Casual Dog Training Classes & Specialist Clinics:
Melbourne's Inner North
There are lots of different ways to train. Our casual group classes allow you to work on your training goals in a safe environment, with access to a qualified trainer on hand to give you tips and advice on the go. Connect with other dog owners on the same training journey as you.
Throughout the year, we have fun days and clinics to celebrate your wins and build a sense of community amongst dog owners in your local area. Our clinics also allow you to expand your knowledge, so you can go about the world confident in your skills as a handler.
Weekly Drop-In Classes & How They Work
Casual group classes have a different training focus from week to week, set by who arrives and what people want to work on. This keeps things fresh and relevant rather than running through the same drills every session.
Casual classes are a great option for:
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Owners already enrolled in a structured course who want extra practice between sessions
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Graduates who want to keep their dog's skills sharp in a real-world group environment
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Anyone wanting to build engagement and focus with their dog around other dogs in a controlled space, not a chaotic dog park
Class sizes are kept small. Dogs are managed and the environment is structured, so you can actually train, rather than spending the session managing your dog's reactions to out-of-control dogs running over and disrupting everyone.
Gymkhanas
Twice a year, Northside Dog Training holds a gymkhana. A lighthearted competition day designed to celebrate the progress owners and their dogs have made throughout the year.
Dogs can be entered into different heats that test the real skills you've been building:
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Sit and drop stays
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Loose leash walking past distractions
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Obstacle course
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Fancy dress
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Best trick
Prizes are available for winners. Gymkhanas are as much a social event as a training one, a chance to catch up with other owners who share the same passion for positive training, and to see how far you and your dog have come.
TOTAL RECALL COURSE
Reliable recall is one of the most important safety skills a dog can have, and one of the most undertrained. The Total Recall course runs throughout the year and is specifically designed to make your dog's recall as solid as possible, in real-world environments with real distractions.
The course focuses on making coming back to you the most rewarding choice available to your dog, not just at home, but in parks, on streets and around other dogs.​
LOOSE LEASH WALKING COURSE
Loose leash walking seems like it should come naturally but the way we expect dogs to walk beside us is very different to the pace dogs naturally move at, and very different to the zig-zagging, lagging and running ahead they'd choose if left to their own devices.
The Loose Leash Walking course teaches you how to build this skill progressively, with a release word built in so your dog always knows when it's their time to go and explore freely. A good loose leash walk takes time and the right technique and this course gives you both.
Pet First Aid & Snake Safety clinic
One of the most practically valuable clinics Northside Dog Training offers, especially for owners who regularly walk dogs in Melbourne's parks, reserves and bushland.
This clinic teaches real-world skills and knowledge to keep your dog safe during snake season, including:
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Snake behaviour and how to identify common species in Melbourne and Victoria
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Recognising the symptoms of snake bite in dogs
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How to respond if your dog is bitten. What to do and what not to do
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Practical preventative measures that are easy to remember and apply on your daily walks
The clinic is co-hosted by Georgia Kourtis, a specialist dog trainer in Canine Snake Avoidance and a qualified vet nurse. Her combination of veterinary knowledge and dog training expertise makes this clinic genuinely unique: you leave with both the medical understanding and the behavioural skills to keep your dog safe.
Pricing & Details
Casual Class Pass: $30
10 Class Pass: $290
Class Length: 45 minutes
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Clinic and gymkhana dates are announced via Instagram, Facebook and email. The best way to make sure you don't miss a session is to follow Northside Dog Training on socials or get in touch directly, we're happy to add you to the notification list for any specific clinic or upcoming gymkhana.
Classes & Clinics Are Coming
If you'd like to be among the first to know when sessions launch, or if you'd like to have a conversation about whether a particular class or clinic is a good fit for your dog, get in touch directly.
In the meantime, private consultations are available and for many dogs, especially those with existing behaviour challenges or anxieties, a one-on-one session with Olivia is the best place to start before joining any group environment.
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Common Questions About Casual Classes & Clinics
