The Training Levels for Dogs

The levels training program is an obedience training regimen for dogs with one basic goal: flexibility. Dogs only receive as much training as their skill -- and their owners' time constraints -- permit, and can advance to the next level only after demonstrating mastery of certain core skills. All sorts of dog training programs, including those run by independent dog trainers and veterinarians, use the level system.

  1. Puppy Kindergarten

    • Puppy kindergarten is the very fist level of any dog training program. The main goal of a puppy kindergarten curriculum is socialization with other dogs, but most programs also introduce pups and their owners to the tenets of the basic commands such as coming when called, being introduced to a leash, crate training and house training. Many programs offer behavior modifications too, targeting traits that are cute in puppies but dangerous in adult dogs such as mouthing, biting and chewing.

    Basic Training

    • Basic training is for dogs that have already mastered the socialization and essential skills taught in puppy kindergarten. At the "basic" level, dogs learn more advanced commands like sit, stay and down. Many seminars also include walking on a loose leash, heeling and the "leave it" command. As soon as a dog masters the commands taught in this course, he and his owner proceed to the next level. Dogs are usually able to repeat the basic course as many times as needed to reinforce the needed skills.

    Intermediate Training

    • Intermediate levels concentrate on long-term basics. Having a dog who is able to maintain a sit, stay or down for an extended period of time is very useful in public places where disruptions and distractions are common. The same can also be said for having to give commands repeatedly. The goal of most intermediate level courses is to reinforce basic skills already learned, and practice them in real-life scenarios.

    Advanced Training

    • Advanced classes are geared toward off leash reliability and loyalty to owner commands. It's one thing for a dog to obey a command like heel while tethered to its owner by a leash, but the story is often quite different when the dog is allowed to run free. Advanced commands build on the basics introducing a release signal for longer periods of the sit-stay and down-stay command combinations. They also include "place" signals that instruct the dog to stay until released. These signals can relate to a bed, a crate or any other location.