4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Sunshine]

There is a lot of talk about puppies and dog treats for training at the moment so just wondered what everyone else did at their dog training classes?

 

I've only been with Lola twice and each week has been pretty similar apart from we have started to learn one more thing each week. Each week we do sit and lie to start, then heel work(about turns, sitting at your side etc), stay, recall and play/retrieve. Plus on the first week we did walking through a door/gate and this week we were working on 'away'.

 

Also does everyone go to a class with other people or 1:1?

[fluffyknickers]

My first puppy get together thing was at the vets and it was a puppy party, just genreal socialising for them and some sit and stay stuff.

 

I then tried a 'proper' class that I was very excited about but didnt enjoy it and I think Yogy picked up that as didnt behave. I found it very strict and not very friendly and not allowed to use food treats and only toys and Yogy isnt a puppy who is interested in toys at all. No induction and just get started without knowing what I was supposed to be doing.

 

Then i thought I would try once more and go a little further afield (about a 25 min drive) so the Essex Dog Training centre in Brentwood and i LOVE IT!

 

They have lots of classes for different abilities and also dog agility when they are a year (if you want).

 

They have inside and outside areas, areas for girl dogs (dont think I would be allowed the B word) to toilet, areas for puppy to toilet and another seperate for boy dogs.

 

They have an induction to start with where they chat about what they do, any queries or problems you have, a recipe for treats, ideas for chew toys etc (and lots of the people who work there are volunteers).

 

In the training we do sits, stay and lots of walking around and then stopping in small groups with other dogs on leads and asking dog to sit to get them used to being near each other. Then on Sunday we weaved in and out of cones with a little jump (well, a step) at the end and a sit - and can be rewarded with food if you want.

 

Yogy seems to enjoy it too (probably because he picks up that I do).

 

Something they also do which is wonderful is helping children with severe dog phobias - this is all free and the people who take it are volunteers. Some children are so bad that when they come into contact with a dog they can faint and/or vomit. The programme takes a number of weeks and they dont even see a dog til a few weeks in.

 

michelle

[Tessa the Duchess]

We took Polly to dog obedience classes and I really enjoyed them and so did she. We did all the things mentioned by others adding a new skill every week. She walks with a completely loose lead now and that is thanks to the training classes. I wish we had an agility class near us, I have searched online and the nearest one is about a 45 minute drive away and has a 2 year waiting list I would also like to take Polly to flyball but there is nothing anywhere near London.

 

Tessa

[The Dogmother]

Shame you're not nearer us Tessa, our dog trainer does agility and flyball.