on Sunday mornings. We teach obedience and life skills, as well as some specific dog sports. These are held on the Club’s grounds in Darnum Recreation Reserve. Only participants and instructors should be on the grounds during training class times.
Details on our club’s Conformation Show and competition Trials can be found on the News & Events page.
We hold weekly group classes on Sunday mornings at the Darnum Recreation Reserve.
Dog training should always be about using positive training methods for a well adjusted dog.
Warragul Dog Club classes provide reward-based training. Classes are a great way to learn about dog behaviour and to socialise dogs in a safe, structured environment.
In Beginners Class (Level 1), your dog will learn basic life skills. You will learn more effective communication with your dog, building on trust and your relationship.
Beyond Beginners Class, training expands on obedience skills, enrichment and fun activities.
Training also provides the foundation for many sports and disciplines like Obedience, Rally, Agility, Scent Work, Tracking and Conformation.
Our 8-Week Beginners Program is for members with puppies (over 16 weeks) or older dogs requiring beginners training.
It covers basic life skills training, dog behaviour and education, foundation to recall, focus and engagement.
Club membership and bookings for this program are essential.
The 8 Week Beginners Program is foundational for all other classes.
However, if new members and their dogs have some experience and feel they are beyond a beginners class, please request an instructor assessment to join more advanced or specialised classes.
We expect your commitment to attending for the 8 weeks and practicing the new skills through the week for a few minutes a day. This is essential for training success.
If a place is offered but you are unable to attend please let us know immediately so the place can be filled by someone else.
The Beginners Program is just a starter, which will lead into more advanced training classes.
IMPORTANT NOTE
A small number of dogs may require a repeat of the Beginners Program, even though handlers have worked hard to consolidate the skills covered.
Learning new skills takes commitment, and all dogs are individuals with differing learning styles. Remain positive and patient.
Very occasionally, an instructor may suggest a veterinary assessment to ensure there are no underlying pain or behavioural concerns holding a dog back from learning.
This is our duty of care to you and your dog. Dogs are experts at hiding vulnerability and humans can miss subtle indicators.
Level 2 class is for handlers and dogs who have completed the Beginners Course.
Focus
Level 2 classes build on the Beginners Course foundations and have no set time frame. You progress at your own pace.
For effective learning and skill retention we still recommend weekly attendance, although this is not mandatory. We also encourage home training during the week.
You may be happy to simply have interesting and fun activities with your dog and a well-behaved companion animal at home.
If you also have an interest in competition trials, you can learn more about them at this level.
For more experienced handlers and dogs, we offer group classes in more advanced levels of Obedience and the specific dog sport disciplines of Agility and Rally. We have a number of enthusiastic members who engage in trialling with their dogs. These activities can be found on our Facebook page as they happen. It takes a bit more time to appear under our website’s Member page Achievements section.
Agility is lots of fun for dogs and handlers.
Agility Jump
It requires specialised training before a dog can take part in the ongoing training classes.
Intake for Agility beginners takes place once a year at our Club Agility grounds.
If interested, you need to have completed the Beginners Obedience course and/or have consolidated foundation skills such as a reliable recall and ability to work with your dog off-lead.
An assessment will take place for new participants in this discipline. Once assessed as suitable, you can join the Foundation Agility class which is a 6-week course. When you have completed and passed the Foundation course, you can take part in regular Agility classes.
If interested, please speak to one our instructors for more information.
In 2023, the Club began offering group classes for experienced members interested in participating in Rally trials. This is an exciting development as the Club is also hosting October Rally trials for the first time this year.
At present we do not hold official group classes in Conformation, Scent Work, Tracking, Endurance etc. However, many of our members have expertise in these areas and have been known to provide trial preparation and guidance. If you are very determined to trial or learn basics of a discipline, it should be possible to find a mentor amongst our members, so ask around.
Tracking Practice: Berry and John giving a demo for Lily and George — and having fun.
If interested in other dog sports and would like more information, please speak to our instructors.
Group training classes are a great way to socialise your dog in a safe and structured environment and to deepen your relationship with your dog. It is an important part of responsible dog ownership.
The club uses reward-based positive reinforcement training methods. This can include food treats, enthusiastic praise, playful interactions, petting, a favourite toy or a game.
Most dogs are highly food-motivated, so food works especially well for training. Treats should be healthy yet enticing and irresistible to your pet. You may need to experiment to find which food works best as a valuable reinforcer (high value reward) for training in a group class, which is a more distracting environment than home.
Reward-based training is the most humane and effective way of training dogs and addressing unwanted behaviours. It does not involve aversive devices or techniques, physical punishment or the assertion of dominance over the dog.
In our classes, your dog will learn to follow basic obedience cues (commands). You will learn about communicating effectively with your dog and better understanding their behaviour. Activities involve working in a human-dog team which builds trust and helps develop a stronger bond between you and your dog.
These training classes provide a good foundation for other dog sport disciplines such as Obedience, Agility, Tracking, Retrieving and Scent Work. They are also a good starting point for people interested in Conformation showing.
The Club asks all members to follow safe, responsible and respectful dog handling protocols while engaged in Club activities.
Our instructors are all volunteers with a variety of experience in different training disciplines. They are dedicated to giving up their time to assist members with their dogs.
Warragul Dog Club believes that Obedience training should be an enjoyable, enriching time for you and your dog
Our committed volunteer instructors have a wealth of experience and skills in dog training, dog behaviour and body language, and various dog sport disciplines. Most have completed dog training instructor programs and they meet regularly to support each other in ongoing learning and skill development.
All of our instructors are committed to guiding handlers and their dogs in developing skills, focus and a positive teamwork relationship.
We aim for our classes to be an important part of a broader community education about living well with our dogs.
Our affiliation with DogsVictoria provides our Club members with insurance cover while engaged in Club activities at the Club grounds. It also enables us to hold our Labour Day Championship Shows.
Warragul Dog Club is a volunteer organisation providing dog training and obedience classes for the Warragul and West Gippsland communities and an annual conformation show day on Labor Day.
Club activities are held in Baw Baw Shire on the lands of the Gunai Kurnai People.
New members are always welcome.
