About Portsmouth Chesapeake Obedience Training Club

Portsmouth Chesapeake Obedience Training Club has been running since just after the war, and it is still a club rather than a business: "PCOTC, INC is a non-profit organization that was established in 1949 and has continued to grow over the years to create happy dogs, confident handlers and stronger bonds."

What it runs, when, and what it costs

Everything about the program is published, which is unusual and genuinely helpful. Terms are seasonal: a spring course and an autumn course, each starting on a named date, with classes "7pm-7:45pm" and "Advanced classes are also offered from 8pm-9pm". Prices are flat: "$125 Basic Class & $100 Advanced Class". Course lengths and the optional test are stated together: "Our basic class runs for 9 weeks with the option for your AKC CGC evaluation/test. Our advanced class runs for 7 weeks." One warning is repeated – "Pre-registration required as classes fill up fast."

Competition heritage

The trials record is the mark of a serious obedience club: "The club has been hosting AKC licensed Obedience Trials yearly since 1973 when they were approved by American Kennel Club." If you want to progress from a basic class toward an obedience title, this is a club that has been running the ring for fifty years.

How to reach it

Registration runs on printed applications and email rather than an online checkout, with a Facebook page for updates and a club email address for questions. Note that parts of the website beyond the home page return a not-found placeholder from the site host, so the home page and the Facebook page are the reliable sources.

What it is not

No board and train, no in-home training, no behavior or aggression program, no private trainers. Two evening class levels, taught well, cheaply, by volunteers – that is the whole offer, and for a lot of dogs it is the right one.