Dog training classes are a fantastic idea and many people sign up for a course as soon as they get their puppy and diligently attend every week and until the final class and then they stop there. And for some dogs and owners, that is perfectly fine and more than enough, but for others a little more work can be either required or desired.
All training classes will say the same thing, consistency is the key to building strong behaviours with your pet, what is rewarded get repeated and practise, practise and practise some more, but when the class is over what do you do next????
For some the fun and bonding element of training kicks in and for that reason alone, they continue to attend fun training classes, maybe sign up for scent detection classes or agility, rally obedience or fun tricks classes. For this group of pet owners, training becomes something they do with their dog almost unconsciously and as a general rule of thumb these dogs are some of the most fun and well behaved dogs to be around! Yep they can also be a little naughty sometimes, but with access to regular training instruction, they are assured professional advise and help, if and when its needed. Another group of owners are the ones who continue training their dogs themselves after they have attended classes, who reward their dogs good behaviour throughout the dogs life and who have a wonderfully attentive pet who makes them proud. Training classes have given them the base on which to build great behaviours, the knowledge of the importance of good timing and use of rewards and the skill sets and confidence to move forward.
For some dogs and their owners though, training can slip by quickly, and soon be forgotten. Most of us have really busy lives now, and sometimes it can be hard enough to try and fit in the daily walks for the dog let alone put in the time doing any training. The cute puppy has grown substantially and become harder to manage, the many promises the kids made while asking for a pup are now gone by the wayside and you feel like the issue is starting to spiral out of control. For this last group of owners, I am going to let you in on a secret, you are not alone and in fact it was the same for many of the trainers who are now training classes! Most of the best dog trainers I know, went down the same road, had some little issues with their own dogs and this is what started them on the career that they are now doing! There is hope don’t give up just yet!
