Thanks to Ian Dunbar, the father of positive dog training, the general public now understands that training your dog is in your best interest. The life of the pet dog has changed and with it the need for training has drastically increased. The biggest change is probably the amount of time that dogs now spend inside the house. It has also been drilled into our heads to socialize, socialize, socialize. This is how the dog training class was born. You get a puppy and you take it to puppy or beginner class. Your job is done.
What I see in my classes is not dog's who are undersocialized but dogs that are over socialized. Most of these dogs spend the first 4 weeks losing their minds because of all the other dogs and people in the room. The owners spend the time just holding on. Don't get me wrong, I think dog training classes are a great step towards having a well trained dog, I just don't think they are a first step.
In my opinion first you train your dog. That means your dog has a clear understanding of cues. Walking on leash, coming when called, sit, stay. Now you add distractions that you can control. Can you do all this with your food bowl on the floor, with a child in the room, with a child running by, with your toy nearby. Once a dog can accomplish this then you bring him to dog class and ask him to perform in this level of distraction. It is hard for most dogs, the brain just cannot keep it together under the onslaught of distractions.
Starting with some one-on-one lessons walks you through these steps. This way when you step into the class you and your dog have skills to fall back on. To me this seems a much better approach then practicing the behaviour you are there to get rid of.
What I see in my classes is not dog's who are undersocialized but dogs that are over socialized. Most of these dogs spend the first 4 weeks losing their minds because of all the other dogs and people in the room. The owners spend the time just holding on. Don't get me wrong, I think dog training classes are a great step towards having a well trained dog, I just don't think they are a first step.
In my opinion first you train your dog. That means your dog has a clear understanding of cues. Walking on leash, coming when called, sit, stay. Now you add distractions that you can control. Can you do all this with your food bowl on the floor, with a child in the room, with a child running by, with your toy nearby. Once a dog can accomplish this then you bring him to dog class and ask him to perform in this level of distraction. It is hard for most dogs, the brain just cannot keep it together under the onslaught of distractions.
Starting with some one-on-one lessons walks you through these steps. This way when you step into the class you and your dog have skills to fall back on. To me this seems a much better approach then practicing the behaviour you are there to get rid of.
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