# Did you take your puppy to training classes?



## Chance & Ella's Sister (Dec 22, 2012)

I see that a ton of pups on here go to training classes. I'm trying to decide if I should take Ella to training classes or just keep teaching her myself. I have never brought a dog to classes before and our dogs are very well behaved. They might not know a ton of commands but they know the basics and have been very good dogs. I have never had a big dog before though, just 2 Italian Greyhounds. So just wondering how many of you actual took yours to classes. 
I've added a poll before..don't you just click submit and the poll box should pop up? I'm on my iPad so maybe that's why it won't work.


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## Chaya (Aug 18, 2012)

Hi, I took both my dogs to puppy class, and our older on is in "continuing education". I know how to train dogs, but I think classes are good for 1. socialization and 2. seeing other techniques. They love going to their weekly classes - it's their special time with me, and the constant challenges keep them out of trouble.


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Yep, training classes and more training classes. Mostly for me.


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## sadiegold (Nov 3, 2010)

We took Sadie to puppy class then the class one level up from that. I think it helped as a puppy somewhat, BUT really seemed to kick in as she matured a little bit. Definitely would recommend and it was a fun time.


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## Seagodess (Dec 6, 2012)

Milla has not had any training classes. Although I would like to take her to some, its just a matter of coming up with the money. 
I have only had 1 other dog, but known TONS of dogs. Of all the dogs I've known, NONE of them have ever gone to any sort of training and the majority of them have been pretty well behaved. I think if you feel you can do it yourself, go for it.


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## coaraujo (Nov 2, 2012)

I like puppy class for really drilling in the commands. Before class started both my boys already knew the basics (sit, down, leave it, touch, loose-leash walking, etc). But having to do these commands in such high distraction environment has been really good for them. The fact that they're able to pay attention to me while other dogs and toys and treats are around them is a really great experience for the both of us. As I want to compete with my boys we will be continuing classes, but even if I wasn't going to compete I think classes are great for reinforcing training and fun for exposing your dog to new things. For instance - my Foundations of Hunting and Field class is going to be my introduction to field, but the class is also for people who want their dogs to be well trained for hiking and backpacking. So..if you couldn't tell... I think classes are really great 

EDIT** Oh and you make friends


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

I did not take tuco to dog training classes and instead took him extremely often to the dog park for socialization, and because I have had experience with clicker training, he now consistently understands 19 different commands and 9 hand gestures/signals


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

Anyone can train a dog themselves. I have always done it myself, however with my new pups, I have started taking them to training classes and have found it to be extremely helpful and rewarding. It is great for socialization and training with distractions. I like the idea that each of the dogs in our class has all of the appropriate vaccinations and the socialization is structured to some extent. When I attend a training class, I am interacting with like minded people. People who believe in well behaved dogs and are willing to do what it takes to achieve that. 
IMO, if you can afford it, by all means do it. You won't regret it. 
BTW, Alli has completed star puppy and just recently basic obedience. This week she will be tested for her CGC and she is already enrolled in intermediate obedience. 
Hanna will begin star puppy the beginning of March.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Although it is good for socialization going to the dog park I find better just because there are different dogs each time, chances are your class will have the same dogs every week


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Tuco said:


> Although it is good for socialization going to the dog park I find better just because there are different dogs each time, chances are your class will have the same dogs every week
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


going to puppy classes pretty much guarantees that the dogs are going to be with owners who are paying attention to them.
Going to the dog park - at least around here - guarantees the exact opposite. 
Most of the people at our dog park are paying attention to the other people and not to their dogs.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

I am somewhat of an overprotective mom and my dogs are not allowed to socialize with dogs that I don't know or approve of. 
I have seen my share of dog fights at the dog park and have even heard of dogs that have been seriously hurt and even killed and I will not subject my dogs to that. I would much rather them socialize with the same dogs every week at a structured class than be subjected to unknown dogs at the dog park. 
This is just my personal opinion. Maybe I am a bit overprotective but I would rather err on the side of caution.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Cookie is 2 1/2 and we've been in classes since she was a puppy. A big advantage to a class is that the instructor might spot something that you are doing a little bit off and suggest a better way. 

Another benefit is the peer pressure that comes with the class - it is hard to slack off on training when you have to return to class in a week and show some improvement. Also, related to this, it is nice to get out of your comfort zone by having 5 or 6 others watching you try a new skill with your dog. You can both grow from this.

For me, it is my hobby...I don't play golf or anything, so this is my big social evening with other adults.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Some people go golfing and leave the dogs....

I do dog classes with my dogs and have a marvelous time.  

It's not just about socialization. It's training my guys and then showing off their smarts at class and hopefully shows. 

