I took Benson to puppy classes, and after wish I hadn't. It was really boisterous, and Benson become over excited and occasionally looked a bit bewildered by it all. I only took Benson to 2 classes as he had a minor eye infection and I didn't want to spread this to other puppies. I am just struggling to see the value. £60 got us a puppy pack, samples of stuff I wouldn't use, promotional stuff and some printed out handouts. Plus of course a few classes in a local village hall with around 5 or 6 other puppies. The stuff we were being taught was just impossible and too exciting for him, lots of food and stimulation, plus a couple of the other pups were really in his face. Admittedly some of the other classes may have been useful if we have gone. I am just thinking most of that I can work on at home, I also really, really don't want our pup to think it is OK to run amok with other dogs. Adolescent classes, well tbh I think they are worth their weight in gold, the classes we attended at Widgets farm were excellent and really gave us the opportunity to work on wanted behaviours in real life situations. I do think managed socialisation is important, especially in the early formative weeks, but does that run the risk of "over facing" our young pups? Yes we will take Bramble to dog friendly shops, to meet friends and to meet other dogs. Later we will work on settling in pub gardens etc... Maybe because Benson was very VERY friendly naturally that all the puppy classes did was encourage him to be more outgoing, and that is was OK to meet everyone? Could the urgency to socialise our young pups be tempered to be more breed specific, even between working and showline perhaps? Just thinking out aloud, a lot of people have asked oh where are taking Bramble to puppy classes, and I am thinking..well we not actually.
I think, on balance, I'd take the next puppy to puppy class - but I'd do things very, very, differently. I wouldn't stay for the whole hour, I'd take the puppy only until I could get his/her attention in a room full of other puppies and people, then I'd leave. I would not worry about trying to train sit/down etc in a new church hall, but I would work on attention and impulse control. So, I think I would go to puppy school again, but I'd use it for different things. I would socialise my next puppy as well as I socialised Charlie. I think it's fair to call Charlie 'over socialised' but, having thought about it a lot, I think really what happened was the socialisation was fine, but I should have done 4 times the impulse and attention work at the same time (which I didn't do). I would want my next dog to be as well socialised as Charlie is, particularly living in London, I'd just want the control alongside it. Charlie is as reliable with his environment, kids, etc as it's possible to get, I think (I've a few oddities left over from his stay in hospitals and long isolation from other dogs but setting that aside as not something that would normally happen). While a lack of impulse control is tiresome, and something that just seems to take forever to put right, a lack of socialisation is a far, far, bigger worry and something that may never be able to be put right.
[QUOTE="JulieT, post: 203613, member: 161 I would want my next dog to be as well socialised as Charlie is, particularly living in London, I'd just want the control alongside it. Charlie is as reliable with his environment, kids, etc as it's possible to get, I think (I've a few oddities left over from his stay in hospitals and long isolation from other dogs but setting that aside as not something that would normally happen). While a lack of impulse control is tiresome, and something that just seems to take forever to put right, a lack of socialisation is a far, far, bigger worry and something that may never be able to be put right.[/QUOTE]
We took Ella to puppy classes as she was our first dog ever and we had no idea what we were doing (still don't haha). If we were to get another puppy I wouldn't bother with puppy school for the same reasons that you mention above. In hind sight I believe that we spent so much time worrying about socialising Ella that we created a monster . Or maybe she was always destined to be a monster...
Yes, whilst I believe appropriate socialisation is critical...how much socialisation is achieved actually in puppy classes? On the point re: impulse control, absolutely. Benson was a tough nut to crack in this area, as he is all about "play, play and TOYS" more effort earlier on, and more understanding about the importance on my part would've helped (isn't hindsight a wonderful thing! ) Managing compulsivity was a key area on the adolescent classes so very useful. Hmmm....attending puppy classes with our own agenda in mind.....like your thinking!
Puppy class was definitely good socialisation - I guess it depends on the class though. Lots of new adult humans to meet, also lots of kids, and lots of different breeds of dog. It was an outing in the car to a new place, and we'd sit on the wall waiting for the class to start as choir practice ended in the church (so lots of very strangely dressed kids too!). Busy car parks, masses of people. It was definitely good socialisation, I think. The kids that came with their families had to sit on the stage in the hall, and not move, and the puppies got to meet all these kids. There was only a bit of playing with other puppies. Just a couple of puppies off lead at a time, and the emphasis very much on being able to get your puppy's attention during play. The rest of the class was a bit rubbish though. Next time, as I say, I would have a much clearer idea about what I wanted to do.
As a new owner I think going to puppy training was invaluable. We did outside training in all weathers in a popular woodland area so it was really good for learning to cope with lots of distractions, ie horses, pushchairs, loads of dogs, lots of different people, etc. Great for recall training as well. But, if I had a puppy again I wouldn't go to the class as I would do the training myself for the puppy/teenage stage with lots of socialisation thrown in. Maisie is now nearly 2 and we are now doing the good citizen scheme and really enjoying it. It's really good for revisiting training commands that you may have not worked on or let slip!
