# What to look for in puppy classes



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

What I would look for is a club or program that starts with puppy classes, but gets you prepped for the next level up, and then when you get into those classes they want to build you up and get you prepared to go into the next level...

For a new first time puppy owner - I really strongly encourage you to think about sticking in obedience classes long enough to get a CGC on your pup. And decide from there where you go next. 

And yes, as a new first time puppy owner - DO get started with puppy classes. That's your foot in the door and it's low stress for the owner. Do get a crate to let your pup hang out though because some puppy classes can be a lot of gab from the teacher and that's a pup that's wiggling and pulling around all over the place. 

Good time to start would be as soon as you can get in. And sometimes that's literally when you can get a spot in a program. Popular classes like puppy classes fill up fast at clubs. You generally need 2-3 rounds of shots before you can start classes though. 

By getting a golden retriever puppy - you are bringing home one of the most delightful breeds to train with. They are eager, flashy, outgoing, happy dogs typically. They make training fun... if you go about it right. 

Or the very least, you have a ball showing off your smart little puppy + he's getting lots of socialization and "life experience" (going for weekly rides in the car, going to classes where they are around people and dogs, etc). 

Type of programs I would avoid are those offered through vets and daycares. Those are go-nowhere programs. And many cases, the primary reason people go to those classes is for puppy playtime. Actual thoughts on training foundation are not really part of the deal.

Early training foundation is important, because if you get a golden male... for example, that dog is going to be very outgoing, energetic, hormonal, and distractible by the time he's 5-8 months old. And he will be close to full size by then. IF you are just getting started with obedience training then, it's going to be a bit more difficult training basics + training your dog to do basics around distractions. 

Typical problems that people have in boot camp or obedience 1 classes with 5-8 month old pups =

1. Focus (lack of)
2. Stress (for softer dogs, they might shut down in classes)
3. Pulling 
4. "treats not working" <= And this is part of "stress". But it's also people who rely solely on treats to lure the dog into looking good in every exercise, but the dogs have not truly been taught the exercises. 
5. Fear of taking the leash off. Which is part of all the above problems combined.


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## Neals26 (Aug 22, 2019)

Megora said:


> What I would look for is a club or program that starts with puppy classes, but gets you prepped for the next level up, and then when you get into those classes they want to build you up and get you prepared to go into the next level...
> 
> For a new first time puppy owner - I really strongly encourage you to think about sticking in obedience classes long enough to get a CGC on your pup. And decide from there where you go next.
> 
> ...


This was something I was curious about as well, saving this post thank you.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Megora's thought- those offered through vets and daycares. Those are go-nowhere programs. And many cases, the primary reason people go to those classes is for puppy playtime. Actual thoughts on training foundation are not really part of the deal- 
100% right. I'd also add in the ones offered at most Petsmarts/PEtcos.. unless they have a real obedience competitor and not someone who's floor sales that's also taken a CGC class or something, they do not do more than teach something like a sit you should have already done before pup's second set of shots. Work w pup all the time, every time you get 3 minutes. Not all day long, without stopping- just all day long off and on. Make that puppy confident. 
Google AKC OBedience club in ___ whatever state you live in. 
Even an agility club would have ob classes. 
Find a good club that hosts ob trials and has a class schedule. That's where you'll get serious looking forward building on good foundation classes not just playtime.


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

Are you in Austin or Houston, Miranda? I may be able to recommend some specific places for you. 

