The Magpies Mackay and District Obedience Club (MMADOC) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting responsible dog ownership.

Your membership with the club includes a social membership at Magpies Sporting Complex and a regular magazine to keep you up with what is happening in the club.  Our instructors all work on a voluntary basis and have trained dogs to at least the advanced class. Individual problems can be discussed with your instructor or one of our senior instructors before or after classes. Your instructor may not have all of the answers, but collectively, the instructor team has many of the answers.

We teach YOU to train YOUR dog. Your instructor will show you how to train your dog.  It is not their role to teach your dog, as you would not then have the skills to handle or control your pet away from your instructor. It is important to remember that first, your dog learns to learn from you, and the respect and rapport develops as your training expertise improves. Then you can truly say that you have ‘mastered’ your dog!

This is when dog training gets exciting because you can then teach your dog almost anything.  It is our wish for you to be a happy and proud dog owner made possible with obedience training. Because your dog is a pack animal, we ask you to train kindly but firmly and consistently as you assume the role of ‘pack leader’ to your dog. 

Members learn how to achieve an obedient dog which will heel beside them, come when called and stay when told. Training activities are available to suit all dogs of all ages and include OBEDIENCE, AGILITY, JUMPERS, RALLYO and TRACKING. 

At MMADOC check chains are not a necessary item of training equipment and they are not promoted as club policy.  You are welcome to train your dog on a head halter; a body harness or a fixed collar.  It is important that your dog's individual needs are assessed to get the best outcome for you and dog.

MMADOC does not promote or condone animal cruelty in any form and the use of all training aids is subject to that policy.

However, safety at MMADOC is extremely important and many handlers simply cannot control dog on flimsy collars and leads and in these situations check chains are acceptable training aids under instructor supervision.

The Magpies Mackay and District Obedience Club is an affiliated club of Dogs Queensland (CCCQ). For more information on Dogs Queensland, you can visit their website.  A full listing of Obedience Clubs affiliated with Dogs Queensland is also available from their website.

As an affiliate member club of Dogs Queensland, the promotion of dog competition events is a primary objective as outlined in the clubs constitutional responsibilities and our training structure is designed to prepare dogs for this path. The club conducts competitions in Obedience, Jumpers & Agility, RallyO, Tracking and Endurance.

However there is no obligation for any MMADOC member to pursue the very challenging path of competition in any of the clubs adopted  training disciplines and no restrictions whatsoever apply to any member who does not wish to do so.

MMADOC is also one of 10 affiliated clubs of the Magpies Sporting Club in Mackay.

Our club is also involved in obedience demonstrations, promotion of responsible dog ownership and we are also actively involved in the AVA Pet Pep Program. This program teaches children responsible pet ownership, safety around animals and keeping pets healthy. The AVA PetPEP website is for everyone - whether you are a student, teacher or an animal care professional.  We can visit you in your workplace, school, function or anywhere else so just contact our secretary to find out more.