puppy training classes

Hi all,

Ive got Bode booked in (I say Bode, its for me really) to puppy classes in january.

Has anyone else tried these? How was your experience?

Im hoping it will help her socialize (she's pretty good already going to all of my families houses to play with their dogs)

I'm also hoping I'll learn plenty to make sure Bode will return when I call her etc when we are out...

To be honest, I'm not sure what to expect from it??

Bailey's just had his last class last week and he loved it, although I wasn't too keen on it! All the other pup's were Lhasa Apso's and Chihuahua crosses etc so the owners didn't want there precious pup getting to close to a staffy! Even though my pup was used a lot more for demonstration's than any other pup! But your's may be different, its good for the socialising!

So do you feel that you and / or Bailey gained plenty from the experience, as well as the socialising?

Yeah it was good, Bailey got a little bit of socialising, which is what I really took him for anyway and the little tips for training come in really handy swell which was good but now I think I'll be taking him to a different class after the new year.

Cool, thanks, I'm looking forward to it, sure we'll both gain something!

Hope you have better people than the one's at my class lol!!

Good luck and have fun Never gone myself but they are great for socialsing Xx

If you get the chance, love to see some pics! Xx

Hey Rob, Monty is 16 weeks tomorrow, I'm also taking him after christmas (surely he will still be young enough in Jan to go ? I say 'young enough' as he doesn't look like a pup anymore !), I'm hoping I get something out of it, even if it is just socializing for him !

As long as the instructor is good it's great socializing and learning both for the human and the canine!

Mine are all rescues and I didn't have any young enough to go to puppy classes. But I have taken my older 2 to classes for older dogs. We all really enjoyed it. If I walked them past the hall they were in they would always try to drag me in!! They did well in their socialising and training. My Jack Russell got his kennel club siver and Millie, my Kelpi cross got her gold.

Maggie, my 2yo staffy x I've had for 6 weeks in starting in the new year.

Zac attends puppy classes. He loves it as he gets to play with all the other puppies before and after class (and sometimes during when he stops paying attention to the trainer LOL).

For Zac and me training is working as its helping him socialise and I find the tips the trainers tell me really handy too.

Good luck with the classes!

training classes are great. you get tips on trianing as well as the social aspect of it. plus its good to see them develop

I think they are a great place to socialize your dogs as well as learn training techniques as long as the instructor is good.

We found puppy classes really useful. We were taught some really good truing techniques, the trainer was really good and Vlad loved socialising with the other dogs! Next year we are going to start Vlad with some obedience and continue with just his basic training and skills with his current trainer as he loves her. He really drives on us doing the training with him at home! LOVES it! I hope you and Bode loan loads and enjoy!

I did puppy training classes with Ollie, and in MY opinion, they were rubbish, I've learned Ollie everything at home, BUT I don't work so I have all the time in the world to do so, at the end of puppy training he just didn't want to learn anymore.

At home I've learnt Ollie: Sit, Stay, Paw, Stop, High five (sad I know), lay down, roll over, cross the road, wait and the road.
They are so easy to train staffies

x

Hi, I agree with stuw the other owners of the puppies at our classes were the same, although it was good for Vinnie to socialise the trainer let all pups off lead except Vinnie as she said he was too boisterous LOL!! The simple training tips we already have cracked, but the heal and recall were helpful. Hope you get on ok.

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm looking forward to the classes, they start in a couple of weeks so I'll let you all know how we're getting on.

Ok....

An update..

Bode finished, well, we finished our puppy classes last night.

6 Weeks in total, £30, very good value.

Weve both learned a fair amount, perhaps not as much as others due to me reading so much online, but still, lots was confirmed.

Socialising was great, the advice given was fantastic, paul the uy who took the classes just has something about him that makes dogs listen, if that makes sence?

walking on a loose lead, and recall has impreoved massively, sit, lay down etc was never a problem.

"leave" is almost perfected now, really happy with that!

Bode started at 12 weeks, finished yesterday at about 18.

So last night there was a "friendly" competition, other dogs included and english bull terrier, a few spaniels, and other breeds im unsure of.


we all took it in turns to show everything we had been taught from lead training, food discipline, examining our dogs to sitting, lyin down etc with distractions..

Everyone got a certificate at the nd of the night, and were marked with points overall (for fun of course) over the evening and one puppy come away with some goodies..

It was the staffy !!

We tied first place, but were then asked to do sit, lay down and stand, which bode followed up with a high 5 and won lol..


so that finished it off with a big bonus, the time spent with her seems to be paying off, and she s enjoying her treats lol.

overall, a great experience, not for everyone, and i think if you read enough you could learn alot of it yourself, but the puppys love it!

Fantastic