The dog goes to school

Should my dog ​​go to school?

In fact, it pays off to work with your dog yourself: teach him commands, new games and tricks. A real bond and sympathy are then created between the dog and the person. It can be a great mutual pleasure. It happens that both the pooch and his guardian immediately catch the thread and know instinctively what they expect from each other – I know it from the autopsy. However, it is always worth considering sending your dog to school .

Whether a dog needs professional training depends not only on the pet, but also on the owner. A dog trainer can tell by the behavior of the puppy whether he is dealing with a calm individual or with an energetic rascal. A freshly baked dog handler realizes that his pet requires training under the supervision of a specialist, most often only when the amount of damage in the house exceeds the limits of strength or when the neighbors start complaining about the nuisance howling of the dog in the absence of the household. The help of a dog trainer may then be necessary.

There are certain races that are famous for the fact that their representatives are not easy to raise. This, for example, a husky, akita or bull terrier. The inexperienced owner of such a dog should not hesitate, it is best to start training immediately, in the so-called dog kindergarten, i.e. a nursery for puppies. However, educational problems can also be caused by calm – as one might judge from the breed standard – dogs and mongrels. Dogs, like humans, have different characters!

To make a decision about sending a pet to school, you need to think not only about the dog, but also … about yourself. Are we predisposed to work with a dog? Do we have time to train him? Do we know how to do it? Is it fun for us? If the answer to most of these questions is no, dog school is a great solution.

How does dog-school work?

Dog kindergarten and dog school are usually run by exactly the same people – who offer professional dog education. The difference in the name is due to the difference in the type of training. Preschoolers are puppies from 3 to 6 months old, which undergo a process of socialization. They learn to be with other dogs, react to basic commands, they also get used to grooming. Learning in the canine kindergarten lasts several weeks and is most often done in groups. Usually 6-8 meetings are enough, lasting a total of about 15 hours. In the case of training in the dog’s kindergarten, we have to take into account the expense of PLN 300-600.

Dog school offers various types of training. Basic training, aimed at dogs over 6 months of age, usually includes the most important commands and is aimed at developing the desired reactions and reflexes in the dog. The dog schools offers also include trick courses, training for defense or tracking dogs, and various workshops. It all depends on our dog’s predisposition and what we would like to do with it. The basic course lasts – depending on the school – from 15 to 20 hours and costs PLN 250-600. Obviously, individual training is more expensive.

Specific educational problems can be solved during individual consultations. It happens, after all, that the dog is well-mannered, knows dog manners and so on, but has a problem in a specific situation (e.g. he is afraid of something). It is worth considering asking a specialist for help. The psychological comfort of the dog translates into the psychological comfort of its guardian.

What are the dog training methods?

Before enrolling your dog for training, it is worth checking what methods the trainer uses. If you have ever browsed the offers of dog kindergartens and schools, you must have come across the term “positive training”. Does this mean that there is such a thing as negative training? I’m in a hurry to explain. “Positive training” is a term that signifies that we are dealing with a type of training other than traditional.

Traditional training methods

Has been used with great success for decades. Konrad Most and William Koehler are considered to be their “founding fathers”. They assumed that effective dog training requires disciplining the dog for undesirable behavior. An example of the use of such methods is, for example, the use of an earring while learning to walk on a leash. Such training is effective, but research has shown that a dog that is afraid of punishment (pain) learns less effectively than a dog trained with positive training.

Positive-method

It is about rewarding desirable behavior and ignoring inappropriate behavior. Such training is also effective, but does not expose the dog to unnecessary stress, fear and pain. Clickers and treats are used to encourage the pet to perform commands and tasks. This type of training is of course used by our behaviorist Peter.

How to choose a school?

• First: find out which school methods are used . Dog handlers usually explain on their website how they work with a dog.
• Second: check coach qualification . Make sure he has the appropriate education. Check if there are any opinions about it on the internet. Note how he presents the training offer and how he talks about his job.
• Third: ask how the activities are organized. Most often dogs are trained in groups which should not be larger than 6-7 dogs. Exercises should be varied and varied and should be supervised by the owners.
• Fourth: before you enroll your dog for training, introduce your dog to the trainer . See how they respond to each other. View the place where the classes will be held. Ask to be able to observe such training for a while. Take a look at how the trained dogs behave with a given trainer.

Remember that the price of the training does not have to translate into its quality. More expensive is not always better.