ACT Companion Dog Club

31/07/2024

The Olympics are coming to the ACTCDC this Sunday 4 August from 1pm! The ACT Rescue and Foster Olympics - featuring a Mock Trick Dog Trial and an opening ceremony performed by our Club's Display Team. There will be a stall and raffle prizes - so please come and support this great cause. If not trialling, please leave your dogs at home.

26/07/2024

Members
The grounds will be CLOSED on Saturday (27 July) from 8.00am – 4.00pm while the Club hosts the inaugural ACT Sprint Dog trial (conducted by Dogs ACT). Sprint Dog is a new Dogs Australia sport designed to allow a dog (any breed) the opportunity to run as fast as they can across a 100m straight line distance. Dogs earn points for their average speed and accrue titles based on the points they earn competing in trials. You can read all about the rules for the sport at https://dogsaustralia.org.au/media/10157/23-da-sprintdog-rules_01-07-24.pdf. We have over 70 dogs participating in the inaugural trial.
Club members are welcome to come and watch the competition (judging will start at 10.30am) – for safety’s sake, follow any instructions given by officials. Please leave your dog at home as only competitors’ dogs will be allowed on the grounds.
Thank you.

23/07/2024

“Huh?” “What?” “Term 3 classes across all activities resume this week?”* “Yippee!” “I’ve got my collar, harness and lead and am ready to go!” “No excuses!”
New Behaviour Training (Foundation) members – we look forward to seeing you at our ‘welcome’ information session in the clubhouse this Wednesday morning (10.00am), Thursday evening (6.30pm) and Sunday morning (9.30am). Please leave your dog at home this week.
Returning members – please check out the Class Timetables page (https://actcdc.org.au/class-timetables/ ) and Calendar page (https://actcdc.org.au/calendar/ ) for further information about your classes.
*Except Trick Dog which starts next Monday.

22/07/2024

Rainy and bitterly cold conditions last Saturday saw a last minute move of our Double Trick Dog test indoors to Pegasus Riding for the Disabled of the ACT. We are thankful for the flexibility shown by our fabulous group of judges, competitors and volunteers who made the day a success. Everyone made it such a friendly and supportive atmosphere! Thanks also to our trial sponsor Poseidon Animal Health - Poseidon Canine.

If you would like to have a go at trick dogs, consider registering for our upcoming mock trial (in support of ACT Rescue and Foster) on Sunday 4 August: https://fosterdogs.org/arf-olympics/

(Competitors, please share any photos you took on the day)

19/07/2024

* Update: Change of Venue for 20 July CDC Trick Dog Trial *
Due to inclement weather conditions, we have shifted tomorrow's Trick Dog trial from the club to the Bid Williams Arena, Pegasus Riding for the Disabled ACT Inc (see picture). We look forward to seeing competitors tomorrow.

18/07/2024

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Are you planning to continue your Behaviour Training in Term 3? If so, we need to hear from you!

We have sent out emails to BT members we THINK are returning so we can finalise classes. But we need confirmation of your plans – EVEN if you advised your instructor last term.

Have you replied to our email? Well done! We look forward to seeing you in class next week .
Haven’t replied? Oh dear – don’t miss out – let us know by email immediately so you can secure your spot in class.

Term 3 runs from Wednesday 24 July – Sunday 22 September. Please ensure you are available to attend throughout the term (and remember, it will be cold) – our volunteer instructors thrive on your regular attendance.

16/07/2024

Have you taught your dog to spin? Place paws up on a platform? Put a paw on your hand? Send away to a mat? Why not test your and your dog's skills in our upcoming mock trick dog trial. Secure your spot online now and help raise funds for a great cause: https://fosterdogs.org/arf-olympics/

2 options to participate:
- Starters Ring: Perform 6 Starters level tricks following Dogs Australia Trick Dog Rules:https://dogsaustralia.org.au/media/10067/20-trick-dog-rules-2024.pdf
- Open Ring: Just have a go! Perform UP TO 6 tricks in a trial ring.

11/07/2024

Do you need help raising your new puppy? We have 1 vacancy in our Puppy Foundation class on Wednesdays (10.00am) and 2 vacancies in our Puppy Foundation class on Thursdays (6.30pm) for puppies between 4 - 5.5 months old. Please email the Club now if you are interested ([email protected]). The cost (for twelve months of classes, starting with Puppy Foundation and covering three further levels) is $433.00. The classes will start on 24-25 July respectively. These weekly small group classes will help you understand your puppy’s behaviour, learn to manage your household to get through the first few months harmoniously, and introduce some basic life skills. And a word of warning, it’s not all up to the puppy! Our puppies are relying on us to be the best puppies they can be.

08/07/2024

Good luck to our Club Members competing at the 2024 Agility Nationals this week in Sydney.

We are proud to have 5 of the 6 dogs on DogsACT “A Captial Team” being CDC members. We wish them and all members the very best at Nationals.

Teams event will be competing today, Tuesday 9th July from 11am.

