About Des Moines Obedience Training Club

An AKC obedience club in Des Moines

Des Moines Obedience Training Club is an AKC obedience club at 1423 SW Army Post Road in Des Moines, chartered in 1950 to encourage obedience training for all dogs. It is run entirely by member volunteers, and its instructors often compete in obedience trials with their own dogs. Proven training methods using positive reinforcement are used in all classes.

Classes

Public classes run mostly on Monday and Tuesday evenings and Tuesday mornings, and most are a 6-week course for $150. Options include puppy classes for puppies 8 weeks to 6 months, including AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy, beginner obedience for dogs 6 months and older, intermediate and advanced levels, a distraction class, agility, rally, trick dog and conformation handling. The club tests for all levels of AKC Canine Good Citizen, and it hosts AKC obedience, rally and agility trials, tracking tests, scent work, seminars and therapy dog testing.

The facility

The building has three fully matted training rings totaling over 7,000 square feet, with heating and air conditioning, free parking and wheelchair access.

What to ask

All classes are group classes, and for dogs that have shown aggression the club points owners toward a private trainer. Ask about registration dates and vaccination requirements before signing up.