Did you do them? If we reserve a pup at the weekend I'm also going to book a place on a local training class. Starts with the basic training in a small group m once the pup is 12 weeks then progresses. All with positive training methods by a dog behaviourist. Hopefully will give me confidence that I'm going to be doing things right.
I didn't, because there's no such thing where I am. I would definitely go, given the chance, but not necessarily to participate; I would like to have my puppy sit on the side lines while I work with him being able to ignore the other puppies. I think that's one of the biggest benefits of group classes at a young age.
We just finished our Puppy Foundation classes and found them really good (we are now moving on to the next class where we ll work towards our bronze good citizen award). As Snowbunny said the main benefit we found for Alfie (who is now 19 weeks was 12 weeks when we started classes was that he started, this is still a work in progress, to learn to focus on me and my OH even when their were other dogs in the room and lots of activity. Alfie is our first dog so we also found it helpful to have the structure of a class and a trainer who could talk us through how to train Alfie in a positive way and watch what we were doing so we could improve. As an aside we were quite fussy about the class we attended. The one we chose had 5 puppies in including us and the trainer was a positive trainer who had access to an outside area so training could take place both indoors and outside. Hope it goes well at the weekend
Never used them before but Stryker is already signed up for his and my first class. It's a 5 week course but I opted for the little more expensive "personal" training. Then the next class is Socializing and keeping the dogs on me when other animals are present. I think there is a total of 3 classes this instructor offers. Good luck with your adventure!
I did a puppy foundation class with Molly and found it useful, as others have said, to work with my pup while other puppies were around. I also thought it was a pleasant social occasion, chatting with other owners before and after class about our pups. (One tip I picked up from the owner of a beautiful GSD puppy was to use the word 'walking' instead of 'heel' because it's much harder to say 'walking' in a grumpy voice! I've used it ever since.)
Sam did puppy class too and is moving on to the next level this weekend . I also did them with 2 previous dogs . Great opportunity if you get a good trainer & small class size . Has definitely helped us !
Let us know how the training class goes. In retrospect I consider it a waste of money but know my lab just didn't well to the food reward training program. Yours may be fine. Just watch out for the bully dogs. Not all play nice.
I found the class I went to really beneficial as Harley is my first ever dog. It was good to learn some training methods, but also taught her to settle around other dogs. We weren't allowed 'play time' so bully dogs didn't happen. I also done an adolescent course which was really good as it was outside in a field and was a really good stepping stone to more progressive learning.
I did two sets of puppy classes with my first pup (Charlie) but have skipped them with my second pup (Betsy). Looking back on things, I think I was over eager to expose my pup to other dogs, and to train around other dogs before I had any cues to proof. Plus, Betsy gets too much exposure to other dogs as it is, without me even trying. I'm in a rural seaside town for the summer, and anytime I want to train around other dogs, I need only step outside my front door... If my circumstances were different, I'd do puppy class. But I think I know now what's important with Betsy, and I don't need the instruction of puppy class (don't get me wrong, I need instruction, but just not from puppy class). I don't regret doing them with Charlie, I learned quite a lot - but not sure my dog did!
I have been taking Doug to puppy training classes for the past 6 weeks, they are good and Doug has learned a lot, we move up to the next class on Sunday.... The only thing is that when Doug sees the other puppies he wants to play and won't listen to me. At home he sits, down, stands, down and waits. Sits and waits, but during lessons he will only do what he wants treats or no treats!!!!. Frustrating cos I know he can do it , fingers crossed next class will be easier, they don't let the next class dogs socialise as much so here's hoping. After all that yes I would recommend puppy classes x
Ah, but he can't. Every time you change a little bit of something, it's very different to a dog. That's why we have to proof our cues. Here's some more explanation: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/labrador-obedience-training
I took Pongo to classes for six weeks and HATED it - so I gave up. In retrospect this was probably a bad idea and more a problem with me than him. I went to the class expecting it to be a fun session with lots of lovely dogs having fun. And it was NOT.... it was a session where the dogs were expected to learn things. And I wasn't prepared for the fact that Pongo is a labrador.... which means he is bright enough to learn things but ABSOLUTELY UNABLE
oops sorry hit return too fast!! I was saying: ....ABSOLUTELY unable to ignore other dogs. The entire class was spent trying to stuff his face with treats to keep his attention. Very stressful for him and me. And finally, I reacted badly to the trainer, who made me feel stupid (my problem, not hers!) and embarrassed that my puppy wasn't the best in the class. So.... if I had my time again I would probably still go, but I would ask the trainer at the beginning to let me focus on teaching Pongo to be calm and attentive around other dogs - just as others have said above. I would go expecting it to be quite stressful and not much fun. I would (possibly) only attend for half the class, then leave when Pongo got over-tired and over-stressed. I would find other opportunities to let him play with other dogs - because I think that is really, really important! - but not expect the class to do that. And I would have a stern word with myself beforehand to not be childish and learn to take advice!
I find it sad how many people on here say how stressful they find puppy classes. Surely these trainers should be used to dealing with puppies who go completely over threshold around other dogs? Surely they should have the tools to deal with these puppies, and their embarrassed owners, to teach them how to make it a more productive learning experience? It's not rocket science!
When we did puppy classes with Tilly, years ago, trailer let the dogs play a bit before the class started , and Tilly and a Boxer pup used to wear each other out a bit before we got down to serious training.
Jesse is 13 weeks now and starts Puppy classes tomorrow. I spoke with the Trainer before signing up, and liked that she has 2 Yellow Labs and was very friendly. The adventure begins tomorrow lol.
People mention doing the Canine Good Citizen award with their puppies...We start obedience on Monday with my local obedience club, and dogs can't sit CGC until they're 12 months old. The club president specifically mentioned that it's very difficult to pass, and that more dogs fail it than pass it. Any ideas why CGC is different here, because I thought it was meant to be the same in any country?
I've just looked up the NZ tests and you're right the content is quite different from the UK. In the UK the foundation test is a test for puppies and can't be taken after 12months of age (though you can go on to do bronze without having done puppy foundation). In the UK puppy foundation assessment you use food and toys during the test - in fact playing with your puppy is part of the test. Even the bronze level rarely has failures. My gundog trainer was an assessor and he said he made every effort to help people pass bronze so that they didn't give up. The NZ gold test is odd as it requires someone else to walk your dog. In the UK most of the gold test is off lead (apart from walk around town obviously.)