When Juno arrived I didn't have the option of puppy classes and when asking around the only suggestion I had was a group class of mixed age and abilities in a field with the emphasis on waking around another dog and ignoring it. I was lucky and my vet put me in touch with my trainer who was also just acquiring her chocolate Labrador puppy. Juno had 121 sessions over 5 weeks when we tied to include everything we cold think of about walking around town, ignoring traffic, dogs barking at garden fences, sirens, uniforms, joggers, cyclists, people pushing prams, children, children on bikes, sitting having a drink in bars together with recall, loose lead walking but the sit, down stay type training I did in the house and garden and just queried with Rosanne for problems, or all the info on here and the main site. We also of course went on our weekly training walk with other dogs where Juno gained the doggy social skills of meeting and greeting nicely, playing nicely, greeting other dog owners on the walk nicely but also key a good recall around distractions. I'm starting an APDT Good Companion Awards course as there is a couple of areas I want to improve a bit with Juno but mainly to give our training some direction - and hopefully I will also be able to use some of my experiences on my Canine Behaviour course
I too am questioning the value of dog socialization in the dog training class we're in. It's a PR/FF/FT never-say-no program. The socialization period of 20 minutes is in a controlled area with about 8--10 pups from 3-5 months. We stand in the area like trees. Mine clearly does not enjoy this time. Hyper excited, engages then quickly retreats to my side. I say aloud that some are being aggressive and the teacher will correct me by saying, no they are just being assertive. Really? I will never take my dog at any age to a dog park considering that most of the owners have zero control over their pets. Scuffles, mounting, and fights are common place. Plus the ground is littered with feces. So not sure if this period is even worth the trouble and wonder what impact this has on his mental state. Note --he loves being around people; it's just other dogs he dislikes.
It doesn't sound like your pup is enjoying that, @AlphaDog - and you are right, there is no reason why he should. I also wouldn't be seen dead in a dog park (although since we don't really have them in the UK, that isn't an option). I read an article recently that dogs play properly when there are just 2 dogs, no more. So ideally you want your puppy to meet one friendly, well socialised dog at a time. Now, where did I put that article.....bookmarked it somewhere....
I took my pups to a class where there was no play between puppies. We each had a chair and brought a mat or bed for our pups to lie or sit on and worked individually.
Definitely agree, the class should be about learning for puppy and you, not for playing. A short hello play at the start of the session, or at the end is one thing and can help to reduce excitement with some puppies but I wouldn't expect more than a few minutes
We didn't do them, they were full. Then when new classes were opening my work schedule did not permit the classes. From descriptions I've heard a lot depends on the people running the classes. Some classes sound like an unmonitored free for all. AND, one place I called was a doggy day care during the day and the puppy classes were in the evening after DDC was over. Staff at this place told me different stories about how they cleaned the floor up after DDC and before a bunch of not fully vaccinated yet puppies walked on it, not going to that place even if they did have space. We met up with a same age puppy and a couple of adult local dogs and had play dates and walks with them.
We've always taken our puppies to the Kennel Club classes, however this time we also attended a puppy class run by a local vet. We actually found this great for Ripple as it gave him some basic training and allowed him to meet other puppies from 10 to 16 weeks old under controlled conditions. None of the classes we've been to have allowed the puppies to run riot (although Ripple has been known to try and initiate this on several occasions ). I think it has been very helpful for both training and socialisation. It has also made me realise I need to get Ripple out and about where other dogs are as it is very easy here to go where we won't meet anyone else, especially in the winter. I don't always agree with the way everything is done but as a whole the classes are worthwhile for both me and Ripple, even if he can be a complete pain when we are there .
I'm on the fence to be honest. We didn't have 'free play' at our puppy class, but did spend a lot of time sitting and listening. It was good for teaching Harley to settle and also keeping her attention on me with lots of distractions. I'm the other hand, it was quite boring and we didn't learn much. There were always dogs barking and trying to get to each other (Harley was a nightmare in the first lesson!). It might be worth going to Widgets for puppy class as they do it very different there and even go on a trip out on public transport and into shops etc. If we get another pup that is the option I will consider.
We took Buster to puppy classes as he was our first dog and had no idea where to start with him, it was the best thing we had done, there were only 5 dogs the trainer only allowed a minute play with only 1 other dog at a time and only if she knew they were not scared if each other, I between the training, We got a hell of a lot out if it. But I don't necessarily know we would do it again as we now gave the tools to (attempt) to do it ourselves, but I wouldn't rule it out.
I still take Charlie to pet dog classes - I find them absolutely invaluable to train Charlie to behave while being mugged by a load of out of control dogs.... (I'm sure there are loads of great classes, it's just I've not been lucky enough to find them).
I think it depends on how the class is run, I wouldn't take a pup to a free for all playtime. The one we went to did not have any off lead play, the only time a dog was off leash was for recall, and it was one pup at a time. We had 8 pups in total and two trainers, so not much sitting around doing nothing either. The first classes we're the easier sit, lie down, building up to short stays, recall, and the last classes were about keeping your dogs attention while other dogs walked past, and loose lead walking all at the same time. We did so well that we finished our last class with a "leave it" with a treat just out of reach and your dog had to come away, Jake was the only one who managed it, I was fair proud of him
Well, Kate, you know how much I hated Pongo's puppy classes! I think their only benefit for Pongo was the chance to see and interact with other dogs; and in the end I think doggy daycare did much more for him along those lines (as well as our Severnside walkies). For a dog that wouldn't see many other dogs in his home or on normal walks, that was probably very important in learning "how to be a dog". From what I can see, your little girl is getting plenty of experience and tutoring in "how to be a dog" from her lovely big brothers. I can't see what puppy classes would add to what you, Marcus, Benson and Casper will teach her between the four of you. She is a sweetie! Pongo sends big licks and says can he play too please?
hmmm lot to think about.. My thoughts: 1. Not all puppy classes are equal - free play is not necessarily good, nor is it good socialisation 2. What do you want to achieve.. and do you need to go to puppy classes, ie what other classes, trainers not necessarily puppy classes are available locally that fit our needs - town training, pubs, shopping etc... 3. Socialisation - what will be the normal environment for our pup growing up and will this change, what other opportunities will there be to safely socialise our pup in the "window" of 9 - 14 weeks? 4. On-going training...adolescent and ad hoc training In summary still mulling this subject over...
