Are puppy classes really a must?

[SisMorphine]

What do you think you gain from a puppy school that you couldn't gain anywhere else?

The socialisation aspect is something I know that I can cover well without needing to attend a class. It's not that I think I know it all (far from it - I will still use a specific training program designed by my behaviourist to ensure I am raising my puppy the right way). I train in a very specific way and I am yet to find a puppy school that accommodates the way I would want to raise and train my puppy.

I like taking group classes not only for the socialization aspect of it, but also for the distraction training . . . SPECIFICALLY teaching my dog that s/he can still do obedience even when there are other dogs around to play with and ESPECIALLY teaching them how to recall out of a play situation as I don't want a dog who sees another dog and loses it's mind because it's so excited to go play. Instead I want a dog who says "ooh someone to play with" and offers me some awesome obedience in hopes that s/he can earn the privilage to go play.

For me, having a breed/type of dog that has a tendency towards being dog aggressive, I find this particular part of the training SUPER important because you get to teach them these skills as a puppy, before their DA kicks in, and frankly I will take group class after group class just for the offleash OB with other dogs as long as I can.

I still take group classes here and there with my dogs to proof them with their OB around other dogs. Though I CAN teach them the OB myself, it's not only a nice distraction set up, but it's also a good way to kick myself in the butt to actually TRAIN my dogs, because truthfully I spend so much time with other people's dogs that I tend to get burnt out when it comes to sitting down and working with my own. So I love classes

And you know, if you are so set in your own ways of training dogs it IS going to be hard/impossible to find a class that suits you. What you need to figure out is what is the MOST important part of the puppy training/behavior process for you and find a place that leans towards that. I have had people take classes with me who refused to do some of the exercises, or who altered some of the exercises, because they were training their dogs for the conformation ring, or training gun dogs, and I was TOTALLY fine and respectful of that.

For me the most important part of puppy training/socialization is the positive experience aspect of it. So though I may take a training class at a clicker facility which doesn't completely go with how I would raise a puppy, I know that at least I'm not causing any permanent damage and guess what? They don't follow me home after class So for the 1 hour that I'm there each week for 6-8 weeks, I can play by their rules so that my puppy can get the good aspects of the class.

Whereas if my only option was the local kennel club, which hands everyone a choke chain and a six foot leash as you walk through the door and it doesn't allow for socialization . . . I would rather train my dog at home.

 

[lizzybeth727]

What do you think you gain from a puppy school that you couldn't gain anywhere else?

What Sis said.

My feeling is, you can't do too much socialization. I'm not teaching classes anymore, but I work with a lot of trainers who are excited with helping me with socializaton, and I'm sure I'll keep the puppy busy outside of class. But you have such a short window of socialization, why not cram in as much as possible? I'm sure he'll have experiences in puppy class that I wouldn't have thought of socializing him to, so in that way it'll be really valuable.

The only thing I'd add to Sis' explanation is that another benefit of puppy classes is for the HUMAN socialization. Puppies can be really difficult and trying at times, even for pro trainers, and it definately helps to see other people dealing with the same difficulties. You can brag on your puppy during class and see other cute little puppies. And again, you only have a short period of time that you can do this, just a few weeks. I know I won't be getting another puppy for 5-10 years, IF then, so I want to take advantage of everything that's avalable for puppies.

 

[elegy]

steve did lots of puppy classes not because i don't know how to train a puppy, but for the socialization aspect of it, specifically socialization with other puppies in a safe and controlled environment. he was a shy puppy, so this was HUGE. it was also huge that the woman running our class was able to set him up to be safe and happy and not uncomfortable, scared, or bullied. he played with just the toy breed puppies when we started, but by the end of puppy class he was playing with a boisterous, over-the-top boxer puppy.

i know a lot of people with dogs. i knew one other person with a puppy when steve was a puppy. that wasn't nearly enough. puppies can learn so much about appropriate behavior from other puppies. if i ever get another puppy, he'll be in puppy classes also. as soon as possible and as early as possible.

 

[smeagle]

I like taking group classes not only for the socialization aspect of it, but also for the distraction training . . . SPECIFICALLY teaching my dog that s/he can still do obedience even when there are other dogs around to play with and ESPECIALLY teaching them how to recall out of a play situation as I don't want a dog who sees another dog and loses it's mind because it's so excited to go play. Instead I want a dog who says "ooh someone to play with" and offers me some awesome obedience in hopes that s/he can earn the privilage to go play.

