I adopted a 6mos old rescue puppy last week and she is very well mannered, but at least a dozen people have suggested obedience training. She already knows “sit” and “stay” and is house broken. Should I consider obedience training or are most people just cop-outs? And where should I go for such classes? For what it’s worth, I live in Edison, NJ.
If you are a very experienced handler and have already been through classes several times, then probably not. That would be like telling Michelle Duggar to go to Lamaze classes. But if you are like most people, and this is only your first or second dog or you haven’t had a pup in a couple years, you can learn a lot at obedience class. Most chain pet stores offer them.
Good luck!
I think obedience classes are important. When we adopted a three-year-old dog from the shelter who already knew the basics, we still took her to training classes. It was great to see how she was around other dogs in a controlled environment, and gave us new ideas. She also did learn new tricks.
The best part though, is that it was a great bonding expierence for her and I and she loved to go to classes with me. If you do decide to go for classes, look for a POSITIVE training facility where the instructors have credentials and certifications to back up what they are doing.
Personally I think they are about as necessary as getting a good vet or making sure you are feeding a high quality diet. Yes, dogs can live without them and even be well behaved without them, but there is a HUGE difference between a well-trained dog who has learned the commands around distractions (ie in a group setting) and a well-trained dog who has learned basic commands at home with only the distractions that are present in their environment (which are far less distracting than even the same distraction in a different location can be). Even a very well mannered dog will benefit from group training classes. They offer mental stimulation, help you learn how to communicate with your dog, and are a great way to socialize your dog in a controlled setting.
Why would it be a ‘cop out’? Most people in this world do not bother with properly training their dogs and frankly, it is most people who end up getting rid of their dogs because they are not well trained. Many people want ‘push button’ dogs – dogs that will obey them and do what they want without having put any effort into actually training them. A training class is where you have a knowledgeable person helping you learn to better interact with and train your dog. I have trained dogs to behave properly (how I want them to behave when I want them to not when they feel like it) for over fifty years and I still take dogs to training classes because no one ever knows it all and no one can see themselves – I like having a knowledgeable person watch and make sure am not giving signals I am not aware of or that something isn’t going on that I am not aware of plus the dogs are subjected to distractions so they can better learn to obey under conditions that aren’t perfect. Most any dog can ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ at home in their front room with nothing occuring but what about if something distracting is gong on – when you NEED the dog to sit and stay or it could mean its life? You can locate an obedience club near you and see about starting your new companion and yourself in classes.
my reasoning behind training classes is most dogs can learn sit and stay in the home. it’s in public and around distractions that you need it the most. a group training class will provide the public and distractions for your dog to learn in.
i can train my dogs wonderfully, but i still put every single one of them through a training class that trains toward’s an AKC Canine Good Citizen test.
the canine good citizen training class will teach your dog how to accept attention from a stranger in a calm mannnor, be examined at the vet or groomer and not be afraid, how not to react in a scared or aggressive mannor to unknown stimuli such as loud noises or people with wheelchairs, children, etc…..
to me these are far more important than a simple sit and stay.
i would reccomend you contact your local AKC dog trainging group and find out where to find a class that works toward a canine good citizen.
training classes are great, not just for basic obedience, but also for socialization, and exposing your dog to different situations. if you don’t want to review the basics, you could always look for classes that concentrate more on ‘tricks’ or things like agility and stuff like that. it’s a great way to spend time bonding with your new friend, and it gets you both moving and active. have fun!
I took my pug to an obedience class when he was a puppy. To be honest you can save yourself some money and just do research online and train your dog yourself. 6 years ago the puppy class cost me $50 or $60 (went to SuperPetz).
If she already knows sit and stay and is housebroken I wouldn’t go to a class, cause that is the first thing they teach you. With my dog they taught us sit, stay, come, lay and they taught how to house train your dog. So basically all you need to train her is lay.
You can train her to do whatever you want, you just have to show her what the command means and when she does it give her a treat and make a big deal over it.
I never went to a training class and never will. I never needed to. I purchased this excellent training video when i got one of my first dogs and never have anymore problem with any of my dogs. I also trained them off leash as well.
The problem with trainers, is they all have their own way of training. And some i don’t agree with. I remember considering taking classes at petsmart, and i talked to the trainer and told her how my dog is aggressive when i ride bikes. And she told me to squirt the dog in the face with a squirt bottle…..yup never went back. If you’re considering getting a trainer, avoid the trainers that are all positive, they are idiots to say the least. Avoid the trainers who use all force, they just want your money in the shortest amount of time.
Anyway i recommend getting this dvd. Best obedience video out there.http://leerburg.com/302.htm
definintely dont go to obedience training! its obvious that your dog is smart enough to easily learn the tricks you are teaching her so classes would just be a waste of your money! i trained my dog who is now six years old- btw i was only 11 when i trained her- and she learned perfectly fine wheras my friend took her dog to this trainer and i went with one time to find that this trainer was as dump as a rock about dog training and i kept telling my friend to do this and that and she said- thats not what the trainer said- and now her dog is completely out of control. i suggest that since your dog seems to be a good learner to purchase a book on dog training if you want to teach it more complicated tricks and dont waste your money on a trainer cuz you never know what kind of trainer youll get till you go to the class!
No, actually i highly recommend not getting her into and obedience class. when we got my Australian Shepherd Mix puppy at 7months, the people at the humane society highly suggested a class for her. we have never signed her up and she is house broken, knows sit, and stay, and come.
No, obedience training is not necessary…your dog sounds plenty smart and obedient to me….I think obedience training is more for dogs that will not ‘train’ easily or maybe for the ones whose owners want them to be in dog shows. That is just my opinion for what it is worth.
No, certainly not. You can carry on the training yourself, there are many “How to” books. She is only 6 months, things will crop up at home. What I really like about classes is the dogs interacting and becoming at ease. You are so nice to take her home!!
if she already knows sit and stay and down and she wont poop on your floor then you dont have to if you want to spend your money and time on something you dont need go ahead i have a dog and i know a bunch of trainers you should be fine.
well if you know how to train the pup yourself then go ahead alot of people do it also for the sociability .. but if can afford it then you should its a good thing for you and your pup
you can go to a pet shop and ask them, and if your dog already has basic training i doubt it needs classes.
Hope This Helps! 😀