Obedience Class or Not....

[Joego84]

Months before I got my RR and up to now (he's 5 1/2 months) I still cant decide if I should take him to obedience classes. The hold off is, because after reading and talking to many people, many say its just a scam and they'll drain your money even tho puppies making no progress. Whats your take?

[Joego84]

....furthermore, inside and out he listens very well with no distractions. All basic commands plus tricks have been learned. I know he's just a pup, but with any distraction (playing with another dog), I don't exist. This is why im thinking about school. Just dont want to get ripped off...

[CA in TO]

Get references and testimonials for local classes and then go.

I did not learn anything at classes that I didn't already know but the ability to work with your dog in the presence of others is totally invaluable. There is a different kind of bonding that comes from learning specific skills and executing them together that lasts forever. It will also prepare you for the CGC test. I think that every RR should at least get this to prove to the world that they are well-behaved, non-aggressive dogs and keep us out of the radar of breed specific legislation.

I personally think that with a breed that plays in such a crazy way as ours, the safe environment of classes for socialization is worth the price.

BTW, Sara is very wacko when playing and very much an alpha bitch but I do believe that classes where what got us to her CGC while still a puppy.

[CA in TO]

Joe, I just re-read some of your earlier posts. If you intend to get involved in any other of the activities that you mentioned, then being able to control your pup in the presence of other dogs is mandatory. Once again, learning to do that in the controlled environment of a class is much easier than doing it on the fly. You cannot have a dog that won't listen to you in agility, hunting, etc.

It might be something that you can tell family that you want for Christmas 
(apologies if you don't celebrate)

I would also think that the value of structure would be obvious to you with your military background.

You seem to be holding off based on others' experiences. You just need to find a good trainer and get references from their clients rather than the ones you've been talking to.

[Joego84]

Hey Carol, thanks for the advice! Yes, I am very structured, basically i'd like to get to the point were, I say jump and he does back-flips and cartwheels...if you now what I mean. I'll start looking around the area for trainers! Thanks again!

[Skeet]

Classes are a good way to socialize your dog, to learn how to work with distractions, and to develop your relationship with each other. However it's vitally important that you observe an instructor and their training methods BEFORE you enroll your dog in classes. If you're not comfortable with an instructor's methods then avoid them. Personally, I encourage you to seek an instructor that promotes 'positive, reward based methods' and strongly recommend that you stay away from traditional training (like Cesar Millan). From my perspective there's a vast difference between those two approaches. The 'positive' approach is all about respectful communication and willing cooperation whereas the 'traditional' approach is based on control and force.

Some books that I highly recommend to anyone with a dog....

Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting The Native Language Of The Domestic Dog (author: Brenda Aloff)

On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals (au: Turid Rugaas)

Get Connected With Your Dog: Emphasizing The Relationship While Training Your Dog (au: Brenda Aloff)

Aggression In Dogs: Practical Management, Prevention and Behaviour Modification (au: Brenda Aloff)

The Power Of Positive Training (au: Pat Miller)

Control Unleashed: Creating A Focused And Confident Dog (au: Leslie McDevitt)

The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way Of Understanding The Relationship Between Humans And Domestic Dogs (au: Jean Donaldson)

Regards,
Sandy Boyd