I actually am a member of my local dog obedience club for this reason. I'm not saying I wouldn't do any of the above, just that I don't see why I need to go to a puppy school to do it.

Having said that I don't actually participate in classes as an hour of class is just too much for my dog. We train on the field with a couple of other people and their dogs who like to do their own thing. We do a lot of distraction work (more than what would be done in a class situation) and our dogs know that training is not the time for playing with other dogs. Even half an hour of work is more than what I would ask her to do in a normal training session. We are starting beginner agility classes soon, so that will be interesting, but I will still not have my dog out working for more than 15 minutes max at a time.

And you know, if you are so set in your own ways of training dogs it IS going to be hard/impossible to find a class that suits you. What you need to figure out is what is the MOST important part of the puppy training/behavior process for you and find a place that leans towards that. I have had people take classes with me who refused to do some of the exercises, or who altered some of the exercises, because they were training their dogs for the conformation ring, or training gun dogs, and I was TOTALLY fine and respectful of that.

It's not about being set in my ways, just knowing what works best for me and my dogs (who are competition dogs - which is why I use a specific training method). And I'm not working on my own - I am still working with a trainer, who designs a program for my dog and myself, and know many people who also train the same way I do.

If I found a puppy school that was ok for me to alter things, and sit out of exercises, I guess I would consider going, but I haven't found one that works that way yet. Every puppy school instructor I've talked to so far bangs on about teaching your puppy how great it is to play with other dogs etc and I don't agree with raising my puppy to have a high value for other dogs. I don't want to disrupt the class, or annoy the instructor, or obviously deviate from the training program MY trainer has set out for us.

For me the most important part of puppy training/socialization is the positive experience aspect of it. So though I may take a training class at a clicker facility which doesn't completely go with how I would raise a puppy, I know that at least I'm not causing any permanent damage and guess what? They don't follow me home after class So for the 1 hour that I'm there each week for 6-8 weeks, I can play by their rules so that my puppy can get the good aspects of the class.

See I don't actually agree with you there - I think positive methods CAN do permanent "damage", or at least teach your puppy a habit or behaviour you don't want to become ingrained. For example most people teach their puppies to be calm during training and to be calm around food, they teach the puppy to become inhibited around food. Which is great for some people, but useless for me, because I train in food drive (or prey drive depending on the dog) and I don't actually want a calm or inhibited puppy around food. I train self control later on.

My feeling is, you can't do too much socialization. I'm not teaching classes anymore, but I work with a lot of trainers who are excited with helping me with socializaton, and I'm sure I'll keep the puppy busy outside of class. But you have such a short window of socialization, why not cram in as much as possible? I'm sure he'll have experiences in puppy class that I wouldn't have thought of socializing him to, so in that way it'll be really valuable.

I agree there is only a really short window for socialisation, which is also why I am super pedantic about what I do and don't do in that time. There are many rotten puppy schools out there and some good ones that just aren't flexible on how/what you train (which is fine). If I found a puppy school that understood that I don't want to do x y or z with my puppy and basically let me sit on the sidelines doing my own thing for parts of it, then I would consider using one. I haven't found one like that yet, and I am confident that I could still provide great socialisation during that window of time - it's not like meeting/greeting puppies is the ONLY part of socialisation, it is just one thing on the list of many new experience I expose my puppies to.

 

[lizzybeth727]

So smeagle, because you wouldn't necessarily do a puppy class, are you saying that you're suggesting that the OP - or any "John Q Public" puppy owner who might be reading this - also not do a puppy class?

 

[smeagle]

So smeagle, because you wouldn't necessarily do a puppy class, are you saying that you're suggesting that the OP - or any "John Q Public" puppy owner who might be reading this - also not do a puppy class?

Not at all, which is why I said in my first post in this thread that I think GOOD puppy schools are great for the average pet owner. They are just not (in general) for me.

Also - the title of this thread is 'are puppy schools a must?' My opinion is no, they aren't a must for everyone. I was using myself as an example. I was just sharing my opinion not advising everyone that puppy schools are not necessary for all.

 

[Paul Bright]

i think in your case that class of 30 dogs is not a good idea! find another class that has lesser dogs. As you said, your puppy was shaking on the way home -- obviously that 1 class did him more bad than good. And if you don't feel comfortable about it, don't do it.

Try training your dog first, if it seems difficult then opt for a class -- but a different one!

Good luck!