Once Puppy School Is Finished
The typical puppy class is one hour per week for for, six or eight weeks. When you and your puppy graduate from puppy class, are you done with training? No way!
Training has really just begun. Just as a child who graduates from kindergarten has only started his or her education, so has your puppy's education just begun, and you should continue teaching your dog during adulthood.
Now that doesn't mean you must continue with group classes – there are other variables to consider. If you've owned and trained a dog successfully in the past, you may be able to continue your new puppy's education on your own. But many dog owners find that it's beneficial to work with a trainer and a group class, or a dog training club. When problems pop up, and they always do (no puppy is good all the time), someone is available to talk to you about it.
It's important that you follow through with your training, as much or as little as you and your puppy need. But no matter what you decide to do with your puppy in the future, whether your dog is going to be a search-and-rescue dog, a competitive obedience dog, an agility star or just a treasured family companion, it all begins right here at the beginning – with puppy training.
Final Tip: Resources To Help You Find A Trainer
Several parent organizations for dog trainers and dog obedience instructors exist, each with its own mission statement and guidelines. Most trainers and instructors belong to one or more of these organizations, so that he or she can keep up with new techniques and tools within the profession, and so he or she can communicate with other professionals.
The ideal puppy class instructor is able to communicate well with people. He or she should have a well-trained dog of their own that can demonstrate what the instructor is teaching. Additionally, the instructor should be gentle, yet effective, when teaching the puppies in his or her class. Students should be excited to come to class, feel that they learn something worthwhile each time they come, and should be eager to teach their own puppies.
Dog owners can also contact these organizations for referrals to members of their community. The predominant organizations include:
Association of Pet Dog Trainers
150 Executive Center Dr.
Box 35
Greenville, SC 29615
(800) 738-3647
Website: apdt.com
International Association of Canine Professionals
P.O. Box 560156
Montverde, FL 34756
(407) 469-2008
Website: dogpro.org
National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors
729 Grapevine Hwy.
PMB 369
Hurst, TX 76054
Website: nadoi.org
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