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īweriū Working K9

Foundation · 6–12 weeks

Obedience Training

Obedience is the interface between you and the dog. Ours is trained to be reliable at distance, under distraction and at high arousal — the only conditions in which it actually matters.

The behaviours we build

We teach a small number of behaviours to an extremely high standard rather than a long list of party tricks. Every behaviour has a defined criterion, a release, and a proofing schedule against distraction, distance and duration.

  • Attention heel with automatic sits and directional changes
  • Emergency and formal recall with front position
  • Sit, down and stand with duration under distraction
  • Place and settle in any environment
  • Loose lead walking in busy public spaces
  • Send-away, boundary work and vehicle discipline

Marker training mechanics

Clear communication requires a consistent marker system: a terminal marker that ends behaviour and delivers reinforcement, a continuation marker that maintains it, and a release word. Handlers learn the mechanics themselves — timing, reinforcement placement and rate — because the system fails when the human is inconsistent.

Proofing under pressure

A sit-stay in your kitchen is not obedience. We proof against joggers, cyclists, other dogs, food on the ground, traffic, wildlife, doorbells and decoys, layering distraction gradually so the dog never rehearses failure.

Handler skills

Half of every session is spent on you: leash mechanics, body position, reinforcement delivery, timing and how to read early signs of arousal or stress. Skilled handlers keep results; passengers lose them within weeks.

Frequently asked questions

How long until my dog is reliable off lead?

For most dogs, eight to sixteen weeks of consistent work builds a genuinely reliable recall, depending on age, drive and previous rehearsal of bad habits.

Do you use e-collars?

Only where appropriate, introduced at low level as a communication tool after the dog fully understands the behaviour, and never as a substitute for teaching.

Enquire about Obedience Training

Tell us what you need the dog to do and we will tell you honestly what is possible, what it costs and how long it takes.