Suggestions please!

[Goniella]

I need your guys help.... I have decided I would like to start working towards Kizmet's CD... he knows the basics sit down stay etc... enough to be a perfect housemate..... but I want to take it a step farther.... here is my problem... There are NO advanced obedience classes in my town, NONE we have 2 beginners and 2 basics.... I ran into the same problem back when I was getting him ready for the show ring, we have a kennel club here but the town has such a lack of interest in their dogs that 10 times out of 10 when they do schedule a handling class, or advanced obedience they cancel it due to lack of interest, thats what happened with our handling class when he was 5 months they had 2 and then canceled them cause only 2 people showed up :(

Now the nearest advanced class is almost 70 miles from here and its a little pricey as an ongoing class one class a week $45 a week! So I need your suggestions...... Recommendations of GOOD books and videos to train as much of the elements of the CD as possible here at home on my own so that I can attend the advanced classes only for the things that require groups sessions so that his CD doesn't cost more then my automobile :P

[Wrath]

Who teaches the advanced classes in the rare event that they DO get enough people to sign up for one? Can you arrange private lessons with them?

[Goniella]

The conformation classes are taught by who ever has show dogs and is available during the time frame they want to have the class... they havent had one since Kizzy was 5 months old he just turned 15 months.... the advanced obedience classes well I don't know who teaches them they haven't even scheduled one in the last 2 years because nobody was interested. :(

[Judi W]

Contact your nearest obedience club. Ask if they know or if one of them would look through a couple of their trial cataloges and see if there is anyone near you who is competing.

Phone calls, form a group and work together.

[Goniella]

Thats the problem Judi there is NO obedience club...... the nearest one is 70 miles away... all we have is the local kennel club who hold the beginners and basic... none of them compete they are conformation people (with years of experience so the members really have no need for the classes anymore) I was a member of this club until about 5 months ago when I realized they didn't do ANYTHING other then have monthly meetings and hold an all breed show once a year.... and to be honest there were only 10 members they all owned maltese,yorkies greyhounds and one had aussies...... they haven't had a beginners or a basic obedience class since Kizzy took his back in September of last year with none scheduled on the books for this year yet and they haven't had an advanced in over 2 years.... Also I have to take into account I am a military wife with a husband in Iraq in a town with no close friends and no babysitter....traveling traveling an hour one way,spending an hour at class and then an hour back on a wednesday (school night) is not completely feasible for me right now.... I have a knowledge of obedience training I have just never trained my dog for competition so would like to have a list of books or videos that will help me extend my knowledge to be able to teach Kizzy as much as possible at home in my spare time (IE: during school hours when I only have ONE child at home who takes NAPS) In June I will be leaving to spend the summer in my home town... then I will have my mom and friends available and hopefully more class options open to me..... but that will only be until August 18th when school starts back up again and then its back to no classes and no sitters.... so a list of books and videos is what I need right now so I can build my collection over the summer. Thank you.

[Judi W]

I know the club is far away. I was suggesting that you ask the club to look in their show catalogs and see who might be entering their shows that lives in your area. Then contact the person or people who live closer to you that train and trial and see if they would like to get together to train. Form your own group.