Dog Training
""I tried to teach my dog with books
She gave me only puzzled looks.
I tried to teach my dog with words, they passed her by; oft unheard.
Despairingly I turned aside
"How shall I teach this dog?" I cried.
Into my hand she put the key
"Come', she said " Come play with me"."
Author Anon
Candidate
Member
Welcome to FITdogs Club. We are based in Blackpool, where we specialise in puppy training and Rally Obedience.
We help you to teach your puppy how to live in our world as they become part of your family.
Here at FITdogs Club we believe training should be fun for you and your dog, we use kind motivational, reward based methords. We are members of the KCAI Scheme, FABC (candidate members) and adhere to their code of conduct.
We help you puppy learn by helping them think for themselves with guidance from you.
We teach your puppy essential skills such as loose lead walking, food manners good focus even in distracting environments), to come back when called, how to relax and chill at home, stay and wait (and what the difference is), leave, give and take and much more. We believe that mental stimulation and play form an important part of training and we incorporate these activities into our classes.
Our puppy course is held at our Bispham venue and can be tailored to your puppies needs.
We also offer classes in Rally Obediance, Lifeskills, Kennel Club Good Citizen, Stars Classes, Hoopers and RallyFree (all these classes are suitable for older dogs)
Here at FITdogs Club we believe a trained puppy grows up to be a HAPPY dog and HAPPY dog is a pleasure to live with.
Puppy Training
Here at FITdogs Club we like to keep our puppy classes small (maximum 4 on a course) in order to give you and your puppy more individual attention.
Our six week reward based puppy course is for puppies 12 weeks to 5 months, follows the Kennel Club Puppy Foundation and can be tailored to suit your puppies needs.
Please contact us via email for availability of courses and a puppy booking form. A non refundable deposit of £20 will secure your place on our course.
Helping you to develop your relationship with your puppy and for them to become part of your family
Day and Time
Thursday
6.00pm to 6.30pm
6.30pm to 7.00pm
Location
St Anne's Greenland Church
Salmesbury Avenue
Bispham
FY2 0PR
Puppy Training
Here at FITdogs Club we like to keep our puppy classes small (maximum 4 on a course) in order to give you and your puppy more individual attention.
Our six week reward based puppy course is for puppies 12 weeks to 5 months, follows the Kennel Club Puppy Foundation and can be tailored to suit your puppies needs.
Please contact us via email for availability of courses and a puppy booking form. A non refundable deposit of £20 will secure your place on our course.
If you have an older puppy for training please contact us with details as we now offer courses for older puppy training.
Day and Time
Thursday & Wednesday evening
Social learning Saturdays
Location
Unit D
Ashley Mews
Rear of 18-20 Woodland Grove
Blackpool
FY3 9HD
Helping you to develop your relationship with your puppy and for them to become part of your family
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
"Classes are both fun and informative. Thoroughly enjoyable. Caroline and Sarah are brilliant teachers, patient and kind. We look forward to rally classes every week"
MishMash
Do you want your dog to give you awesome attention? Is your dog a recall rebel or are you struggling to get your dog to settle.
Our mishmash class focuses on what you want for your puppy or beginner dog adding a personal touch to our class.
Our Mishmash class is suitable for puppies that have already attended our puppy course as well as beginner dogs.
Location
St Anne’s Greenlands Church
Salmesbury Avenue
Bispham
FY2 0PR
Day and Time
Thursday
7.00pm to 7.30pm
MishMash
Location
Unit D
Ashley Mews
Rear of 18-20 Woodland Grove
FY3 9HD
Our Mishmash class focuses on what you want for your puppy adding a personal touch to our class.
Our Mishmash class is the follow on class for puppies that have already attended our puppy course.
kc
Rally
Kennel Club Rally or Rally Obedience is a fun sport where you and your dog work a s a team and follow a set of signs around a course.
Any breed of dog can take part in Rally whether they be mixed breed, cross breed or pedigree and you can start competing in Rally when your dog is 6 months old until senior years.
Although based on competitive obedience Rally incorporates behaviours your dog already knows (such as sit, stand and down), you do not need obedience style (very close) heelwork nor do you have to compete against anyone or gain a first place to progress in Rally.
Once you have mastered the lower level signs in our beginner’s class you then take the next step up to our higher-level class where the more advanced exercises are covered.
In September 2014 Julie Barrett of FITdogs became the very first Kennel Club accredited instructor in Rally and at Crufts 2017 Sarah Stridgeon was part of the Northern Rally Team with her Staffordshire Bull Terrier Apollo and gained a second place for the team in Level 1.
Day and Times
Wednesday
Beginners: 12.10pm - 12.50pm
Thursday
Afternoons
Beginners: 1.00pm to 1.45pm
Next Step Up:2.00pm to 2.45pm
Evenings:
Beginners: 7.30pm to 8.10pm.
Next Step up: 8.15pm to 9.00pm (FULL)
Friday; Beginners; 7.00pm to 7.40pm
Take a look at Caroline and Bella the Papillon taking part in a Rally competition.
Sarah and Apollo at Crufts 2017
RallyfrEe (pronounced Rallyfree) combines the sport of KC Rally Obedience and Heelwork to music freestyle moves such as leg weaves, spin and bow.
You and your dog work as a team following a course of 15 stations with the start sign telling you what side your dog is working on (left or right) and all courses end with your dog performing a bow. Your dog may work to your left/right, in front or behind depending on what the sign description says and some signs ask your dog to change from one side to the other.