03/07/2024

Want to train your dog to be the best dog it can be – and have fun together achieving your goals? Online bookings have opened for our Term 3 Puppy and Adult Foundation (Level 1) Behaviour Training group classes (we do not take bookings by phone or email). Click on the ‘Enrolments open’ button on our website and follow the instructions (www.actcdc.org.au). You may need to refresh your browser to clear any cached viewing history. We have 72 places available – 24 on Wednesdays at 10.00am, 24 on Thursdays at 6.30pm and 24 on Sundays at 9.30am. 8 places on each of these days are reserved for puppies between 4-6 months old. Your membership fees cover you for twelve months of training (with classes held once/week during school terms). Term 3 classes will start on Wednesday 24 July and run for nine weeks.

01/07/2024

Time for you and your dog to get to know each other better and learn new skills? Online bookings for our Term 3 Puppy and Adult Foundation (Level 1) Behaviour Training classes will open around 10.00am THIS Wednesday 3 July.
The ‘Enrolments closed’ button on the website (www.actcdc.org.au) will change to ‘Enrolments open’ and you will be able to click on the button to start the booking process. You may need to refresh your browser to clear any cached viewing history.
Puppy Foundation places are for puppies between 4-6 months old and Adult Foundation places are for dogs 6 months and older. If you have been waiting to join the Club to start our pet dog training classes don’t hesitate! Get online at 10.00am on Wednesday. We do NOT take bookings by phone or email. Your membership will cover you for twelve months (four terms of training).
Before booking, we do recommend that you read our ‘Frequently asked questions’ to ensure that the Club’s Behaviour Training classes meet your needs, expectations and availability, see https://actcdc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FAQs-for-website-October-2023.pdf.
Term 3 Behaviour Training classes for new and returning members start from Wednesday 24 July and end on Sunday 22nd September (9 weeks). Eligibility requirements and information on how to enrol in the Club’s other sporting activities can be found on the relevant Activity page (scroll to the end of each page).
NOTE: If you are an existing member who wishes to enrol a new puppy or dog in our Term 3 Puppy or Adult Foundation (Level 1) Behaviour Training classes please complete the form athttps://actcdc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Application-for-Additional-Dog-or-Activity-Form-1-October-2023.pdf and email it to [email protected] by tomorrow (Tuesday 2 July) so a place can be held for you BEFORE public bookings open.

30/06/2024

29/06/2024

Behaviour Training Classes are on today 30th June 2024.
Don’t forget it’s the last day of term.

28/06/2024

Attn Members : club grounds will be closed from 8:30am till approx 4pm Saturday 29th June, due to the home paddock being used for a SprintDog Mock Trial.
You are welcome to come and watch, advisable to leave your canine friend at home, as there are ground access restrictions whilst the event is on

25/06/2024

Hi members
This week is the last week of classes for Term 2. Are you ready to show what skills you and your dog have perfected over the past nine weeks?
For Behaviour Training and Obedience Trialling/Rally, your last class for this term will be held this Wednesday 26 June, Thursday 27 June and Sunday 30 June. Your Behaviour Training instructor will be presenting certificates to those handlers and dogs graduating to the next level and encouraging those of you who may need to continue at the same level to persevere to reach your goals. It is not uncommon to repeat the occasional level to ensure you and your dog have the skills and knowledge to take on the challenges of the next level. Flyball, Trick Dog and Dances With Dogs classes will also be winding up this week. Term 3 classes will start the week beginning Monday 22 July (see https://actcdc.org.au/calendar/ and https://actcdc.org.au/class-timetables/ ) . Don’t forget to let your instructor know if you will be returning to classes next term and, if so, what day. We look forward to seeing you shine in class this week.

21/06/2024

Due to Rally Trial - Saturday 22nd June - grounds will be closed for general use.
Members are welcome to come and see a rally trial in action but ask that you leave Fido at home.

20/06/2024

Rally Skills 6:45pm class (tonight) CANCELLED.
Instructor Jo is unwell.

19/06/2024

At 10.00am this morning the apparent temperature was a bracing minus 4.8 degrees C. Yep, minus 4.8 degrees. And yet, all of our regular Wednesday Behaviour Training and Obedience Trialling/Rally folk turned up for classes as well as our instructors – almost 100 in all. Well done to everyone for their commitment to training despite the chilly conditions. And the frost on the fences and spider webs looked as if it had been crocheted for the occasion …

12/06/2024

Congratulations to club member Judith and her Brittany 'Tae' on achieving the final points they needed to obtain Tae's Agility Championship, at the Club's Winter Wonderland Agility Trial this past weekend. Judith and Tae won 1st place in Elite Agility to earn the last points needed for this achievement.

Tae will now officially be known as Triple Champion (R)(AgCh) Riverreed Shez Tailermaid CDX ORA QND ADM ADO JDM JDO SPDM SDM GDX JC TKI

11/06/2024

Classes are ON today (Wednesday) but Companion Plus at 11.30am is cancelled due to the unavailability of the instructor. Our apologies.

