Youth must enroll in Oneida County 4-H in order to participate. 4-H is free to join anytime. If you have never enrolled in 4-H, please add yourself to the “Oneida County 4-H Dog Obedience Club” as your club. For your project choose “Oneida County 4-H Dog Obedience Club” or “Dog”.

A training collar and leash will be provided – please bring your dog’s regular collar.

Training treats – place in a treat bag, vest or clothes pocket that is easy to access. Treats should be soft with no hard kibble.

Refrain from feeding your dog a meal before training, at least six hours before.

Bring a water bottle for yourself.

Wear shoes that tie – no flip flops, sandals, heels or bare feet are allowed.

A current copy of dog’s health records, submitted to apwilliams@wisc.edu BEFORE program starts. If necessary, you may bring it to the first session or upload it during the online registration process. No health records submitted will result in loss of ability to participate.

Bring your dog….or a borrowed one! Each dog will need proof of vaccination, emailed to apwilliams@wisc.edu BEFORE the program begins

Youth participants must be enrolled in Oneida County 4-H prior to joining program.

Member must be willing to work as a team with their dog; daily practice at home is strongly encouraged.

Any breed or mixture of breeds is allowed, except for wolf-hybrid canines. Any size dog is allowed.

The participating member must maintain control over their dog during 4-H sponsored dog activities or events.

For health and safety, all participating members must make their best effort to clean up and properly dispose of waste from their dogs.

Dogs must be in good health at the time of competition and up-to-date on all required vaccinations.

Rabies Vaccine – as required by state law (DATCP).

DLHPP Vaccine – Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus

*Vaccination records must be on file with the Oneida County 4-H office.

Bordatella – Kennel Cough

Heartworm testing/treatment

The safety of training session attendees is of the utmost importance and concern for Oneida County 4-H. Trainers and 4-H staff have the right to remove aggressive dogs from training sessions and 4-H dog shows. This includes aggressiveness towards another member, trainer or dog. Dogs will not be allowed to participate in activities, trainings, or shows if:

1. They are determined by 4-H staff or local dog volunteer leaders to be dangerous or unmanageable.
2. They have a record of biting, which caused injury to a person.
3. They have received formal/informal bite or bite sport training.
4. They are in heat (in season/estrus).
5. Intact female dogs who come into season (heat) during training can not attend training until they are out of season, which is typically a period of three weeks.
6. Female dogs that have recently given birth may return to training after they have finished nursing puppies or with written approval from a veterinarian and 4-H volunteer leader.

Handlers may continue to attend activities without their dogs and continue training at home.

A member may exhibit two dogs in obedience if the dogs are at different training levels. Under special circumstances, a dog may be shown by two members of the same family. Arrangements must be made with the 4-H Educator prior to the start of the project year.

Participant handlers must wear rubber-soled, closed-toed, closed-heeled shoes that can be fastened.

Participant handlers must use a standard 6 foot leash made of leather, nylon or cotton webbing – absolutely NO retractable or chain leashes may be used. A leash will be provided to all registered participants.

Dogs must be kept on a leash before and after group activities.

During shows or competitions, dogs may wear choke, martingale, and flat buckle collars when appropriate with approval from 4-H volunteer leaders.

Electronic training collars are PROHIBITED.

Younger siblings are welcome to watch! Please note, however, that if you are bringing small children with you, you will need to have activities for them to do so that they do not interfere with class members who are trying to work. Please do not have children eating snacks in the same room as where the 4-Hers are working with their dogs.  The certified 4-H leader who is leading this dog obedience program has specifically designed this program for youth in grades 4-12. If you are interested in helping lead a dog obedience program for youth in younger grade levels, please email apwilliams@wisc.edu or call 715-365-2750. The more volunteer support, the more opportunities we can offer young people in our county!

Bringing a dog will certainly help participants receive hands-on learning in dog obedience, but it is not required. Youth are not required to own an animal in order to use it as a 4-H project animal. If you are not bringing a dog, but still want to learn, that is OK! There are other ways of “showing off” what you have learned, such as designing educational dog poster displays or exhibiting a project about dogs at the local county fair.