“I took him out to the dam and he ran away,” she said.

“The more I called the further he ran so I had to sit in the car and wait for him to come back.”

So she signed up for the Orange and District Kennel and Obedience club’s Sunday morning classes at Waratahs sports grounds.

Clint McGrath said his young kelpie, Molly, had benefited from the classes.

“It’s been excellent, she’s learned a lot,” he said.

“I just wanted her to be obedient, to be a family friendly dog.”

The next classes start on July 23 at 8.45am.

Club president John Wills said it was a great way to make dogs more family friendly.

“It’s not only about training the dog, it’s about socialising it,” he said.

“Some of the dogs are in a backyard all week so they don’t get out, they don’t see other dogs.”

He said they had worked with a range of breeds.