And the company works for me too.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

laprincessa said:


> going to puppy classes pretty much guarantees that the dogs are going to be with owners who are paying attention to them.
> Going to the dog park - at least around here - guarantees the exact opposite.
> Most of the people at our dog park are paying attention to the other people and not to their dogs.


Perhaps it's just your park, I've been to Afew with my dogs and typically the dog owners are paying attention and you don't really see any aggressive dogs


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

laprincessa said:


> going to puppy classes pretty much guarantees that the dogs are going to be with owners who are paying attention to them.
> Going to the dog park - at least around here - guarantees the exact opposite.
> *Most of the people at our dog park are paying attention to the other people and not to their dogs*.


So true, and in addition, who knows if the dogs in the dog park have had their vaccinations? Those dogs could have all sorts of aggression issues and to put a young impressionable puppy in the midst of a bunch of unknown dogs with all sorts of health, vaccination or behavioral issues seems for lack of a better term, irresponsible. JMO.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

From what I've heard, there are plenty of dogs at the dog parks that are in desperate need of training classes.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Nairb said:


> From what I've heard, there are plenty of dogs at the dog parks that are in desperate need of training classes.


Perhaps in other areas or larger dog parks, I'm in a pretty chill area and most of the dog owners I would consider overly attentive of their dogs, almost like those crazy soccer moms lol


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

Nairb said:


> From what I've heard, there are plenty of dogs at the dog parks that are in desperate need of training classes.


I would like to second this and add that most of the owners at the dog park are in need of training as well. 

At class, everyone is all on the same page. Don't let the dog jump on you. Ask for a sit before treating, etc. we spent 90 mins once a week having Bear get intensive and positive experience with puppies his size. 

At the dog park, Bear got bullied because he was either too big to be on the small dog side or too small to be with the big dogs. Same holds true now at 6 months. 


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I can't say enough positive things about a good training club. I absolutely love going and learning new things, our club has speakers come on different subjects - the most recent one was on reactive dogs. I learn something all the time and honestly I love seeing the more advanced members work. Watching my current instructor take my collie and use him to demo certain things was amazing, he looked absolutely gorgeous working for her and it was very inspiring for me. I will always take my dogs to classes, especially my puppies.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I wouldn't depend on the dog park for socialization. I would much rather take puppies to puppy play time or socialization classes. I think it's important to socialize young pups in safe and controlled environments. I would never say a dog park is safe and controlled. 

I look forward to class every week. Our competition obedience class is ongoing, so it's always the same people and we move up together. And dog training has definitely become a hobby. 

I will be enrolling Molly in more classes this spring just for fun -- agility and a class for training off leash control. I can't wait! Classes are so much fun.


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## coaraujo (Nov 2, 2012)

Brave said:


> I would like to second this and add that most of the owners at the dog park are in need of training as well.
> 
> At class, everyone is all on the same page. Don't let the dog jump on you. Ask for a sit before treating, etc. we spent 90 mins once a week having Bear get intensive and positive experience with puppies his size.


I think this is such a great point.. At the dog park a lot of the time people will happily greet my boys while they're jumping/barking and being very impolite - thus rewarding the bad manners. At training class we don't tolerate jumping, make sure they sit, etc. Its much easier to get the difficult things like polite greetings down when our socialization is done at training class. That and you have the people who bring their 4 year olds to the dog park and yell and freak out on your when your dogs bark makes their child cry . With training classes it is the same dogs every class, but if you participate in multiple classes (this can get $$$) you get to see a variety of dogs in an environment that's great for training.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Tuco said:


> Perhaps it's just your park, I've been to Afew with my dogs and typically the dog owners are paying attention and you don't really see any aggressive dogs
> 
> 
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do some searches on this forum and you will find that most experiences are like mine
there have been tons of posts about problems at dog parks


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

coaraujo said:


> I think this is such a great point.. At the dog park a lot of the time people will happily greet my boys while they're jumping/barking and being very impolite - thus rewarding the bad manners. At training class we don't tolerate jumping, make sure they sit, etc. Its much easier to get the difficult things like polite greetings down when our socialization is done at training class. That and you have the people who bring their 4 year olds to the dog park and yell and freak out on your when your dogs bark makes their child cry . With training classes it is the same dogs every class, but if you participate in multiple classes (this can get $$$) you get to see a variety of dogs in an environment that's great for training.


The last time we went, there was a young girl heading in as we were leaving, carrying a toddler, pushing a stroller with a baby inside, and trying to control a very happy black lab. I mentioned that she wasn't supposed to be in the park with small children and she said, "oh, we do this all the time!" And that's one of the reasons we left, I don't need my happy monster boy knocking down a kid and me getting sued.


