Puppy Obedience Training

[LizzieP]

Finnegan is approaching the 6 month mark and we would like to have one on one training. Teachers in our area (Boise, ID) start at $65 an hour . Jeeesh, that sounds high. Is that normal and is it worth it as opposed to a class say at Petsmart? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much.

[Catfish1]

Since I am not from your area I have no idea whether $65.00 per hour is high or not. However, remember, the $65.00 per hour is not for training your puppy....it's for training you, the owner, using your own puppy. I can tell you, from experience, that two or three hours of one on one instruction with a good trainer is worth every penny you spend. I tend to be one of those people that learn better when I do things, hands on. The trainer worked with me and my wife and certainly helped our confidence levels. I know that Fergus is a much happier, calmer and well behaved puppy after our instruction. I highly recommend a personal instructor.

Fergus & Alf

[Anna_525]

Some people have different experiences with Petsmart or other big pet store training sessions. It really depends on the trainers who are there. If they have little experience with the terrier temperament, they may most likely not like the barkiness of the cairn or other terrier behaviors. Same with the $65 an hour trainer. I would check their familiarity with the breed before enrolling. $65 an hour is just about right for training outside of Petsmart.

Good luck!

[Scully'sMom]

We paid $99.00 for training with PetSmart and we only lasted a few weeks. For us.....it was very hard for US to concentrate in an open area like that with people standing over the fencing making noises and distracting us and the pups. The instructor was fine but I wished they had it in a closed area. It was very loud and very distracting. Perhaps other stores are different.

Our vet recommended a personal trainer who cost us a lot but GAVE us a lot in return.

[Cairns2]

Are there any places in your area that specialize in dog training? There are several places here and they run 6 week classes, one hour per week. The cost is about $100 for the 6 weeks and class size is limited to 10 people/dogs. I do see the advantage in individual training but the cost might outweigh the advantages. Either way, I strongly recommend puppy classes not just for the training but for the socialization. They learn to interact with all people and other dogs. That alone is worth the cost of the classes! Good luck!

[Lisad]

I guess I am blessed to live up here in TUNDRA land...

I have a personal trainer and he charges only $30/hour. We are on our fourth week with him and I also would highly recommend one on one training. There are no distractions. The trainer is focused in on you and your dog. You can ask any questions at any time. The one on one also inspires you to actually "do the work" - - after all, the trainer is gonna know if you didn't work with your dog the next time you have a session. $65/hour does seem steep but your dog is going to live many, many years and you might find a few sessions well worth the cost. Good luck!

[savannahsmom35]

We did Savannah's training at PetSmart and we were very pleased with the results. We chose a class that was at night on a Wednesday so the store wasn't crowded when we went. If people stood around too close or were making too much noise, our trainer would ask them to leave so that they didn't distract the dogs. Also, the class was mainly to teach me how to teach Savannah the commands so most of the work that I did with Savannah was at our home with no distractions. The class was $99 and I really would like to sign her up for the next class. Because I was the one doing the training, it really helped Savannah and I bond in a way that I really don't think that I could have acheived any other way. It was like she now has a greater respect for me and it really helped to establish me as the alpha. Not only that but Savannah REALLY enjoyed the training. She loves to show off her tricks to other people and we still have "school" at home to practice all the things that she has learned. Everyone that she performs her tricks for has commented that she really seems to enjoy doing it. I am a firm believer in the obediance classes but I think that the one you choose really depends on what will work best for you and your dog. PetSmart was perfect for us as the trainer was excellent and really understood the terrier (her Mom owns a Cairn), the price was right and the store wasn't busy during our class. If we had chosen a class on a Saturday afternoon, I feel like we wouldn't have been as happy and the results wouldn't have been nearly as good. Check out your local PetSmart to see when classes are available and ask the trainer questions. I think that will help you to make a better decision. Good luck and please let us know what you decide.

[LizzieP]

Thanks for all the advice. After more research about the trainer I found she is a trainer for rescue dogs all over the northwest, teaches seminars and has an obedient champion dog. I just want Finnegan to come when I call!! She may be expensive but I'm going to go with her...it is a big investment but a huge payoff with a well trained upright and a well behaved dog. Thanks again!

[Guest girliejr]

Getting a Cairn to "come when called" is difficult no matter how much training (or how expensive/inexpensive it was!).

[Brody'sMom]

Brody went to the Petsmart class and did just fine (though I had to stand away from the other puppies as Brody would bark LOUDLY at them if they came near him). Brody also took two classes with a more experienced trainer (Petsmart trainer was fine, just much less experienced). We also took a few private lessons (they are really for the handler) and in the end Brody passed his Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. Brody learned to come when called immediately and extremely reliable in that regard. We skipped the Petsmart class with Mia, but she took two classes with the same trainer we found for Brody. She was a little slower in all aspects of obedience, but she passed her CGC test and she has become really reliable (not extremely) about coming when called. I recomend finding a trainer who administers the CGC test.

[bradl]

If you're interested, these are the CGC test elements.

[PeppersMom]

I joined my local dog training club last year and these people have been a valuable source of information. I take regular classes and have done some private work with the director of training. I don't know how Petsmart classes are, but a dog training club can be a great place to meet other dog owners. Look in your yellow pages for dog schools...

[SARpartner]

You might want to check with your local no kill shelter. They frequently work with handlers that will do free or low cost training. The SAR group I belong to has an agreement with several of the local shelters to help them train shelter animals. We also provide 6 weeks of free obedience training to anyone who adopts/rescues a dog. It does't hurt to ask.

As for Petsmart training, I can only speak of the local one and I would not let them handle any of my pets. Our team as retrained several of their students. Just my opinion.