The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

This past Saturday I started with Rocky at a new obedience school. He's 15 weeks old. This is our 3rd actual class (1st two classes at Petsmart but we changed). My question is...what are you supposed to learn at obedience school? This class was informative. The guy talked alot about correcting unwanted behavior and how it is different for each breed (e.g., if you scruff a puppy, you wouldn't scruff a rottweiler the same way you might scruff a cocker spaniel if they were biting). He talked and answered questions for about 45 minutes and then we tried to get our pups to go through a tunnel using treats. Isn't puppy school supposed to be learning to sit, stay, down, quiet, etc? The first class I had at Petsmart we learned how to get the pups to sit. The next class at petsmart she talked to us for an hour. This class there was no "obedience" but more so trying to get the to go in a tunnel (which by the way Rocky wanted no part of, even though he hadn't eaten breakfast and I was using food and treats to entice him).

Do I have lofty expectations? I want to teach Rocky simple things like get in your house, stay, no begging, and hush (when he barks). I already taught him to sit, laydown and shake.

I think the tunnel is Waaaaaay more advanced than what I would expect for a puppy of Rocky's age. Why did you leave Petsmart - just didn't like the teacher or something? Basic obedience usually consists of things like sit, sit/stay, down, down/stay, come, leave it, back and heel. At least that has been my experience. Tunneling sounds more like agility training and the facility I use doesn't even let you try that class without basic obedience.

It's also been my experience that the instructor will talk for the full hours, but you are also DOING something while she's instructing. It isn't just a lecture-type atmosphere.

Gina, I agree. I never liked the pet shop training programs. I got a referral from my vet and went with a Charleston Kennel Club program. There are show dogs, mutts, bit and small, it was very rewarding and also step levels so my dogs could continue on their training.

We have a puppy foundation course over here as part of the Good Citizen scheme, and I would expect a training class to be either running that or doing similar basic stuff. Sit, down, heelwork, puppy recall, 10 second stays, and teaching the puppy to allow you to feel her all over and check eyes, ears, teeth etc. They would also be educating owners, particularly first time ones, in things like worming, flea treatment, what sorts of leads and collars to use, and teaching the owners how to train and interact with the dogs. Also covering problems like housetraining, biting etc. I'm starting puppy class with Lottie on Thursday, I've been to the higher classes with my other dogs but haven't been to this particular class, so I shall be interested to see what they do.

Your expectations are right in line where they should be!

In a puppy class you should learn basic obedience skills sit, down, walk with me (not the same as heeling), come and a short stay. There should also be time for the puppies to have supervised play for socialization. In our puppy I class the instructor talked most of the first class.

Every instructor does things a bit differently. We didn't do a tunnel but did expose our pups to a wobble board .. but not till around week 6. (We didn't do a tunnel till Puppy II.) I would guess that your instructor wanted to give the pups a chance to move and that is why he did the tunnel.

Don't worry that Rocky didn't want anything to do with the tunnel. That was a bit intimidating for the first week. Especially being in a new place. He will gain confidence as he gets comfortable.

That is not a training class. I would be a bit upset

I've never heard of such a thing.

Going through a tunnel is pretty advanced and scarey for a young puppy. The only thing I can possible think of is that the trainer was trying to help build some confidence in the dogs. In any event, I dont think it makes sense and I think you should ask why you did that in class and what you can expect for the remainder of the session.

Let us know how things work out.

You could call and ask for a syllabus for that class. My expectations would be the same as yours.

When I took mine to puppy class (4 mo & under) they used it more as a social time for the pups BUT did have us work some basic commands. For 6 mo and under they learn basic commands.. I can see the trainer talking for 5 or 10 min but not most of the class!

Somewhat weirdly, at my new extra puppy class last Saturday, although they spent the first half doing basic puppy stuff - recalls, heelwork, watch, they spent the second half doing some fun agility. 'Jumps' with poles just a couple of inches off the floor, a tunnel, and a small low-angled A frame. I don't think I'd have been happy having Lottie doing all that, but I'd brought Hetty along too as I thought an hour and a half was a bit long for a 15 week puppy anyway, specially as it was outdoors, so I just swapped dogs. The other dogs ranged from 11 weeks to 9 months old.

At my usual club on Thursdays, where I hadn't previous done a baby puppy class, it was more what I'd expected, sits, downs, stands, puppy recall, and a sort of 'getting the puppy used to you touching them all over' thing where we wiped their feet with a towel. No heelwork yet, but it's only a small hall, so even the higher classes don't do much alas, it's the major drawback of that club.

Gina, how did your class go this weekend?

What's the actual title of your class? That sounds a lot like getting the pup used to different things (it brought to mind the assitance puppy training class shown on AP where starting at 6 weeks, the pups start to get used to different things in a social, easy going atmosphere with lots of people/puppy/thing interaction). On the other hand, it also sounds like a trainer whose strength is obstacles and agility?

For a puppy, depending on the class name and description I'd expect either a socialization "training" (play time, with some structure/education for both pup and parent) or a more structured "now is the time to learn xyz". For any new class, I almost expect the first class to be dog-less and all about the parent, what to expect, methods used, goals for the class, etc.

On a side note: I would run, not walk, away from a class that talked about "scruffing" a dog for correction. But that is my personal choice to use only positive reinforcement ...

The class was called "puppy class" and the trainer said it was to build foundational obedience. Rocky can't be in it anymore because the class is for pups less than 5 months of age and he turned 5 months today. The trainer is going to do a house call this Monday before I sign up for the basic puppy obedience class (6-week program) to see ROcky in his environment and so he can see him what he is like at home and to help me once i get into the class with how to get Rocky to listen. I am racking my brain with a list of things I want ROcky to do/not do and tying to come up wiht my top 3 to make it easy and to take baby steps (hey - Rome wasn't built in a day you know). The problem with my pupper is the same problem I have with my kid. He gets so excited he stops listening.