What is Obedience?

Obedience is a sport where dog and handler work as a team to demonstrate the dog’s suitability as a good companion.  In an obedience trial, a dog is judged based on the performance of a specified set of exercises.  The dog is expected to perform with a high degree of accuracy, with only a single command and without further prompting by the handler.

Basic exercises include both on- and off-leash heeling, coming when called and responding to commands such as “sit”, “down”, “stand” and “stay”.  At more advanced levels, the dog is asked to jump, retrieve, respond to hand signals and stay while the handler is out of sight as well as identify and retrieve articles carrying the handler’s scent.

Click here for more information on the sport of obedience from the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) website.