Hi Lisa,
It is never too soon to attend training classes - even if it is just for
socialization purposes.
You are correct that as your dog is under a year old it would start in the
puppy class which is held at 7.30pm and lasts for about 45 minutes. You and
the dog would stay in the puppy class for at least 8 weeks until the dog is
well settled and doing a number of things that we are looking for. After
this you would both move to the 8.15pm class for the Bronze award of the
Kennel Club Good Citizen scheme.
The cost is usually £15 membership of the club, and £2 per week that you
attend, but depends on your age and circumstances. Check the “Fees” page of
the website.
www.belfastdogtraining.co.uk
The first week is free – a taster. If you don’t like it you lose nothing.
Family membership allows for more than one handler, so that if you were
unable to bring the dog then another family member could do so, and vice
versa. (But in class each dog will have only one handler – the other person
can only observe.)
Being hearing impaired gives you one luxury that is denied to others - you
won't hear the awful commotion that a room full of pups and adult dogs can
make when they want to. The puppy class is the delinquent class where
manners have still to be developed (hopefully just by the dogs.)
But seriously, you might miss out on some of the chat because the
surrounding noise will doubtless make it difficult to apply the
cocktail-party effect, but I will try to ensure that you get what is
necessary. Observation is of greater importance. Dogs don't speak and so
their communication isn't verbal. They communicate by body language and that
is to some extent what we have to learn to do to help them have an easy time
with us humans who often bring our own bias's and agendas to complicate the
picture.
(see the attached Word file, "an average day with your dog".)
There is no need for special arrangements for very small dogs. Yours will
not be the smallest, and besides we have two Yorkshire terrier pups at the
moment and they get on famously with a St Bernard pup.
When you come, bring the dog, a soft collar and a normal lead, and a good
supply of treats that really interest your dog (meaty chunks or little cubes
of cheese usually work really well.) You’re aiming to reward good and ignore
bad or undesirable behaviour, and you will be putting treats into the dog at
a rate that most owners will baulk at. (If you fear having a fat dog, simply
cut down on its meals so that it works for part of its reward/food.)”
I hope that helps. See you on Wednesday.
Bill