Training school is a necessity for everyone who gets a new puppy. Habits that they develop at a young age will stick with them for the rest of their lives. This includes both the positive and the bad. While it is possible to teach an older dog, it is more difficult for them to unlearn bad habits than it is to learn positive ones at a young age. But if you don't choose the right course for your pet, you might end up in a situation that is worse than before.
If your dog is at least twelve weeks old, she is old enough to enroll in a class. The earlier you can start the better you'll be. You do however, want to make sure that all of the necessary vaccinations are in place before exposing your pet to others. So the first step is to get a clean bill of health.
Now comes the hard part: selecting the right school. Don't just open the yellow pages and pick out one at random. Instead, get some recommendations. Ask all of your friends and acquaintances who are dog owners. You can also talk to your vet and everyone who works in the vet office. Once you make a list of possible places, go on your own to observe them. Write down anything you notice.
Here's what you want to observe in a class. There should be a laid-back air with little frustration. Owners and their dogs should seem happy. The trainers should not be aggravated, but collected and facilitating. They should be watching at all times and offering advice and assistance to anyone that requires it.
You'll also want to consider where the class is taking place. You'll want a moderately large place so that people and pets are not packed together. There should also be an area away from the others where you can go if your pet is nervous and needs to be alone.
Also make note of how many animals are in the class. You don't want it to be too private, because socialization is an essential aspect of this. So there should be more than just three other dogs. But if there are too many it can be challenging to get the attention that you'll need and the environment might be too disorganized for teaching to take place.
You'll want to find a course that is for the age and developmental level of your puppy. Integrating ages make it tougher for socialization and for the trainer to do things in groups. This isn't as important for adult classes, but it is for younger pets.
You want this to be a good experience. Avoid a course if they use things that can make your pet afraid. This includes things such as yanking on chains. These things damage not only your puppy's ability to learn but also her relationship with you.
It may seem like a lot of effort to find the perfect training course, but it will pay off in the end. The lessons your pet learns will keep with them for the rest of their lives. You'll have a companion who is well-behaved and can be taken anywhere without trouble.
