Azalea Dog Training Club is proud of all its members who are constantly striving for the betterment of all dogs. Many of these members who started out as students have grown into terrific instructors and competitors.

All of Azalea Dog Training Club’s Instructors have a real respect and love for dogs and are gifted with “dog knowledge”. To a person, they have much to offer ADTC’s students; including leadership, strength of character, and the ability to protect all the teams in their classes! They are very generous in sharing what they have learned through personal and classroom experience, seminars, and trialing.

ADTC’s students come to train with us for a multitude of reasons. Most want a better understanding of their dogs, many seek the bonding that results from training with their best friend, others get bitten by the “competition bug” and enjoy showing what their pals can accomplish, while others merely have goals of a companion who is mannerly and who “comes when I call him and doesn’t jump up on people!”. We also have those who wish to do Therapy work with their best friends and a special few are working toward an OTCH (Obedience Trial Champion) or MACH (Master Agility Champion) dog!!

ADTC’s instructors are all-volunteer and get their paycheck when they see the teams in their classes gaining confidence, trust in each other and a greater understanding of each other. They train you to train your dog, and do so using the three Ps”; Practice, Patience and Praise. The evaluations that Students are asked to complete in the final week of classes are wonderful feedback for the club and all Instructors strive to make students time at ADTC a positive and memorable experience.

The joy of seeing one’s Students excel in the venue of their choice, whether it is in competition or a loving companion, is what keeps ADTC’s instructors inspired!

ADTCs Instructors all meet the following requirements:

1. Earned a minimum of one title at the level of instruction in obedience, agility, and/or conformation.
2. Assisted in a class numerous times (minimum of three), co-taught a minimum of two times and recommended by two qualified instructors, with Training Committee and Board of Directors approval
3. Must have people and communication skills, critical to every instructor. Must be able to motivate and make the class interesting (and fun) to students. Be able to lead by example.
4. Attend training seminars to advance own knowledge and be able to apply knowledge as needed in class atmosphere.
5. Adhere to club standards.

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Thoughts from Bob Jones, former Training Director at ADTC: 

Our instructors must meet ADTCs requirements for certification.  In our classes we teach the basics, Sit, Down, Walk on leash, Sit for examination by a stranger and Recall to the owner.  We consider these Good Manners and essential for successful relationship at home, in a park or in the show ring.  As you progress up the ladder of our classes, we expect more from you and your dog as a team and therefore increase requirements for graduation.

While taking our classes it may seem that we are training you for Obedience Trials.  While our classes do teach the necessary requirements for competing in an Obedience Trial, these requirements are just things necessary for normal life as well.  For example, the best way to keep your dog from jumping on someone is to start with a sit or down.  Also, it sure is nice to be able to have your dog in the house with you and just lying or sitting with you.  This comes from just teaching a simple sit or down.  Do you walk your dog or does your dog walk you?  Walking on a leash is a basic exercise that we start on early in your classes.  Now think about taking your dog to the vet, does he sit still while the doctor examines him or is it a struggle to keep him calm.  We train you to teach your dog to sit and stay while being examined.  And possibly the most important command is to come to you when called.  This may save your dogs life one day and it is the most basic of commands.  While all of these are requirements for obtaining and Obedience Title on your dog, they relate to the real world by being Good Manners.

ADTC can take you as far as you would like to go with Obedience Training.  Starting with our Puppy Classes all the way to our Novice class, we strive to make your training experience fun and rewarding. 

As for Sunny and me, I came to ADTC just to be able to keep him in the house with me.  Eight years later we have earned our Companion Dog Title, our RAE II Title, the Canine Good Citizen Certificate, and Sunny is a Certified Therapy Dog.  We have traveled all over North Carolina and South Carolina going to Obedience and Rally trials and one of my favorite things is to have Sunny stay in a motel room with me.  We have had a wonderful journey together and it continues still.  While ADTC does not try to push anyone into the Obedience Trials, we do like to tell you how much fun it can be.  And if I had one hope for anyone with a dog it would be that their time together would filled with as much fun and adventure as I have had with Sunny.