Dog training classes.. worth it or not?

[bigbitch90]

Hi all
I have got a lovely new addition to my family and am ovewhelmed by the training required! Not the basics like crate training toilet training etc. Its the walking, socialization, jumping up and such! Is it worth paying out for training classes, or shall I get a good book and do it myself?

[CalamityKate]

Yes, dog training classes are very much worth it.

What sort of dog have you got and how old is he/she?

[bigbitch90]

Hes a staffordshire bull terrier and hes 8 weeks old (got him yesterday)

What age do you think is best to start them? I cant imagine him doing any sort of training yet he'll fall asleep half way through
Theres classes starting locally 11th of March he'll be fully vaccinated by then but surely he'll be too little?

[mmsmum]

Absolutely worth it! Not only for training but for socialisation too. Start taking him as soon as his second lot of jags allow, Match 11 sounds fine and you can start training him at home now

[CalamityKate]

So did you get him from your responsible breeder friend in the end?

[bigbitch90]

Thats what I was thinking, staffies are known not to get on well with dogs so the more socialisation the better I think.

And yes Kate I did. Although thats nothing to do with my question :/

[DooinMeCleanin]

Yes get thee to training asap. Start socialising him now. Some vets do ppuppy parties. Or ask friends with vaccinated dogs to come and do doggy playdates. Carry him out with you when you go out. Whippy dog used to do the school run in dd2's buggy.

You need to start teaching the dc now how to cope with the bouncing and nipping.

And you need to get good insurance and pray he has no health issues.

[bigbitch90]

I will Dooin, I found out more and the woman who owned the bitch was more caring then I assumed,they've been health checked and de-wormed. They are not even letting me pay them for him until he's had his vaccinations. Puppy parties, I'm sure the vet I'm registering him with do those. The children are being suprisingly brilliant with him too :)

[exexpat]

We had a one-hour home visit from the dog trainer - booked when I signed up for her classes, but before we'd finished the jabs. It was really worth it to get us started on the basic commands (using the same hand signals etc she used in class) for about three weeks before the classes started.

Dog then spent the first couple of months of classes being horribly overexcited about having all these lovely other dogs around, and yapping and jumping too much to pay attention to what we were meant to be doing in class....

I'm thinking of booking a couple of one-to-one refresher classes without distractions.

[herladyship]

i take our rescue dog (age 8) to training and it has been SO worth it. fraser our new pup is starting a puppy clicker class 17th march when he will be 13 weeks old

agree re: socialisation. fraser has met 3 other dogs as well as our dog in the week that we have had him and i am hoping to arrange some more 'playdates'

[DooinMeCleanin]

Good luck with it. Please ask for any tips or training help you might find you need (I'm always begging for help with Devil Dog )

I know you got a bit of a pasting on the last thread but it's only because we care about dogs and want the best for them. I know everyone will be happy to give you all the advise you need to make this work.

Don't let him lull you into a false sense of security with the sleeping, btw, the madness will start soon

[exexpat]

Speaking of playdates - my dog is up-to-date on jabs etc, so is it OK to take him round to meet the new puppy (9wks) next door to my parents? DD is dying to meet him too...

[bigbitch90]

I understand Dooin, and I'm sure I'll be on here many a time asking for advice. Hes a lazy shite at the moment he sleeps eats abit sniffs around relieves himself then goes back to sleep. I'm sure thats going to change though!

[fifi25]

ive got a 5 yr old staff, she doesnt fight with other dogs and is very submissive. I socialised her when she was a pup with friends dogs. I never let play fighting get out of hand and made sure she was never attacked by another dog. I never took her to puppy class but if theres one near you its probably worth doing.

[MotherJack]

My first Stafford was a devil and rarely slept as a pup! Puppy training classes all the way, but (12 years ago) the one I went to said they were unable to train him unless I turned up with him on a choke chain as that was the only way they trained dogs. NEVER put a Stafford on a choke chain (or any other dog for that matter).

In respect to jumping, reward four feet on the ground. You probably won't get it when you have just walked in or your young family are around so have quiet times when you can reward him. As for when you get out walking, if he pulls, stop dead. He'll realise that pulling gets him nowhere fast.

[HelenBaaBaaBlackSheep]

oooh 8 weeks is very little, he's likely to be very mouthy if he's been parted from his mum so young so training classes would probably be a great idea!

I took mine for training when she was already fully grown because I lived somewhere very remote for her first 3 years of life but it was still good - not revolutionary but v. reassuring IFYSWIM. Good luck with him, he must be adorable at that age.

[bigbitch90]

Thanks for the advice ladies

He is adorable tried getting some pics on here that ive uploaded onto facebook from my phone but the new photo viewer won't let me nick them! will have to dig my usb lead out at some point