Puppy Training

Ok, so after looking around, you’ve finally bought or adopted a puppy, had it vaccinated and maybe went to a puppy party with your puppy at your vet’s office. Let’s start having fun!

Dog obedience classes vary, and just because a club is listed by a “branded” kennel club it does not give assurance that that club’s dog obedience classes implement a standard of education or ethics.

So, before joining and committing yourself and investing in the club, ask if you can observe one of the dog obedience classes first without having to bring your dog with you.

If they did not agree, inquire for the reason. If they allowed you to do that, show up on time, make proper introductions, and quietly observe the dog obedience classes, feel the environment, and check out the methods they use to train dogs.

A well trained dog is well accepted in society and will bring joy to it’s owner and family. Attending good dog obedience classes will help your dog acquire new skills and strengthen your bond. But…how can you find an appropriate training club for your dog?

A few tips:

1) Before taking your dog to a training club, visit the club and check it out yourself first. A nice venue based outdoors is important, as the right environment will help the learning process, or if it the environment is indoors make sure it has a non-slippery dry surface.

2)Check if the atmosphere is relaxed and quiet. If you hear a lot of dogs barking, that means the environment of the dog obedience classes are stressful.

3)Observe the type of training methods the trainer is using. Positive methods and equipment is a must. Check that the chain, prong collars and slip collars are not being used.

4)If the you hear a lot of shouting, it means the trainer of the dog obedience classes is not a good trainer.

5)Check the impression the trainer is making. A friendly and approachable trainer, who understands the needs of individual dog is a must.

6)Check how many students and how many assistants are in one group. Is the trainer able to check the progress of everyone in the group? Note the size of the group the trainer is teaching. Is the group too big that the trainer fails to give attention to individual members of the group? A group of more than six people can be very challenging to train specially if they are all beginners, as the learning capacity of every person varies.

7)Consider the atmosphere of the dog obedience classes; are the club members relaxed-looking, happy and enjoying the exercises and training?

Do the dogs seem perky and cooperative? Aggressive dogs should not be included in a group; these kinds of dogs should be individually trained. If you hear a lot of shouting and the atmosphere is negative, leave the hall and get away from there as quickly as you can!

When teaching a new exercise, what approach does he use? Does he demonstrate, explain, justify and coach his students when teaching the new exercise?

In other words, does he show and tell his students how to do the exercise, make them understand the reason for doing it, and do you see him assist his students as they try to do the exercises with their dogs themselves?

Since different people have different learning capacities and means, a good trainer will exhaust all means of learning, so that everyone in the dog obedience classes will have a good chance to succeed in their exercise.

One good way to motivate your dog and make them more interested in the training is food. You must remember though, that the dog should listen to you and not the food you are giving them.

Once you established your relationship with your dog, you can stop giving him treats as rewards, as they will be satisfied hearing your praise. Until you reach that point in your relationship, you can use whatever rewards system that works for your dog!

You should also consider the way or the style the instructions are given during the training. Check if the instructive style suits you and your dog. If the dog obedience classes have a negative atmosphere, they are not conducive for learning.

There are also instructors that do not employ many exercises and are not innovative when training new students. They seem to think that since they have been doing it for a long time already, there is no need to change the way they train. That kind of teaching does not work anymore and we are now looking for innovative trainers that can adjust to the needs of their class or group.

As you see, regular dog obedience classes will help your dog learn to be obedient. But If a training club is maybe too expensive for you, or you fancy something more convenient, flexible and closer to home, why not try online dog obedience classes?

A good set of online dog obedience classes can make learning experience fun, unique and most significantly, a personal experience for both you and your dog. Something that you may not always get at a dog training club.

With the right information, Dog Obedience Classes can be easy. For the best chance of success, why not look into the top Dog Training Courses available?