Skip to main content

Grade 4 Class

Grade 4 Obedience Dog Training Class

Grade 4 Melton Dog Obedience builds upon the foundation established in the lower classes, further refining skills and developing  consistency in commands and performance. This class is designed for dogs and owners who have mastered basic commands and are ready to take their training to the next level and compete in obedience trials or have already begun competing.

Class Structure and Content

Advanced Commands

Grade 4 classes introduce and reinforce more complex commands:

  • Automatic sits: Your dog will by now be sitting automatically when you halt. 
  • Heel: Your dog has mastered the art of loose leash heeling (including all turns and pace) and will begin learning how to heel off leash
  • Heel with distractions: Maintaining focus during walks and complete the figure of eight while off leash
  • Stay (in both the sit and stand position): Building on the duration and distance off leash 
  • Down and Stand in heel: Command your dog to drop in heel or stand while heeling
  • Stand for Exam: Teaching your dog to stand in a stay position off leash with distractions.
  • Recall: Your dog will have mastered the art of the off leash recall
  • Wait: reinforcing the wait command over several different exercises (Change of Position, Stand for Exam and the Finish) 
  • Retrieve: Retrieve training for those who wish to learn
  • Change of position: commanding your dog to change positions from a wait command 
  • The Finish: Signaling your dog back to the heal position from a front sitting position. 

Precision and Duration

Classes focus on improving the quality of previously learned behaviors and introducing new commands:

  • Extending the duration and distance of stays
  • Refining recalls off leash
  • Introducing off leash heeling incorporating pace, turns and position commands
  • Improving response time to commands
  • Limiting voice commands and utilising signals only
  • Introducting new commands from the wait signal 

Training Techniques

Advanced Positive Reinforcement

Grade 4 classes delve deeper into competition quality obedience training: 

  • Using life rewards (play, freedom and release words) 
  • Tone of voice and corrections of placements during training only 
  • Introduction to Companion Dog Title Obedience Trialing 

Proofing Behaviors

Solidifying learned behaviors:

  • Training in different locations
  • Adding distractions
  • Proofing dogs in public environments (Parks, Schools, Markets)

Class Format

Duration and Structure

Grade 4 does not have a time frame for completion, each dog is different and will progress at different paces, graduation to Grade 5 requires two qulaifying passes achieved at our club day events held through out the year.

Practical Applications

Classes incorporate real-world scenarios:

  • Mock obedience trials
  • Introduction of obstacles used in obedience trials
  • Introduction of retrieve off lead 

Homework and Progression

To ensure continued improvement:

  • Continuing at home practice on a daily basis
  • Foccus on competitive obedience concepts and correct hand signals and placements 

Melton Dog Obedience Club Grade 4 classes provide a comprehensive next step for dogs and owners who wish to progress to competitive obedience trials. This class is taught as an introduction to the Companion Dog (Novice) as per Dogs Victoria and affiliates.