• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

What age to start obedience classes?

Blueroses

Well-known member
I have been teaching Alfie basic commands such as ... sit, lie down, sit up from the down position, come, stay ( for short periods ) give his paw and roll over, since he was 8 weeks old and he does them well usually. I have been walking him outdoors on a lead but on pavements he is not brilliant ( in fields etc he is much better ) he pulls a lot and puts everything in his mouth. I seem to be saying 'leave it' continuously. When he pulls I say 'steady' and stand still, but when we set off again he still pulls even after repeated stops. He also runs when cars go past ( it's a busy road ). I know it takes time. At what age would training classes be relevant? He is 14 weeks old.

Many thanks

Diana
 
I always done Puppy Classes with mine as soon as 2 weeks after their last injections. After that i just continued with training classes for a while. I find just obedience too boring so I do rally Obedience. You are nearby to the best facility you can ask for. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers train UK Rally at The Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh Park. I don’t think you are that far from there?

(This is from their website)
What is Rally?
Dog and handler team navigate a course with numbered signs indicating different exercises to perform such as, Sit Down Sit, Staight figure 8, Send over Jump, Recall over Jump, Left Turn. Teams navigate the course at a brisk continuous performance without direction from the judge. Handlers are encouraged to talk to their dogs during the performance.
All dogs, purebred, mixed breed and dogs with disabilities are encouraged to participate.
The aim of the UK APDT is to encourage all dog owners to take part in this new sport with a view to registering and competing for Rally titles and awards.
If you have any queries please contact the Rally team on: [email protected]
 
WOW sounds like an awesome place near you Blueroses! I think it would be pretty cool!
We've been doing walks the last few days in our neighborhood, Toby doesn't pull but he does go left to right all the time. He wants to smell the grass on each side of the sidewalk LOL I hate leaving him on such a tight lead that he cannot get to the grass at all. I did that once yesterday and he peed on the sidewalk :sl*p: He also picks up EVERYTHING! talk about annoying when you stop every few feet LOL
As far as classes, we will be using the big pet store training classes to start out with. I think we want to do that more to get him used to other dogs then go to a better place for more serious training (if our budget allows). We will be starting it after his 3rd shots. The stores allow after the 2nd shots but we are trying to be cautious right now.
good luck with your search!
Becky
 
Basic obedience (ie following commards) ia what you are already doing and thats a great start! The best time to teach your puppy is now! The time up to the age of 16-18 weeks os when puppies are like sponges and what you teach now will be ingrained for life.

What I will say is that although you are teaching these basic commands it is very important that once Alfie is mastering these commands 90% of the time in the house it is time to practice them out in the big wide world. Always take treats on walks with you so he has a good reason to listen to you!

Enrolling in a really good rewards based training class will be a great start to his little life- Cavaliers, in my opinion, are such a fab breed to train with as they so badly want to impress you and please you!
(and in my Ruby's case impress anyone watching!!)

I do Obedience and Agility with both mine and the Obedience has given my rescue Charlie such a great deal of confidence and has helped us bond enormously!
 
Thank you. Sounds like I need to get on the case asap. I know what you mean about outdoors, too many distractions !

Gamefanz, we have the zig-zag walking too :sl*p:
 
I always done Puppy Classes with mine as soon as 2 weeks after their last injections. After that i just continued with training classes for a while. I find just obedience too boring so I do rally Obedience. You are nearby to the best facility you can ask for. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers train UK Rally at The Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh Park. I don’t think you are that far from there?

(This is from their website)
What is Rally?
Dog and handler team navigate a course with numbered signs indicating different exercises to perform such as, Sit Down Sit, Staight figure 8, Send over Jump, Recall over Jump, Left Turn. Teams navigate the course at a brisk continuous performance without direction from the judge. Handlers are encouraged to talk to their dogs during the performance.
All dogs, purebred, mixed breed and dogs with disabilities are encouraged to participate.
The aim of the UK APDT is to encourage all dog owners to take part in this new sport with a view to registering and competing for Rally titles and awards.
If you have any queries please contact the Rally team on: [email protected]

Thank you so much for this info. I have followed up on it and enrolled for puppy obedience. I will see how that goes and then maybe the rally :) I could not enrol for sooner than the end of August when Alfie will be 19 weeks old so I hope it is not too late for real benefit :(
 
