I often meet clients who have taken their puppy to a class but are still having issues with behaviour.
Sometimes their dog seems to have ‘lost’ the basic obedience skills covered in the class. Sometimes they feel their dog never successfully achieved these skills in the first place!
This can be frustrating as an owner when you feel you have done the right thing by taking your pup to classes, but they don’t seem to have worked as well as you hoped.
Generally, puppy classes are an excellent way to start your dog’s training. However, there are some things that can have a big impact on how much they help you and your dog.
1. Some puppy classes are more effective than others
Not every owner gets the same experience from puppy classes. There is a wide variety of approaches, and some owners can be left feeling a bit let down. Here are some things to look out for which can make a big difference:
Number of dogs in the class: To be as helpful as possible, the trainer needs to observe and give enough personal attention to each owner and dog during the class. If there are too many dogs in the class, this will be much more difficult.
Amount of space: Classes are a great opportunity for your puppy to get early exposure to other pups and socialise. But they are also there to learn, and to do that they need to focus on you, not just on everything else going on around them.
In a class environment, there should be enough space for your dog to be able to concentrate on you so they can learn new behaviours and skills. If there isn’t enough space there is a greater risk your pup will be constantly distracted and learning won’t be as effective.
The trainer is easy to understand: There is a lot of information to communicate during puppy classes and time is always limited. It’s important for owners to understand what is being covered so they can train their pups correctly, and know what they need to do outside the class.
As we all remember from our time at school, some teachers are better at explaining things than others. If you are struggling to understand the trainer at a puppy class, it’s hard to feel confident you are doing the right things with your pup.
2. All dogs are not the same!
This sounds obvious, but dogs aren’t just different shapes & sizes, they also have different personalities.
Some are more excitable or more nervous, some are more easily distracted. Some pick up new behaviours more quickly than others, some are more motivated by food treats than others.
Therefore, it’s not surprising that some dogs learn better in group classes than others.
Ideally a class trainer will adapt their approach for different dog personalities and make individual suggestions for your dog. But of course there are limitations in a group class environment, and sometimes group environments just don’t suit some dogs.
If your dog struggled to cope in a group class environment, one to one training may be more appropriate and successful.
3. Puppy classes are just the start
It can be tempting to think that once puppy classes are over your job is done, and you can just enjoy life with a perfectly behaved new family member. If only things were so simple!
As with all new skills, consistent progress comes from consistent repetition, or put another way: ‘practice makes perfect’.
However even if you are doing lost of regular practice, sometimes things can seem to go backwards. That’s because puppies don’t stay puppies forever!
As dogs grow, their personalities and behaviours change. Dogs go through an adolescent or ‘teenage’ phase between 6 months and 2 years old. This can be as challenging for owners as for parents of teenage children! Seeking help from a trainer at this stage can help to manage unwanted behaviours and strengthen your relationship with your dog.
I hope you found this helpful. If you want to get more tips on dog training just click here. To learn more about me and how I can help you and your dog just click here.