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

Either way I don't have puppy classes as an option economically and I have had great experiences at not only with tuco but with Macin and max too. Perhaps it was just the dog parks we were at, my area the annex is pretty chill as was the area of Copenhagen we lived at. The only bad experience I have had was Afew years ago when some idiot brought her bitch in heat to the park


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

To go back to the OP question, I did not with my first two but will with future puppy. I am sure I got things I can learn or at least different ways to do things that I will be exposed to and see if they match what I want.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Buddy was not a puppy when I rescued him but he definatley acted like one. He went to obedience 1, 2 and CGC classes. I was so fustrated with him- I needed the classes not him! 

Every other dog I have ever had I got as a puppy and trained myself.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I have a pack of dogs myself and most of my friends/neighbors have alway had friendly fully vaccinated dogs for puppy to socialize with.


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## Chance & Ella's Sister (Dec 22, 2012)

Thanks for all of the advice! I think I will just try to train her myself for now. Training classes seem stressful and I'm already stressed due to college. Lol. Having to make sure she improves each week and having to do the commands in front of the class with everyone watching is totally not my thing. I will take her if she really needs it though. She already has a lot of socialization with our Italian Greyhound, my sister's Maltese, and she has played with an American Bulldog and 2 Jack Russells already. She will also go to Camp Bow Wow when we go out of town where she plays all day with other dogs. I have taken my IG to our dog park before and have never had any problems before. Idk about the big dog section but I'm definitely not against trying it out with Ella. I have nothing against going to the dog park and have never seen anything bad happen at ours.


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## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

Sage is going to puppy classes and we will continue on with Manners and basic obedience at the very least. While I agree you can teach them the basics at home, classes give me support and valuable information, not to mention feedback. If something isn't working the trainer can help me "tweek" it, and I really like the aspect that Sage will have distractions in a controlled environment to work in.


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## KatieBlue'sMidnightSky (Feb 22, 2011)

I began training Bella at home the day she came home at 8 weeks ~ the basics. Sit, Down, Let's Go, etc. Then, when she was old enough (vaccines), I took her to puppy agility. It was so much fun, because not only did we work on the obedience basics to reinforce, but we got to do more active stuff too. 

Then we just couldn't stop! We've been training in various things ever since! It's great fun and bonding time for us!


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## pshales (Oct 9, 2012)

I'm a strong advocate for classes too. I grew up with dogs, but so much has changed/improved (IMO) in the methods and what is now more commonly accepted. 

Sunshine LOVES her training time with me, and I learn something new each time! Also I feel that the socialization with other dogs is much more intentional and controlled (which also helps me learn about what to watch for when she's interacting with other dogs outside of a class environment. 

For our family, it was a great experience. We'll be continuing on to the next class to help build on what we've started.



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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Chance & Ella's Sister said:


> Thanks for all of the advice! I think I will just try to train her myself for now. Training classes seem stressful and I'm already stressed due to college. Lol. Having to make sure she improves each week and having to do the commands in front of the class with everyone watching is totally not my thing. I will take her if she really needs it though. She already has a lot of socialization with our Italian Greyhound, my sister's Maltese, and she has played with an American Bulldog and 2 Jack Russells already. She will also go to Camp Bow Wow when we go out of town where she plays all day with other dogs. I have taken my IG to our dog park before and have never had any problems before. Idk about the big dog section but I'm definitely not against trying it out with Ella. I have nothing against going to the dog park and have never seen anything bad happen at ours.


Puppy classes would most likely be a stress reliever! We had a ball, it's really not like you're going to be graded or anything. For me it was more an incentive to actually practice the stuff daily, and we were by no means the best in class some days. But neither were we the worst. If you're going to do formal obedience or showing, it would be different, but just for socialization and to learn basic commands, it was great.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Max had his first obedience class at around 6 months of age. We followed the basic with the advanced class. After advanced, our trainers allow us to retake the class for life for free. So we continue to go. It is good practice for both of us.


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## aneesha (Mar 24, 2012)

No, I wish but we live 2 hours from a city that has such classes. We try to train at home.


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## SadieMae (Nov 24, 2012)

Our Little Ms. Annabelle is now nearly 5 months old. To date, we still haven't taken her to any classes. However - my girlfriend and I have been doing a great job at orienting her to commands and other obedience all on our own. 
We have come up with specific hand and voice "commands" which we do NOT deviate from.
The key word here is *specific*. Repetition and using the exact same commands each and every time has been an invaluable tool in training her. We still have work to do, and a class or two is surely in the future. For now though, she is coming along just fine.


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