Dog Training Schools

About Dog Training Schools

Dog training schools are the places many pet owners turn to when it's time to teach Rover some manners. These establishments offer the services of professional dog trainers, and structured training courses designed to teach owners the art of communicating effectively with their pets. This enables owners to teach their pets the kind of basic behaviors needed to maintain a happy home and relationship.

Schools charge a fee for these services, and the amount varies depending on the school and the type of training(s) being taken.

Most schools offer owners several training options.

• Private training is performed on a one-on-one basis with the trainer and a single dog/owner team, either at the school or the owner's home. The training schedule is usually set to accommodate the owner's schedule.
• Group classes are generally limited to about ten dog/owner teams per class and training takes place at the school's facilities. Classes are held on a fixed schedule.
• Combination training supplements group trainings with one or more private trainings.

Some dog schools actually operate over the Internet, and for a fee, owners receive lesson instructions and sometimes demonstration images, so they can teach their pets at home. Some of these schools offer telephone or e-mail support as well. Internet training classes offer owners the most flexible schedule of all, allowing them to train anytime that works for them.

Trainings

Here are some of the trainings that most standard dog training schools offer.

Puppy Training

Puppy training, also referred to as "Puppy Kindergarten", is viewed by most dog training schools as an essential part of any pup's social development. Between eight and twenty weeks old, puppies are developing the characteristics that will become the core of their personality, so early training and socialization is paramount for helping your pet develop a stabile temperament and good behavior patterns.

In this course, puppies are exposed to new places, people, objects, and other dogs so they will learn to accept changes more easily, a skill that will serve them well throughout the rest of their lives.

Basic Obedience

The next step at most dog training schools is basic obedience training. These classes are generally offered to dogs who are at least six months old and developmentally ready for more structured training.

In this course, owners will gain a greater level of control over their pets, learning from a professional instructor how to teach their dogs to respond to commands such as:

• Heel - This involves teaching your dog to walk on a leash at your side.
• Sit
• Stay - This command instructs your dog to remain in one place.
• Down - This is the command for your dog to lay down and is often combined with the stay command.
• Come - This command brings your dog to you when called and is sometimes referred to as the recall.

Courses usually run once a week over a ten week period, but you will need to reinforce the training by working with your dog at home for about fifteen minutes each day. This training is well worth the time and money invested, and you will enjoy the benefits for the rest of your dog's life.

Advanced Training

If you enjoyed basic obedience, you can further refine your dog's skills and even teach him some new ones with courses such as:

• Advanced Obedience - This training builds on the skills learned in the basic course and prepares you and your dog to participate in obedience competitions.
• Utility - This course prepares your dog to make use of his scent discrimination skills in competition.
• Retrieval - Consider this "go fetch" for the serious.
• Agility - A high energy sport, Agility is an obstacle course competition that requires dog and owner to work together as a team.

Finding a School

If you've decided training schools sound like a good option for you and your dog, your next step is finding one near you.

Some places to search include your local:

• Kennel club
• Phone directory
• Veterinarian's office
• Pet supply stores
• The Internet

Once you find some schools, call to find out what courses they offer, class times and the type of fees involved. Be sure to ask if you can observe a training session for free before you commit to signing up. It's also not a bad idea to check out the school with your local Better Business Bureau to see if they have any information to offer.

Conclusion

Good training makes your dog a better companion, so it makes sense to follow through with it. If you've never trained a dog before, dog training schools are a very good place to begin.

External Links

• DogTrainerSearch.com
• K9 Trainers offers a comprehensive list of training schools by state, province or country.
• Visit the Better Business Bureau to find your local chapter.