When most dog owners talk about obedience training classes, they mean they are teaching their dog the basics — to "sit", "stay" and "come" on command.

Some motivated pet owners even move on to intermediate level skills like heeling or maintaining a down-stay in the face of temptation.

But Carmel , Indiana professional dog trainer Barbara Jolliff has gathered a large following of dog owners who are committed to pursuing the advanced training and testing required to earn American Kennel Club (AKC) obedience titles.

AKC Obedience Titles

Jolliff has been the trainer at Best Friends Carmel Pet Resort for the last nine years, where she teaches all levels - from puppy kindergarten through advanced. But she is especially proud of the achievements of this very dedicated group of advanced students who have been working with her for the past three years towards those AKC titles

Obedience trials test a dog's ability to perform a prescribed (by the AKC) set of exercises on which he or she is scored. If the dog achieves a high enough score, he earns one "leg" towards his title. It takes three legs to earn each title, and there are progressively more difficult titles that can be pursued. They include:

• CD or Companion Dog: The dog must heel on and off leash at different speeds, come when called, stay with a group of other dogs when told, and stand for a simple physical exam.
• CDX or Companion Dog Excellent. In addition to the exercises performed for the CD title, there are jumping and retrieving tasks.
• UD or Utility Dog: In addition to more difficult exercises, the dog also must perform scent discrimination tasks.

The best of the best can go on for more titles, including Obedience Trial Champion (OTCH), Utility Dog Excellent (UDX) and ultimately, National Obedience Champion (NOC).

A wealth of titles
The students in Jolliff's advanced group have racked up an impressive list of titles. Five have achieved their CDX titles and are working towards their UD. Barbara honored students and their dogs for their achievement during 2003 at a recent awards dinner held at a local restaurant.

Even the dogs were invited to attend and the guests included a Lab, a Chow-Chow, Bouviers, a Great Dane and a pair of Giant Schnausers.

Not all of the students in the advance group compete. "Some of my students don't enjoy showing," notes Jolliff, "but they pursue advanced training because they enjoy working with their dogs." Others enjoy the camaraderie of being with like-minded dog lovers. The group regularly plans get-togethers - dogs included, of course - and one of the students even maintains a website with photographs of various group events.

Regardless of their motivation for participating, however, all agree that advanced training strengthens the natural human-animal bond.

For more information about obedience training classes or to local a trainer near you, see the Canine College page of this website.