In last week's column, I suggested some ways that dog owners could save themselves a few bucks here and there.
Ask yourself if your dog really needs that gemencrusted collar, then put that money into something more useful like training! Training really isn't a place to scrimp and save a few bucks because in the dog training world, you do get what you pay for. A poorly trained dog will end up costing you way more money in the long run.
But if your dog has a good foundation of socialization and you are committed and diligent, there are a few really great training books and videos that are available. You have to be highly motivated to make the effort though. Having the book sit on the coffee table and hoping the dog is going to read it and follow directions on its own is just a tad unrealistic.
A good socialization foundation can be achieved by attending a puppy preschool. Some trainers call these puppy kindergartens or use fun acronyms of some sort.
Not all puppy kindergartens are the same and I do suggest that you shop around for the best value for your money - and that does not mean getting the most for the cheapest price! It means getting the most information and education from the class.
What you should be looking for is a class that focuses on all stages of a young dog's development. An eight-week-old puppy is going to behave considerably differently than a 12-weekold puppy. If the trainer isn't able to recognize this fact, then look elsewhere.
Socialization tends to be the main focus of most puppy classes, but it should not be all about playtime. Puppies should be allowed to engage in monitored puppy play while the trainers are around to help the owners manage the puppies and teach the owners about the behaviours being displayed. A 10-week-old puppy plays quite differently than a 16-week-old puppy and although they should be allowed to play together, as it teaches tolerance and bite inhibition, the play can escalate to some fairly rough-and-tumble behaviour and that isn't always the best situation for the younger dog. In contrast, if a 10-week-old puppy is a bit of a bull in a china shop, it may turn into a bully if it is allowed to play unmonitored with less confident yet older pups.
Socialization is about teaching a young dog to behave in an acceptable manner when around other dogs, not about how to be a WWE wrestler! Although most puppies have an attention span of less than five seconds, teaching the basics of obedience is important. The foundation exercises that are important in a dog's day-to-day life are: sit, come when called, walk nicely on leash, go lie down on your bed (or in your crate) and stay. These day-to-day commands (and more if you are lucky) should be implemented in the puppy program.
Behavioural issues like nipping and biting, taking treats gently, food or resource guarding, saying hello politely, and no jumping should be included along with body handling such as cleaning ears, clipping nails, and so on.
Exercises such as a mini agility course, scenting games or teaching fun tricks are also important, not only to learn how to have fun with your puppy, but to build your puppy's confidence.
Last but not least is teaching a puppy a time out (other trainers may have a different name for this). This is not a punishment tool but rather an exercise taught to teach a puppy how to be peaceful and calm on its own without needing a human, other animal or toy to keep it occupied.
As you can see, this is quite a list of requirements for a good puppy class. Don't expect it to be 30 minutes, once a week for a month and cost less than $100! When done properly a puppy class should give the owner all the skills they will need to raise a well-adjusted dog that is a welcome member of society.
Joan has been working with dogs for more than 15 years in obedience, tracking and behavioural rehabilitation. Contact her through her website k9kinship.com.