11/06/2024

A big and very successful weekend for one of our CDC members

Ari and human Claire travelled to Victoria to compete in triple Tricks and triple DWD trials.
The trip was not wasted and Ari walked (well danced) away with:

🏆 1st place intermediate tricks
🏆 2nd place intermediate tricks
🏆 Two 2nd places in DWD
🏆 Heelwork to Music Intermediate title
🏆 Freestyle Advance title

And more importantly, they worked beautifully as a team! What great representation for CDC!
Well done Ari and Claire!

07/06/2024

Beautiful day for our Winter Wonderland Agility trial this weekend.

07/06/2024

CDC's Winter Agility Trial will be held this weekend, 8-9 June 2024.

Agility, Obedience, Flyball and Bore Paddocks will be unavailable during the trial.

Looking to get started in agility? Come and see the trial. More information - www.actcdc.org.au/agility

03/06/2024

One person ‘lost’ in Canberra’s inner south for up to five hours, one handler, one Track and Search dog, one judge, one steward, two safety stewards … The dog’s mission – to follow the missing person’s scent across, grass, concrete, bitumen, earth, autumn leaves; passed houses, cars, driveways, bike paths, birds and random pedestrians for at least 800 metres and up to 1200 metres with multiple changes of direction along the way. The handler’s mission – to trust the dog to detect and isolate the lost person’s scent at the designated start, to ignore all competing distractions as it follows the scent, and to find the missing person at the end. The judge’s mission – to observe the dog and handler to determine whether they are ‘on track’ – based on the unmarked route the ‘lost’ person has taken. Yesterday was the Club’s first Track and Search trial for the season with five handlers and seven dogs being put to the test – two Border Collies, one Brittany, one Belgian Malinois, one Hungarian Vizsla and two Australian Kelpies – each tasked with finding a different ‘missing’ person in a different location in leafy Yarralumla and Curtin. This dog sport is as difficult as it sounds and takes many, many months of training to learn the art and science of long duration scent detection and handling. And it takes a big team of helpers to pull it all together for a trial. Special thanks to the judges Jake Blight and Marion Leaver, the trial manager Joanne Hagan and to the dozen or so ‘extras’ who helped lay the tracks and supported the judges and competitors on the day.

28/05/2024

Update to street lighting on Narrabundah Lane: We have been advised by the ACT Government’s Environment and Utilities staff that there is a faulty underground cable affecting the street lighting on Jerrabomberra Avenue and Narrabundah Lane. Due to the complexity of the fault, repairs may take some time and the lights on both streets will remain off in the interim. We encourage members to bring a torch if attending evening classes so that you can safely navigate to and from your car on Narrabundah Lane.

26/05/2024

Attention Members:
Our agility trial manager is seeking help for our June Long Weekend Agility Trial.
Seeking help in the form of Ring Stewards (calling competitors and ensuring they are ready ready to go into the ring), Lead Steward (taking lead from competitors and placing in bucket at the finish area to collect) and Bar Buddies (people to put up knocked bars after each run) no experience needed for any of these.
Looking for anyone regardless of if you are competing or not, so if you are in agility classes, have a future interest or just like helping with club activities consider applying.
All help is appreciated and volunteers are who help keep trials running smoothly, so if you can help even if it’s only a couple of hours.
To discuss please contact [email protected]

24/05/2024

A reminder that Behaviour Training classes will be held as normal this Sunday (26th May) on the eve of Reconciliation Day. We hope to see you in class.

20/05/2024

This week – 20-26 May – is National Volunteer Week (https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/get-involved/nvw/) . It’s an opportunity to celebrate the role that volunteers play at our Club. We have over 100 volunteers – members just like you – who contribute to the Club’s operations and upkeep. Volunteers have enabled the Club to offer dog training services to the Canberra community for over 65 years. They are the instructors who help you each week teach your dog life skills and dog sports, as well as sub-committee and committee members who oversee all our training activities, organise dog sports competitions, co-ordinate our dogs-as-therapy program, run the Club shop, maintain our fabulous grounds and clubhouse, keep our finances in order, meet our legislative and regulatory obligations, promote the Club at Floriade and other public events, co-ordinate our annual awards, publish our quarterly magazine and much more. Some have just started volunteering at the Club in the past twelve months and others have been volunteering for more than 40 years! Our volunteers are extraordinary – but they are also ordinary people who have opted to ‘give it a go’ and learnt new skills and forged new friendships along the way. Apart from saying ‘thank you’, the best way to honour the Club’s volunteers is to become a volunteer yourself. Who knows where it will lead or how long it may last! Email the Club at [email protected] if you’d like to discuss volunteering opportunities.

19/05/2024

Our Display Team practicing a new
move.
First time, sit up or paws up for our bigger dogs in a pyramid shape.

19/05/2024

Our own Flyball Team - X-Factor - are hosting a Flyball racemeet on the 25th May.
Whilst the grounds will not be closed to members, we ask that you be mindful of the event that will be using the home paddock as well as Flyball and Narrabundah paddocks. (The bore and back paddocks will be open for regular use)

We thank the companies who have supported our event raffle: Shady Gear Australia , Blackdog Pet Foods, Bunnings Belconnen , LickiMat, DOOG - Dog Owners Outdoor Gear, EzyDog, Antinol Australia.