What I find to be important in a puppy class is that it's not just puppy social hour. Actually, I prefer for the puppies to NOT be allowed to play with each other during class. A lot of people seem to think that socialization means playing with other dogs and not being snippy or fearful, and that's important, BUT the dog needs to learn to actually behave (i.e. pay attention to you and do as it's told) around other dogs when on leash (or off leash) instead of pulling like a maniac to say hi to the pretty Australian Shepherd puppy next to you. A good puppy class will start with teaching the puppy to focus on you and hold that focus. This is a skill you can literally use forever. Then you will start working on other skills, like sit-stand-down, stay/wait (there's a difference), get in heel position, come when called, and then some tricks like spins just to make it even more fun. I also prefer classes taught by people that actually compete with their dogs in some venue, which is where going to an actual club comes in like Kate said. The reason I prefer going to classes taught by competitors is that: 1. I compete too, and 2. these people generally have been training dogs for years and years. They didn't just go online and get some certification saying they are a dog trainer. They have put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into training dogs and learning their behavior. AND, they know how to teach YOU to train your dog. 

I can attest to what Kate said about waiting too long: with Rocket (the dog in my sig pic), we did training at home for the first few months and didn't start actual classes until he was almost 5 months old. We had problems No. 1 and No. 3 from above and the classes didn't solve that. We were woefully uneducated back then about training and made some mistakes (picked the wrong place for classes for one) and so I spent almost 2 years undoing the damage from not going to a GOOD puppy class right off the bat. My new puppy on the other hand started classes at 10 weeks at a wonderful facility run by Golden people and is a total rock star. She got her Novice Trick Dog at 4 months old and CGC at 5 months.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

ArkansasGold said:


> What I find to be important in a puppy class is that it's not just puppy social hour. Actually, I prefer for the puppies to NOT be allowed to play with each other during class. A lot of people seem to think that socialization means playing with other dogs and not being snippy or fearful, and that's important, BUT the dog needs to learn to actually behave (i.e. pay attention to you and do as it's told) around other dogs when on leash (or off leash) instead of pulling like a maniac to say hi to the pretty Australian Shepherd puppy next to you. A good puppy class will start with teaching the puppy to focus on you and hold that focus. This is a skill you can literally use forever. Then you will start working on other skills, like sit-stand-down, stay/wait (there's a difference), get in heel position, come when called, and then some tricks like spins just to make it even more fun. I also prefer classes taught by people that actually compete with their dogs in some venue, which is where going to an actual club comes in like Kate said. The reason I prefer going to classes taught by competitors is that: 1. I compete too, and 2. these people generally have been training dogs for years and years. They didn't just go online and get some certification saying they are a dog trainer. They have put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into training dogs and learning their behavior. AND, they know how to teach YOU to train your dog.



I agree 100% with this and reiterate the advice to look for a class that teaches humans how to train puppies and that has little to no puppy playtime. In the last 11 years I've put three puppies through our training centre's puppy class and subsequent obedience classes and all three have gone on to win national championships in agility. This is due in no small part to the great base that puppy classes and obedience classes provide, when they are done right. 



Our puppy classes started with a 2-hour session for humans only, where the instructor explained the basics of canine behaviour and how to read it. She also addressed common problems encountered by new puppy owners (housetraining, crate training, nipping, etc.). Subsequent sessions (with the pups) covered the use of treats or toys as motivators and rewards, focus on humans instead of on other dogs, walking on leash, basic commands (sit, stay, down, come, some tricks), jumping up, settling, etc. It also included socialization exercises as homework (e.g. meeting 100 new people), as well as other things the pups would have to learn to tolerate (e.g. nail clipping, having a bath) and an introduction to agility tunnels and wobble boards. In the last classroom session, there was a photographer present with a small mobile studio, where we could practise what we'd learned (sit, stay) in a real-life environment, expose the pup to something new (paper surface, flash) and buy the photos if we wanted! It was fun for both the pups and the humans.


I've always enrolled my pups in these classes at the earliest possible opportunity, as soon as they came home. It's hard to over-emphasize the importance of giving puppies a good foundation in life.


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## Miranda Gallegos (Aug 18, 2019)

Awesome advice I really appreciate it! I’m 30 minutes East of San Antonio. ?


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

Maybe try the San Antonio Dog Training Club. It’s probably not that close to you, but it’s a club run by people steeped in the dog world that compete. https://sadtc.org/Training.php


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