Anyone else go to dog school?

[KeeperBoy]

Keepers has been in a total of 5 group classes. Boo has done 5 also. We've done everything from puppy kindergarten to classes for reactive dogs to agility. We are doing a clicker class right now to get ready for either tea cup agility with Boo or rally for one or more dogs. We also did many weeks of private lessons with Keepers in the beginning because he was too upset by other dogs to be in the same room as them. I love taking them to class. We have great relationships with the two teachers who we work with the most and have learned so much. It's great bonding time for us with the pups and also nice to learn how to have a better behaved dog.

Has anyone else done group doggie classes? Or private lessons?

[brindlebox]

We have been in many classes every since my female was 1 and still goes we do rally and agility. My male has been in 2 obiedence class beginner and still in adavanced and he has been doing rally and I have been doing some agility with him also! We all love going to class even if the dogs don't do well it is more of a social thing for all of us cause I like to talk with the other dog owners and sometimes the dogs like to play with each other after class.

[Spyglass Sally]

We've had private lessons with Buddy. Started with Puppy Head Start when he was 8 weeks old in our home, and then did the in home Obedience Training at 6 months, which focused on basic commands but since it was in our home it was tailored to us. So when we were having a problem walking him (i.e., he's walking us) we worked on that. Or when he started getting aggressive at neighbors, or wouldn't go into his cage, etc - whatever we needed that week. It was great to have someone we could consult with to help us.

The behaviorist we worked with gives you free lifetime consultation if you are a client so you can email or call with issues and if it can be handled without his coming to your home, it's free. He's very committed to building a relationship between you and your dog. I don't know what we would have done without him. He's given us so much good advice and help, aside from the training classes themselves.

Here's a video of him working with Nikko, one of his dogs. He placed 3rd (if I remember this correctly) in an international obedience competition in Czechoslovakia with Nikko. He works primarily in Michigan, but will go anywhere for a problem dog. Loves dogs and has been doing this for almost 20 years. We're lucky to have found him.

[bruinsBoxers]

I have taken too many classes over the last 16 years of owning my own dogs . All levels of obed classes and obed competition classes 7 conformation classes with 3 different dogs . I also trained / handled a friends dog a few times .

I too think it is a great way to bond and spend time with your dog .

I have been thinking about taking and looking for a rally class near me , maybe working up to agility. With all Edy's energy I know she will have a great time of it .

[JoeV]

We've done two group classes thus far: puppy kindergarten and basic obiedence. We just recently scheduled an 8-week private one-on-one session with a different trainer (different facility) than we went to for the two group classes. I felt that Lucky got her basics from the class, but we now want to concentrate on things that we/she hasn't been able to accomplish - like she still jumps on strangers and people that come to our house, pulls on walks, etc. plus, I want to be able to take her to the beach and let her off the leash, so her recall would have to work 100% of the time. The last group class had about 14 dogs, plus the owners of them of course, and I feel that is too large most of the time - I'd rather pay a little more and have 100% of the lesson soley on us.

[nikita&memo]

We've done obedience classes with Nikita. I would love to get into therapy, agility...sounds like fun!!

[Spyglass Sally]

Originally Posted by JoeV

but we now want to concentrate on things that we/she hasn't been able to accomplish - like she still jumps on strangers and people that come to our house, pulls on walks, etc. plus, I want to be able to take her to the beach and let her off the leash, so her recall would have to work 100% of the time.

Those are the kind of things we wanted too. And our trainer has really helped us to achieve that. Having him at our home was ideal. For a couple of sessions we even rang out neighbor's doorbell and asked them if they could help us out since barking at them was part of the problem. So they came out, Buddy acted up, and our trainer helped us all work through it. They've been so impressed with how well he's doing - and with our trainer too. Now they stop me when we're walking and say, "Looking good!"

I took Buddy down to the beach today and played with him off leash. Here's a video. You can see he's not without needing commands repeated sometimes, but I think he did really well considering how excited he was.

Here's some pics too. His face is all sandy - he just sticks it in the sand! Crazy boy!
SandFace2.jpgBuddyWater.jpgSandFace1jpg.jpg

It was an expense to work with a trainer but well worth it because it's enabled us to have Buddy and not irritate our neighbors, as well as be able to enjoy him ourselves by doing the kind of things you said in your post.

[Doreen]

I had taken my other dogs in the past to group basic obedience sessions. That was great for the socialization. This time for Rex, I had the trainer come to the house. He was doing so well, then Coco came along and it is alot harder trying to train with her here. All she wants to do it play ALL the time. She is definitely a handful. My hardest part of training is the jumping on people when someone comes in the house. I can get Rex to stop by telling him I am going to get the horn. He is afraid of this air horn that I bought out of seeing that that dog show with that lady, that even scares me, LOL... Is it called, It's Me or the Dog? She said to use the air horn once, and I went and bought one at a boating supply store. Used it a couple times, and now all I have to do is tell Rex I'm getting the horn. Doesn't scare Coco at all!!! Rex will just go sit, watching me, even though he is dying to get at the person who just arrived with his little nubby tail wagging.

[purplelori]

"I can get Rex to stop by telling him I am going to get the horn. He is afraid of this air horn that I bought out of seeing that that dog show with that lady, that even scares me, LOL... Is it called, It's Me or the Dog? She said to use the air horn once, and I went and bought one at a boating supply store. Used it a couple times, and now all I have to do is tell Rex I'm getting the horn."

I have our first meeting with home trainers today for Wally the Delinquent. Hoping to take care of his 'king of the daycare' issues, jumping on people, and racing the dogs next door next at the fence. The air horn is an interesting idea--I saw some at the Dollar Store this weekend, so know where I could pick them up! I'll have to ask them today what they think.

Lori & Wally

[nikita&memo]

Originally Posted by purplelori

"I can get Rex to stop by telling him I am going to get the horn. He is afraid of this air horn that I bought out of seeing that that dog show with that lady, that even scares me, LOL... Is it called, It's Me or the Dog? She said to use the air horn once, and I went and bought one at a boating supply store. Used it a couple times, and now all I have to do is tell Rex I'm getting the horn."

I have our first meeting with home trainers today for Wally the Delinquent. Hoping to take care of his 'king of the daycare' issues, jumping on people, and racing the dogs next door next at the fence. The air horn is an interesting idea--I saw some at the Dollar Store this weekend, so know where I could pick them up! I'll have to ask them today what they think.

Lori & Wally

LOL LOL my mom uses the air horn for telemarketers and crank calls!!