How much does obidience school for dogs usually cost?

Question

Because my 2 shih-tzus are spoiled and don't listen very well when i try to teach them not to jump on people, not to growl at me and not to use the bathroom in the house. I have had them since they were 6 weeks and they are now 13 weeks and nothing is working, i am being consistent when i tell them things but they are just not getting it What should i do? And someone told me i should spank them but that is out of the question.

Answer 1

No, don't 'spank' them. They're just babies and it will take time for them to 'get it'. You do need to be consistent with them, and you need to find training methods that are effective.

Contact your local shelter or pet store and ask for referrals to local puppy obedience classes. The cost is well worth it, and a good trainer will teach YOU how to effectively train your puppies. Around here, puppy classes are about $25.-50.

The general idea with puppies is to reward good behavior, and prevent undesirable behavior. For instance, take the pups outside very frequently, BEFORE they go to the bathroom in the house, and praise like crazy when they do go outside. Be patient.

Answer 2

About $100 for a six week course at Petco or Petsmart.
Different stores have different trainers, so you can't speak for all stores just because somebody had a bad experience at just one.
Go and talk to the trainers before you make your decision on who to go with.
As far as the person said about not using treats--any good trainer will use them. It's called positive reinforcement. That means ignoring all bad behaviors and rewarding only when the dog acts correctly.
The dog will listen to you even if you use treats. You use treats when starting the training process. When a dog gets good at a certain command, you start weaning them off treats and using other rewards such as verbal praise.
Spanking is never the way to handle bad behavior. You can say NO firmly and loudly, or get a soda can and put pennies inside and tape it shut, and just give it a loud shake if the dog does something bad (won't stop barking etc)
A trainer will be able to work on individual problems with you and show you how to teach your dogs what to do. If you go to Petco or Petsmart, they will have to have their vaccinations to be in the class.
As for the housebreaking-puppies don't get full control over their bladders until at least six months of age, so just be patient. The trainer can give you tips to help out with this as well.

Answer 3

First, never hit or spank your dog, that can only make them aggressive and mean. Call you vet or local animal shelter for referrals to dog trainers or training classes. Also look for local dog groups ---they are everywhere, in specific to your breed of dog. They wil certaintly help.
Your local pet store may offer puppy/dog training classes. I'm sure most folks watch Animal Planet and they do have some great programs on dog training (where I get some of my info on dog training). One thing they say, b/c you have a small dog, don't treat them any different from a big dog. Some small dogs can have the same behavior problems as the big ones and should be treated the same. I'm not saying not to get training, but that you should. Small dogs are just too cute for their own good :) and b/c of that, it's harder to discipline them when they need it. Last year my daughter adopted a 10 lb. min. pincher/chihuahua mix from the Oakland SPCA and that little dog was about to be put down b/c she was aggressive with everyone/everything. She just clicked with my daughter for some reason, but she continued to growl for the first 3 mos. at all of us. And if we knocked on the bedroom door or walked in, she would come, teeth bared at us. From the training with my big dog, I didn't let the little dog get away with that. I would give her a firm "NO", wait a moment and then pet her. Once you do the training, you'll be saying, "now that makes sense", and why didn't I do this sooner. All of you will be much happier for it. Good Luck

Answer 4

I think around 100-200$, Depending on where you go. I am not sure if it is per dog or per family, but I think that is also depending where you go. It cost me 135$ to take my dog to obidience school. If you go to your vet, ask for some brochures, they will have some about local obidience schools. I hope I helped, best of luck with your puppies! Oh, and never hit your puppies, I am glad you are responsible and already know :)

Whenever you catch them, take them to there spot either on paper, or outside. Take them out every hour if you can.

Answer 5

Please do not take the advice of that person -- never hit your dog. Obedience classes are a great option. I know PetSmart offers some for around $100. I'd also check with your vet, they should know a good class to take and how much it'll cost. Good luck!

Answer 6

you can do it yourself. there are plenty of tutorials and advice websites on line.

look up DOG TRAINING, FREE DOG OBEDIENCE ADVICE, etc.

if you do opt for dog training, go to a class in which you teach the dog yourself.... YOU are the person they need to listen to, not some person at an obedience school.

Answer 7

do not go to pet smart!!!!!!! their training is horrible! do not go anywhere that uses treats for training.you want the dog to listen to you , not treats. look in the phone book or online for dog training and make sure they don't use treats. the one i used cost 65.00 for six weeks for beginners. they worked with the individual dog, pet smart has the same program for all dogs, and all they show is how to walk the dog in the pet store.