There are also 4 Free Choice signs on a course where you can choose your choice of safe trick.
As you progress in each level the moves you and your dog have to perform become more challenging.
Come and try this fun new sport
RallyFree
Location:
Unit D, Ashley Mews
FY3 9HD
Time: 6.20pm-7.00pm
Day and Times
Monday
6.15pm-6.55pm (beginners)
7.00pm to 7.40pm
7.50pm to 8.30pm
Wednesday:1.10pm - 1.50pm
Location
Unit D
Ashley Mews
Rear of 18-20 Woodland Grove
Blackpool
FY3 9HD
Hoopers
Have fun with your dog with the exciting new sport of Hoopers.
You and your dog will learn to work as a team as your dog navigates a course of hoops, cones and tunnels learning to work at a distance whilst you encourage them using voice cues and hand signals.
Suitable for all breeds of dog, Hoopers is especially suited to puppies, older dogs or dogs that have suffered an injury. Due to its low impact there is little strain on your dogs joints.
Stars Class
Can your clever canine Earn their stars?
Location:
Unit D
Ashley Mews
Rear of 18-20 Woodland Grove
Blackpool
FY3 9HD
Days and Times
Wednesday
Shooting Stars: 12.10pm - 12.50pm (FULL)
Friday
Shooting Stars: 7.50 - 8.30pm (Full)
In our stars class You can work towards our FITdog trick awards which advance from Pearl to diamond trick level. Work with your dogs to earn their stars.
About Us
Caroline Ward
My name is Caroline Ward and I have always loved animals. As a child we had a family dog, Monty, a Cocker Spaniel as well as a variety of small pets.
Circumstances meant that I was unable to have a second dog for many years but eventually we were able to welcome Bella, a Papillon into our home. Although she is now our older girl she still enjoys cognitive training, scent games and tricks.
Darcy, a Shetland Sheepdog came into our lives in 2014 as a re;home and we started rally together as a way to build up the bond between us.
In 2016 we welcomed Joey, our second Papillon into our home, who has fun in our rally, clever canine and hooper classes.
Having trained and volunteered with Bella at a previous club, in 2013 I joined FITdogs to train rally and in 2014 I became a volunteer instructor and have since become a trainer for DogAID.
FITdogs Club was born in 2016.
I have gained my IABTC instructor and IABTC Clicker and target (levels 1-3), currently working towards level 4. I have attended a number of workshops in puppy training, lifeskills and cognition. Most recently, The Dogs Mind and Social Learning in puppies with Claudia Fugazza (2019). I have also completed a variety of canine related courses and I am currently working towards KCAI.
I am a rally judge and have seen rally develop as a sport over the years. I was privileged to be part of the ring party at Crufts 2018 and I am proud to be chosen as Assistant Manager for the Crufts Northern Rally Team.
I love helping puppies and dogs create a bond through play, fun and training and have a special interest in canine cognition and how dogs feel which is something I would like to develop in the future.
I am also an advocate for small dogs who I feel have great potential.
Sarah Louise Stridgeon
My name is Sarah Louise Stridgeon and I have always loved being around animals: exotic reptiles, horses and dogs. I have my FDSC in Canine Behaviour and Training and am currently working towards my BSC in Canine Behaviour Management. I am also a candidate member with the fellowship of animal behaviour clinicians.
My first dog was my childhood dog Jake, a Labrador Retriever. Jake was a working gun dog which I assisted my Dad in training.
In 2015 I brought home a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy, Apollo. Little did I know that this chubby little puppy would take me all the way to Crufts, coming second in Level 1 in the Inter-regional Rally Competition 2017. Apollo has his Gold Good Citizen award and competes in KC Rally. He also enjoys training tricks and doing fun agility.
At home we also have Atlas, an energetic miniature schnauzer who is my sons constant companion. Atlas loves agility and high energy games such as tug. My youngest dog, Zephyr, is a high drive Border Collie who is training in Flyball, Obedience and Rally.
I enjoy learning through continued personal development and I have currently been on several workshops in puppy training, life skills and canine cognition.
My passion lies in helping puppies and older dogs gain new skills and watching their relationship with their owners flourish.
I also have particular interest in teaching proprioception as well as improving the precision of our advanced rally competition dogs. Judging and chief stewarding Rally obedience competitions also enables me a unique view into the judging criteria of the sport and enables me to learn from watching many types of dog compete. I pass the benefits of these experiences onto the clients within my classes.
contact
You can contact us by: (between 09.00 and 18:00 only please!)
Caroline: 07485120128 (Text for a return call)
Sarah: 07476080836 (Text for a return call)
Use the contact form below (we will get back to you as soon as possible).
If you are having a problem with your dog please briefly describe the problem, age and breed of dog.
Regrettably, dogs with aggression problems towards other dogs and/or people cannot take part in our group classes.
Please complete the behaviour form above if you would like help with a potential behaviour problem. Return to via email.
We have been asked by our landlady to keep the site clean of dog waste daily (including the alleyways). Please do not allow your dog to wee up the side of or near the building. If your dog does have a wee please either clean the area using the disinfectant provided or let us know and we will clean the area. Please bag any dog waste and put in the bin provided.
Your dog must be micro-chipped and wear a collar with identification tag, badge, or plate attached (with owners name and address) as required by the Control of Dogs Order 1992