Are puppy training classes beneficial ?

Question

I have a new puppy and he is 6 weeks old. I am thinking enrolling in a training class at PetSmart but I don't know if I should start right away or wait until he is a little older.

Answer 1

The only thing about puppies is they have a small attention span. I would try just training it at home til it gets bigger. I have a new puppy who is 3 months and he's already going potty outside and sits on command (most of the time). Training classes are beneficial though.

Answer 2

I don't know any place that will take pups that are under 8 weeks old, but you should get him into class as soon as you can. The period until 16 weeks is crucial for socialization. This means to other people, to new environments, sounds, textures, smells, etc., not just other pups. A class makes it much easier to socialize your pup than doing it by yourself. If socialization is not done during this time period, you can never make up for it. Dogs who are not adequately socialized tend to be aggressive, anxious, and over-reactive. Also, there is no evidence that dogs can not learn or remember things until they are a certain age. I am sure you will agree that your pup is learning things already! Attending class will insure that he is learning the right things from the start instead of needing to unlearn bad behaviors later.

Don't be concerned about having your pup complete his entire puppy vaccine schedule before you get into class. First, he has immunity from each vaccine. Just make sure he gets each booster when scheduled. Second, I have taught puppy classes for nine years and have never had a puppy catch a disease from another pup in class.

Bottom line: the risks of not socializing far outweigh the risks of your pup getting sick

Answer 3

I dont think you can take him to training classes while he is still so little, although I have heard that puppies at this age are actually very trainable. I think you should concentrate on housebreaking and simple things like sitting, etc for now, and take the classes as soon as you can. The classes are great and well worth the money. However, I would recommend something other than Petsmart. I've not heard too many great things about their classes.

Answer 4

We had our puppy started in a puppy kindergarten at just 3 1/2 months old, so right now, yours might be a little too young, but you can still look for various trainer options. You need to make sure your puppy is completely up to date on shots, and tho not all training places require it, it's a good idea to get a kennel cough vaccination (but they should really), for the protection of your puppy.

The younger you start, the better. Classes are a good way for puppy to learn to work with distractions and in Puppy Kindergarten, they get play/socialization time with other dogs and people. The earlier you start this, the better. You will also learn the basic commands, such as sit, down, stay, and come on recall. The puppy class was great for learning to come on recall because we were expected to call our pups in the middle of play, which is something you want... your dog to come, any time you call, regardless of what he/she is doing.

Now as for PetSmart, I personally would not go to this kind of place for training. For one, they're expensive, ours here run around $100 for a 6 week course, and it's just in a little penned area in the middle of the store. Any other trainer you find in the phone book are possibly paying large bills to run a business (like the cost to have the ad and a facility) and likely will need to ask for more too in order to cover their costs.

What I did was contact our local Agility Club (as we were planning to get in that direction of training) and asked for trainer suggestions. They made a couple great ones (obedience trainers first, as this needs to be solid before starting with agility training) and I now take my pup to a lady who only charges $50 for a 7 week class and is, IMO, much better than if we'd gone to PetSmart type place. So I suggest you contact a local dog club, i.e. Obedience Club, Agility Club, Training Club, or the club specific to your breed. The advantage to going this route in finding a trainer is that these people take their training very seriously and will suggest trainers they know, have used and trust. Hopefully, you'll find one like I did, who is an excellent trainer, not taking a huge chunk from the wallet and I never would have found in the "yellow pages"!

Good Luck!

Answer 5

Petsmart offers a class just for you at this age and not the pet.

Potty training 101 something like that. Go to it.

However I would not take your puppy till it gets more of its shots. It should have a first now one in three weeks and then three weeks after that. That's when it will be safer for your pup to be with other dogs that may be be carrying a disease

Answer 6

Most Puppy Kindergarten classes don't allow puppies in until they've had at least 2 sets of shots (about 10 weeks old).

These classes are excellent! Not only is it great socialization for your puppy, but you also learn great basic obedience (coming when called, "Leave It"/"Off", and the basics like sit/down) and the instructors will cover all kinds of "puppy problems", i.e. mouthing/biting, potty training, etc.

I would asbolutely recommend them, as someone who has both taken and taught them!

Answer 7

I am taking my puppy to classes at PetSmart next week. She is 11 weeks old now and the earliest they will take them is at 10 weeks. Be sure you have their updated shot records with you as these will be required before attending classes. The earlier you get your puppy into training the better for both of you. They are eager to please and will be less confused if they learn basic rules from the start.

Answer 8

Oh my, at 6 weeks he is way to young to be away from his mom and litter mates! he should have been with them until at LEAST 8 weeks, if not 10. if there is no way he can spend that extra time with his litter, definitely take him to classes when he is old enough. i would call petsmart and find out what the minimum age is. he will need the socialization classes provide due to being removed so young from his litter (plus it's lots of fun!). you can start training a puppy at any age, the earlier you start, the easier it will be. good luck!

Answer 9

Hi, I took my dog to PetSmart for training when he was about 1 year old, he really liked it and it was very helpful, I just wish I would have taken him sooner.
I have a 5 month old puppy now also and she's going to classes when she gets to 6 mos. 6 weeks is really too young for them to get what's going on, but I would defiently do it before you both develop bad habits.
Good Luck!

Answer 10

Go For It!
Puppy classes help get them socialized. This can help deter many problems later, like misplaced aggression. It’s not cheap, but if your puppy will be home alone on many occasions then it is best to get early socialization going for good mental health. Remember dogs are pack animals and we are taking them away from the pack…..
The instinct does not just go away. Have fun meeting other puppy owners too.