dog obedience training?

Question

where do i look for a dog obedience class? are there good ones and bad ones? what should i look for when i pick one? are they expensive? how old does your dog have to be to begin? are certain breeds of dogs more successful then others when going through these classes? what do i need to know before i begin this process?

any advice or opinions appreciated..

i just got a 6 month old pure bred german shepard saturday. im having a hard time with her.

Answer 1

There are definatly good and bad obediance classes.
Look around and ask around for good schools then go and watch a class. If they dont allow u, cross them off ur list.

U want a school that uses positive training methods - giving lots of praise, treats, toys.
There are still plenty of obediance schools that use the old style method of punishment and force ( choker collars instead of collars, etc) - these methods often result in dogs developing other behavioural problems like aggresion and nervousness.

The prices vary alot. Dont go for the cheapest - u pay for what u get.

Certain breeds are easier to train than others. German sheperds are a litlle harder to train than some other dogs, but at the same time I tend to find that they are very consistant once they have been taught a command.

Dogs should begin obediance taining between the ages of 4 and 12 months - the sooner the better.
Understand that u will need time to dedicte to practicing at home and keep training sessions short and often.

Answer 2

You defiantly need to find a good training club and now. You seem inexperienced with dogs and have taken on a six month old GSD (you don't say why) at what is a difficult age for most dogs.

A good place to find out about training groups is at your vets, you could also look in the phone book or on the web for groups in your area. Ring up and talk to the people who run the group and ask what sort of methods they use, you need a group which uses reward based methods not compulsive, correctional methods. Ask to go and sit in on a class (without your dog) first and get a feel of the place, talk to the staff and clients. Don't take your dog to this first session as you will be able to focus on what is going on without having to keep your focus on your dog. Only if you are happy should you sign on.

A good group will help with all aspects of dog ownership not just the obedience training.

If you are experiencing real problems with regards to behaviour ask you vet if they can recommend a good local behaviorist to help. this will be alot more expensive but will be 1-2-1.

There are also some good books on the market about living with your dog, find one which focus's on "leadership" as this is the first thing you need to establish with your dog, everything else will come from this.

Answer 3

When I was looking for dog obedience training, I looked in the Yellow Pages and on-line. I already knew I didn't want to do the PetsMart route (I had taken their class when I worked there and got absolutely nothing out of it). I am training a dog to be an Autism Assistance Dog, so I asked trainers about their experience dealing with service dogs. I finally found a trainer that had trained a dog for her husband and decided to go with her and her group.

The classes where I attend range for $105 for 6 weeks of tracking to $145 for 7 weeks of Therapy Dog training. They also offer agility, rally obedience, confirmation, and CGC classes.

The age your dog starts depends on the group your with. A lot of groups want them to be fully vaccinated, but some will start after their 2nd set of shots. I would definately get started now on your girls training. In about 3 months, she's going to enter a "rebellious / stubborn teenage" stage so it's best that she respects you now and that will make her easier later on. Don't worry, most dogs do go through this and are fine when they are about a year to 15 months old. This is why a lot of groups that train service dogs don't start their advanced work until they are a year old.

What makes a dog successful, is the relationship of trust and respect between the dog and it's handler. German Shephards are FANTASTIC dogs for training and working with. Why do you think so many police departments and service groups use GSDs? The most important thing is to take the time in between the classes to work on the things you are learning and reinforcing this training. Spending an extra 5 to 10 minutes during your dogs potty walks will work wonders.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Wow! You can look for obedience classes through the internet, your vet, your local humane society/shelter. Petsmart has them too. Yes, there are good ones and bad ones, it all depends on the instructor but ANY class is benefical to your dog and you. Look for the training method. Do you want to do cliicker? Positive reinforcment? New Skete? Most classes are around $100 for eight weeks. If you go on the internet, look for training clubs in your area. You can join a club and then the training is alot cheaper. Your dog should be six months old for a basic beginner class. They should attend puppy classes at four months of age though. The earlier you train them, the better. Certain breeds of dogs have different kinds of intelligence. German Shepherds, Dobies, Poodles are highly intelligent, quickly trained in obedience. Border Collies do well in agility and herding trials. You don't need to know a thing to get started. Your instructor will help you. You have a wonderful breed of dog there and she should be very easily trained. You are the one who needs to learn to speak her language and the two of you need to bond. Training is fun. And beneficial to both of you. good luck!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://bitly.im/aMVc9

A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.

Answer 6

Actually, you can just train your dog yourself. Here is a website that is quite useful:
http://www.i-love-dogs.com/dog-training.html

It have training tips, how you should train your dog, and things like that. Try looking in there, it is a very helpful site. I used it to train my shetland sheepdog and pekingese.

Answer 7

At this point it is fine to start with petsmart. Petsmart is always a good start.