That sucks! Was it because of the vaccines or something else? From what you have shared I think your doing a great job with Alfie and maybe he won't be behind at all when he starts, especially since he has already been around dogs.
That is my current frustration. I am nervous that he will not be socialized enough:( He is afraid of seeing himself, he ran from the fireplace and sliding glass door yesterday because he saw himself. He hid behind my legs. Not even sitting with him at the fireplace or sliding glass door helped:( On our walks he will run the opposite direction when he hears barking:(
As soon as the 3rd shots get done we are headed right into the classes!
Becky
 
No not because of vaccines, just because they close for 2 weeks in August and that is the next available date :sl*p:

I have the opposite with Alfie. When he sees a dog he wants to run towards it and jump all over it tail wagging and tongue licking! In his case I think he needs to be around a group of dogs to make him used to them being around and to accept them with 4 feet still on the ground :rolleyes:

He sometimes barks at his own reflection lol
 
Coco started her first puppy class around 14 weeks old. She loved it and it was so much fun!
 
Thank you so much for this info. I have followed up on it and enrolled for puppy obedience. I will see how that goes and then maybe the rally :) I could not enrol for sooner than the end of August when Alfie will be 19 weeks old so I hope it is not too late for real benefit :(

Great, let me know how you get on. All the APDT Trainers I have come across are great. You can work towards you KC Good Citizens there and also Rally.

I don't think it's too late, just keep doing what you are doing and keep socializing. Working with your dog gets you a very special bond.
 
I think it is also important to let puppies be puppies and not be training them all the time - yes, check potential bad habits, but there is so much else they need to be learning besides formal commands. They need to be getting to know their world and the world outside, getting used to traffic, lorries thundering by, cars backfiring, getting used to mixing with other dogs (don't be surprised if all your training goes straight out of Alfie's head in the excitement of being with a lot of dogs in a class!), playing with toys, learning spatial awareness. Some people in fact recommend leaving puppies with their mother until 12 weeks, when they will have little formal training at all (except the breeder housetraining them and teaching them to come when called, perhaps), but will learn all sorts of canine social skills that will give them the best possible start in life. At Alfie's age I would concentrate on walking nicely on the lead, so that he can go out and about - with the help of lots of treats!

Yes, have fun teaching them things, but in very short FUN sessions. I would think Leamington say no to classes before 19 weeks because puppies have very short attention spans, and even the shortest formal class can be very tiring for them - so much to take in, so many new experiences. 8-12 weeks is the optimum time for socialisation, not for becoming obedience champions! The best dog I ever trained and worked in obedience was a 6-year-old Golden Retriever who had only ever been taught the basics of come and sit, but also hadn't developed any positively bad habits.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
My Helio is a terrible walker too. We got him in the winter when it was so cold I wouldn't possibly subject his poor paws to that, so he's really only had one week of walks in February when we went to Florida, and then this summer. He zig zag walks too -- and poops in the middle of the road! :sl*p: Of course I always pick it up, but I don't get why he does it there! He's never been to puppy classes though, we didn't have extra money to spend when we first got him, but he's a pretty good boy anyway! He gets rambunctious sometimes, but we work through that with him. Good luck with your little boy! ;)
 
Walking on the lead: I'm sure Ian Dunbar has wise words to say on lead training, so look at his book; but if your dog pulls or wanders from side to side: stop and either gently tug him back to you or lure him with a treat, or - more effective - take a few steps backwards. As soon as he is in the position beside you where you want him to walk (not necessarily in a formal heel position, but on a loose lead) praise and give a really nice treat. Go forward and repeat as necessary! It is worth concentrating on lead training for a few days (or longer!) - make it a lesson on its own for about 10 minutes (which can be repeated several times a day), during which time you may progress about 50 yards! Don't combine it with doing other things, like going to the park, when your dog is likely to be excited if the route is familiar - and if you really correct him every time, you'll probably never get there anyway! Even when he's beginning to get the idea, keep treats in your pocket and reward him randomly when he's walking nicely. I have found with my two that a harness where the lead clips onto the front rather than the back is more effective at stopping pulling, as it turns the dog back towards you - mine's a Gentle Leader.

Kate, Oliver and Aled (who walk nicely on their own, but having 2 dogpower on their coupler still goes to their heads!)
 
Back
Top