About Us
Ichthus Canine Centre (ICC Dog Training) was founded in 2004 by Christina Oxtoby.
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Which is the right class for my dog?
Very small to very large breeds are made welcome on our courses!
We are aware of the problems that stress can cause for dogs and people and therefore design our dog training classes to be as stress-free as possible. All our dog training classes are based on modern, tried and tested reward-based methods. No choke-chains or harsh handling will be permitted. Class sizes are kept small (maximum 6 dogs per obedience, or 4 dogs per agility class) and are on a first come, first served basis.
Most of our classes are not suitable for dogs that bark at or are aggressive to other dogs or people and we would normally recommend a behavioural course for dogs that do have some problems. If the problems are mild however, and do not involve barking or aggression, and it is more that the dog is very distracted in a class, private lessons are sometimes appropriate. If you are unsure, please ask for a free assessment before booking onto a course.
There are three levels of courses, and most dogs will start with a level 1 course. After passing a level 1 course all dogs will be welcome to move onto a level 2 course. We recognise that some dogs receive their basic training elsewhere, and do not need to repeat level 1. Therefore we ask that owners have a good understanding of reward-based training, and their dog has a good sit, down, recall, and ability to walk on a loose lead without pulling. If this is the case, owners are welcome to book onto any level 2 course, but are asked to book onto a talk night which will cover various things that are important and are unlikely to have been taught elsewhere. If necessary owners are welcome to book one or two private lessons to catch up on any specific areas that have been missed. All dogs learn different things at different speeds, but regular practice is needed on the part of the owner in order for the dog to make progress. The whole family, including well behaved children are very welcome to join in with the courses on the understanding that they will be under control at all times (for the sake of the other dogs and owners.)
Owners are welcome to observe a class (without their dog) before deciding whether they would like to book onto a course. Instructors are knowledgeable and experienced having undertaken numerous courses and the Hougham branch alone has had well over 1000 dogs through it's training classes. Debbie, Wendy, Lorraine and Karen are full members of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, Wendy is a student member of the UK Registry of Canine Behaviourists and the Hougham and Spilsby branches of ICC also have Kennel Club listed status. We are also very proud of the number of Nationally and Internationally recognised guest speakers and trainers who visit ICC.