Puppy classes can be led in many very different ways. Therefore, before signing up, it is worth checking what each training centre offers. In addition to reading the information on the website, I recommend you go (without your dog) to see what such a puppy class meeting looks like. Not all trainers agree on the “public” during the classes, so ask permission to come before going. If you are not allowed to assist as an observer, look for another place.
What do Puppy Classes involve?
In my opinion, each meeting should consist of several elements:
– knowledge provided by the instructor (on the subject of broadly understood dog care);
– obedience training, with particular emphasis on recall, which I personally consider to be the most important command;
– socialising puppies with the things they possibly didn’t have contact with yet (unknown sounds, smells, touch, previously unseen objects like bicycles, prams, umbrellas, backpacks, etc.);
– socialising/playing with other puppies. Remember that these interactions should be supervised! It’s true that puppies won’t physically hurt each other. At most, there may be a small bite. Unfortunately, youngsters can consolidate the attitudes of the victim or bully. Therefore, an experienced trainer or his dog should watch over the course of the play all the time and intervene if necessary. Puppy play is also a great opportunity to teach human students about dog body language and what dog play should look like. Or rather, how to judge whether the interaction we are watching is still fun or whether it is definitely not funny any more for one of the dogs.
I’ll write about distinguishing fun from fighting for life next time.
When choosing a training centre, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Try to find out as much as possible.
Some time ago, I went to several Dog Centres for puppy classes as an observer.
I must say that sometimes I got terrified.
When asked about Puppy Classes, a trainer with many years of experience said she conducts them through socialisation walks. So I went to see what such a meeting looks like in the version of Ms. J.B. The first 3 minutes made me dumbfounded. About 30 – 40 puppies of different ages and sizes came to the classes. Let’s be honest: no human could notice everything happening in such a large group of dogs. The trick was that Ms. J.B. did not even try to do it. She assumed that dogs would actually be able to cope on their own. People should only give them a chance to meet and not interfere. So she walked in front, followed by a whole crowd of puppies and people. Some dogs were scared; they were still looking for help from their people. Unfortunately, it was in vain because Ms. J.B. said not to interfere. Some dogs had a lot of fun abusing the smaller/younger/psychologically weaker puppies. They did not physically harm them. Instead, they were pushy, insistent, controlling and indelicate. It was seen how the dogs selected for victims were getting more and more terrified of the situation and the lack of possibility of escape. It was horrible and the opposite of what a Puppy Classes should be! Many dogs recorded the bully’s or victim’s behaviour during these encounters. It didn’t work out well for any of them.
Once in a while, Ms. J.B. would stop and say a few sentences about the dogs’ care, training, etc., and then move on.
Perhaps the worst thing was that the human clients looked very happy. After all, their dogs had an hour-long walk and met many puppies with whom they could socialise. At least, that’s what they were told and what they believed…
Another time, I went to see the Puppy Classes led by a trainer who advertised himself that he had been training dogs for the police for many years.
These classes took place in a fenced area and were conducted like the Obedience Training in the 1950s!
The puppies walked in a circle on a lead. Of course, the dogs were supposed to walk close to their owner’s leg, following the speed and rhythm. When they walked away out of curiosity or stopped to smell something, the owner was supposed to give the command and “correct” the dog’s behaviour. It is meant to jerk a 10- or 12-week-old puppy so they are close to the owner’s leg. How poor and confused these puppies were!
From time to time, the direction was changed on command, or the dogs were ordered to sit or lie down. Punishment for disobedience, but for a job well done, the owners were to reward the dogs with treats. This element allowed the instructor to claim that he was conducting classes using the positive method! Can you believe it??? My legs buckled under me. For the last 15 minutes, the puppies were let play and socialise. Of course, without any supervision. The stress caused by the “training” made the puppies even more intense in their behaviours (victim or bully) than those I had the opportunity to observe during the “socialisation walk” at Ms J.B. Unfortunately, again, the human clients were delighted. I concluded that it doesn’t matter what the trainer does during the classes. If only, in the end, he allowed people to let their puppies off the lead and said that now was the time to play, and the people would be happy. It’s sad, but in the end, it shouldn’t surprise me. After all, people came to the classes in good faith, trusting that someone with many years of experience working with dogs knows how to lead the Puppy Classes properly…
In the end, I would like to add one more thing. About half of my clients who came to behaviour therapy (mainly with the problem of aggression) came to me after poorly conducted training, which is one of the most common causes of problematic behaviour.
Choose the training centre for your puppy carefully. This is really very important!
No comments