obedience schools?

Question

i am looking for an obedience school for my 5 months old pup. i have 4 specific ones narrowed down.
One is affiliated with the canine council, and the course runs for 13 weeks. it's $100 for the course.
Second one apparently has some obedience hotshot guy whose dogs have gone onto do police work and all sorts of tracking jobs. his course goes for 5 weeks and is a bit dearer.

Third one which you pay $50 for a life membership and additional $10 every session you attned. this one is supposedly an international school. this one has a lot of famous handlers (so the brochure says)

Then there is just a really local one where it's $10 a session as well, and is quite close.

should i fork out a bit more, and travel a bit further ? and is 5 weeks course really enough (even if it's held by this hotshot?)

my pup is a beagle, and she is quite obedient at home, but not when she is outside, or on walks. everytime i put her off leash she runs away

Answer 1

Beagles are hunting dogs with powerful tracking instincts. They are never reliable off leash - no matter how much training they have. If that's why you're going to the class you'll be totally wasting your money! See if you can watch at least one class session from each of your choices. Ask the other students how the trainer is. Does he abuse the dogs? Does he explain things clearly? Are their dogs improving?

In the meantime, you should read some great books on training. (Try not to pick books randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also!) These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know – Volhard http://www.volhard.com/
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan
Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/

Answer 2

Go and watch the classes before you choose.

I would pick the instructor that will use different methods for different dogs. They are all individuals and no method works for ALL dogs. Some need a firm hand, some need treats. I would NOT take a class from the never-say-no-and-lure-with-treats 'trainers'. The word no is a good thing, so is SOME treating. But remember, the pack leader would NEVER BRIBE their pack with food! I also would not take a class where they think ALL dogs need harsh methods.

Remember, all dogs are individuals and it should be tailored to the individual dogs. Moderate is a good thing!

I would stay away from classes at chain pet stores like petco and petsmart. I have watched a few of those 'trainers' and the ones I saw have no business trying to teach obedience.

Answer 3

If you have an easy going breed and are looking for a basic class to teach manner and sit, stay, down try the local one. They are good for most stuff. And why pay for a "hotshot" when all you all you really need is a nice basic type thing.
If you have a assertive breed or aggressive breed and are looking to control behavior I would recommend a one on one session with a behavioral trainer who has experience with assertive breeds.
As for the hot shot guy I guess if you want your dog to do police work and tracking go to him but be prepared to put in hundreds of hours of work with your dog. These are lifelong training for dogs. They work with the police dogs every day. And they are not really pet dogs but more of a working dog.
I am not much on famous or high profile people. I prefer to work with someone who fits mine and my dogs needs. I am not big on their titles as many I have worked with have no certification but turn out wonderful working dogs.I currently train hunting dogs for the field trails and active hunting. I own Weimaraners.
I also do behavioral training for a doberman rescue group.
I work with problem dogs and try to fix the problem and get the dog work in the home.
Good luck with you training and new pet.

Answer 4

The type of training you go for depends on your dogs temperament and what exactly you want to accomplish. If you have an easy going pup, socialized, submissive just and want just your basic sit, stay, heel, most any 5-6 week course will do. If you have a pup showing signs of aggression or is a breed bred for strength and aggression you need classes geared for aggressive dogs.

Answer 5

I work at a Pet Smart in Canada, and while I'm not sure on the pricing elsewhere, there are different levels of training classes, including potty training, beginner to advance, and clicker training! Maybe you can look into that? I know that all of our trainers have to go on a very intense course, even if they have dogs or worked in training before.
You just want to make sure that you and your pet will be comfortable where you go. They should only ever use reward based training... something to watch for.
Good Luck

Answer 6

Price is completely irrelevant! Method is what is important... ask if you can sit in on a class. If the dogs in the class look like they are uncomfortable...RUN... If they use any method you are uncomfortable with ...RUN... the thought "won't that hurt the dog?" should NOT ever go through your head! Try the "apdt" website for more info... Look for one that focuses on Positive reinforcement and not correction!

Answer 7

If you have a small dog and are looking for basic obedience go with the local one. If you have a larger breed, especially a stubborn breed, go with the lifetime membership.

Answer 8

is there any school for pups i've not herd