The Ballaarat Dog Obedience Club is offering a new eight-week course it says could also ease pressure on the city’s pound and animal recovery services.

Obedience co-ordinator Carol Hodges said the course would improve people’s ability to handle their dogs and reduce the number of dogs being surrendered to the pound.

She said it was crucial more people were taught to properly train their dogs.

“So it’s really about making people responsible to own a dog – and there’s not enough people out there at the moment who are responsible,” she said.

“That’s why we’re having so much trouble.

“There is kids getting bitten by dogs, there’s dog fights ... we’re not going to cure it all in eight weeks but at least we will give people the basics.”

The Courier has reported numerous incidents of dog-on-dog attacks that have not been halted by more punitive state government laws against owners of dangerous dog breeds. 

Ms Hodges said the eight-week course would include visits from a dog psychology lecturer, a vet, a groomer, and a council ranger who would talk about responsible dog ownership with regards to their respective fields.

There’s also graduation at the end and a celebrator “pack-walk” up Sturt Street.

“We try to keep the classes as small as we can,” she said.

“We’ll take dogs of all ages as long as they’ve been vaccinated and registered ... I think we’ve got some as old as nine coming along.”

The course begins from the club’s Victoria Park headquarters on Wednesday, October 16, with registration from 6.15pm.

It costs $50 and all dogs must be registered and vaccinated.

A children’s program begins on October 20.

For more information, visit http://www.bdoc.com.au/

jordan.oliver@fairfaxmedia.com.au