Puppy classes

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bex1984

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This is unconnected to the post below but something I've been wondering about.

Stan the puppy will have been with us for 2 weeks tomorrow and is 13 weeks old today :) and I'm unsure whether to take him to puppy classes, mainly because I don't know much about them and their benefits. He is well socialised with other dogs, people, kids, animals etc and is progressing well with some basic training (sit, paw, recall...stay is a bit more of a challenge...), so I'm wondering whether he would benefit from puppy classes?

We are first time dog owners, so of course we will take him if he (and us!) will benefit....I'm just wondering what the benefits will be and what is actually taught at a puppy class?

Thanksies :)
 
I love my dog training classes. Harley is 7.5 months now and we still go (although we're not in "puppy" anymore! My dog trainer runs more advanced classes for older dogs)

My puppy classes taught him that even when there were other distractions (mainly puppies!) around he still had to listen and come to me, walk to heel etc. We would have them sat in a line and would walk them in and out of each other... Taught them that dogs aren't always for playing with!

Recall...

"leave it". Walk puppies to heel around food on the foor telling them to "leave it". then doing it off lead!! (THAT was hard!)

Learnt "down"

"wait"

General handling.


I found it great fun. Would recommend it!
 
Puppy classes are the best!! Imagine a room full of puppies and the opportunity to see them socialise - who would turn that down?! Can I take your puppy for you??? :) :)

But serious, puppy classes are an enormous amount of fun and very beneficial for the puppies. Socialisation needs to be a 24/7 thing but the class may give you some useful pointers and training techniques which you can take home with you. Have a read about different training methods (if you don't already have a preferred approach), find a trainer who teaches in this way, go observe one lesson to check you are happy with how things are done and have fun!
 
Would certainly recommend you take him to puppy classes.I have had dogs for 50 years and can do the training at home, but what is so important at classes is the socialisation and interaction with other dogs. I always take my pups to classes, and my latest dog is nearly 2 and we have only recently stopped going to classes purely because it clashes with providing a taxi service for my son:mad:
As galaxy23 says, it is one thing them learning stays etc in the home environment but what you really need is for them to do it with loads of distractions going on. I'm sure both you and Stan would thoroughly enjoy classes, I'd get signed up asap if I were you.
 
Thanks folks, have called our local class, which comes very highly recommended, and I'll be calling back today to book in...we will start on 2nd June :)
 
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