Dog Health Questions: Best dog training programs???

whats the best training for a German/chow mix I was thinking Petsmart but does that work?? the puppy is like the right age to start training please help!!!

Revealed - Boxer Dog Training Secrets

Recommended Answer:
I think dog training programs are so individual -- I always recommend that people go watch a class or two and talk to the trainers. I don't know much about the Petsmart trainers around here. Just look for someone who obviously likes dogs and that you are comfortable with. Local kennel clubs and obedience clubs are also usually good and offer training to all dogs.

If they won't allow you to watch a class, or explain their methods -- steer clear!!

Dog Training Ideas

• any dog training is better then notthing begin at petsmart if you find something beyond that do it its for youand your dog


• I suggest you consider a private trainer, one who comes to your home for puppy/behavioral training, as well as who offers group classes for proper socialization and working with distractions.
  Petsmart is okay, but their trainers have little to no standards to train by, and are simply trained by Petsmart in a short-term accrediation program.
  
  Someone certified by the APDT is a better choice.


• Look here for a trainer:
  
  www.ccpdt.com
  
  All of these people have passed a test in training, behavior, husbandry and teaching. In order to even take the test, they had to have several hundred hours training dogs, in classes and privately.
  
  They are well-schooled in all aspects of domestic dog behavior in order to put the CPDT initials after their name.


• the best training programs actually train YOU to work with your dog. The trick, then is to find a trainer YOU are comfortable with, and one who uses methods you think you can follow. If the best trainer in the world uses a prong collar and YOU aren't comfortable with it...it won't work out...so look around, watch a couple of classes, and find someone who seems to get good results using methods you think you can use.


• It was roughly one year ago that a dog trainer at Petsmart using a "training style" on a dog that actually killed the dog. Petsmart acknowledged that the method used was no training method at all but an employee trying to wing it. The employee was dismissed, and the store settled out of court.
  
  I really believe that you have to carefully decide who will be the trainer of your dog based on their experience with your type of dog. I would never advise someone to hire a personal trainer simply because the whole purpose of training is to teach a dog how to properly behave in the midst of lots of distractions--especially other dogs. You gain none of that by having someone come to your home to train your dog--but you will pay a ridiculous fee.
  
  Most towns have dog training schools as part of dog clubs. The classes will be taught most likely in groups of 10-20 dogs with their owners. Puppies are usually grouped together in a beginner puppy class. Instructors will have had training and also will have trained their own dogs. Some will have more experience than others, but all classes will use assistants to help each owner benefit from each class. I wholeheartedly support the training class rather than the individual approach.
  
  You will find the names of clubs that hold classes from your veterinarian or from the local phone book.