Hello everyone I am a new user of this site. Since I discovered it four days ago, I've hardly been off it and have downloaded both of Pippa Mattinson's How to Win at Dog Training and Total Recall books which are really helpful. My labrador puppy, Jess is 16 weeks now and is making good progress with her training with me at home and whilst out for walks. Prior to Christmas however I took her to two puppy classes and found them absolute chaos. Most of the puppies, including mine, go wild with excitement when amongst so many other potential playmates and it is very difficult to get Jess to respond to any commands - she just strains at her lead all the time and we both finish up exhausted and overwrought! Under these circumstances, I feel that any attempts at getting a good training response from her is setting her up to fail, at least until I have done some more proofing work with her basic training. Would I be better to wait for a while before I take her to puppy training classes do you think? I would be grateful for some of the excellent advice members of this forum are able to give. Thanks
Re: Training classes Hello and welcome Linda This is just my own opinion , others may not agree but here goes ! I tend to think that puppy classes for young pups like Jess are more about socialisation which of course is very important but yes, put a load of young pups together and concentration goes out of the window, fast and yes, you are setting Jess to fail in this situation . With my own Lab Sam , when he was a young pup , I allowed him play with other dogs in a local safe field , and on woodland walks too, more about socialising and learning to respect elders etc . But any training was done on a one to one with me in a lone environment so that he could concentrate without distractions . Pleased that you have the right tools ( Pippas books ) and I am sure that given time and practice , Jess will soon learn , just short burts though so that she doesnt get bored, good luck
Re: Training classes LOL I can just see the bunching up of hundreds of excited pups eager to play instead of learn. I KNOW for a fact if it was McQueen, there is absolutely no chance he would listen to commands. He's just now started listening to mine in a lone environment. I'm actually eager to see how he responds when my 5yr old returns. Probably forget all he knows so far. Welcome Linda, coming here was the biggest step in the right direction, Its prevented me (new pup owner) from pulling my hair out !!!
Re: Training classes Hi Linda and welcome to the forum Glad you are finding the books helpful. Puppy classes vary greatly and as Kate has said are really most beneficial for socialisation purposes. I would personally avoid giving any commands at all in this kind of situation, as you have rightly surmised you will simply be setting her up to fail. Good luck with your training. Pippa
Re: Training classes Hi Linda and welcome We did puppy classes with Riley and they were good up to point. The classes were quite small and did include 'proper' training as well as play. We learnt a bit about how dogs behave and were encouraged along the socialisation path. The downside for us is our already very sociable dog was under the impression other dogs were all there to play so teaching him some manners and proofing his recall with other dogs around is an ongoing journey which is going well but has taken quite a bit of effort. Pippa's article on her choccie lab rachael getting lessons in manners from her cocker spaniels is good for some insight. http://totallygundogs.com/a-lesson-from-meg/
Re: Training classes Hello Linda Another welcome from me too. Like the others I think puppy classes are great for socialisation but not for 'real' training, save that for later more grown up classes. Something else to consider, our vets run puppy parties so that young dogs can get used to the noise and smell of the surgery whilst having a playtime session. It helps so that they don't get scared later when they have to go for real. If your vets don't do this then ask them if you can take Jess in for a sniff about and to get weighed. Kerryn
Re: Training classes Hi We first took Breagh to classes when she was nearly 5 months old. The class was run along the Kennel Club's Good Citizenship lines and was very good. It was a mix of serious training, socialisation, and fun! The course at puppy grade lasted for 7 weeks and we were presented with a certificate and wee rosette at the end. We were also given hand-outs at the end of each class with the main points of that class outlined. We then continued with a follow-on course to consolidate and develop what we'd been taught. I'm looking forward to taking Breagh on to the bronze, silver and gold stages in the future. I'd highly recommend this type of course as it achieves a good balance of activities. It does seem slightly raucous at the start but the pups generally calm down as each session progresses and Breagh was able to concentrate on the activities. Try looking at the KC website and you should be able to track down your nearest class - we're in SW Scotland and even managed to find classes near-by! Good luck
Re: Training classes Further to my above reply... On reflection, I think Pippa's manual "The Right Start" probably gave me more help and info than the puppy class did, regarding introducing the basics. It was also very good at explaining the underlying approach and what not to do! This website is full of information, it just needs time to read through and digest it all. The KC classes were very good for Breagh to mix with other folk and their dogs - training can be rather solitary otherwise. I was suprised at how much she would do, despite the busy environment - even off lead. I'm hoping to take Breagh for a couple of sessions with an instructor from the Gun Dog Club, to get some help with her retrieve delivery and generally make sure we're on the right track. The main problem I have is living in a very rural area - I'll have quite a long round trip to get to my nearest instructor. Still, its all good clean fun! Kate
