For example, a big one for me is bite control. I find that many of the dogs we get at the shelter I volunteer for are put down for nipping (a bite that breaks the skin, if unprovoked, will result in the dog being euthanized).
Any other things I should touch upon in class?
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I have a few things.
First, make it very clear to them that training does not start when they come to your class, and end when they leave it. Too many people think that a trainer will train their dog and no work is required on their part... make it clear that you are training THEM to train their dogs, not training their dogs for them.
I think "leave it" is an incredibly important command for a dog to learn... a command that can possibly be the difference between life and death for them.
CONSISTENCY is key.... owners MUST be consistent in training their dogs, or else the dogs cannot be blamed for being unruly or behaving in a way the owner doesn't like.
Discourage using puppy pads... they might be more convenient for the owner while their dog is a puppy, but it encourages going in the house and it is a very tough habit to break.
I will add more if I think of it.
Good Luck!
ADDED: Touching on another poster's comment -- Exercise is key. A dog not having enough exercise can be the cause of a lot of behavioral problems... a lack of exercise is also commonly diagnosed as a dog with separation anxiety. A tired dog is a good dog!!!
Dog House Training - Complete Dog Training Tips and Tricks For Training Your Dog in Your Home
- how to read their dogs postures,,,, play bowing, aggression, etc. etc.
- Exercise, discipline then affection. Seriously, if your not watching or reading Caesar Milan you are missing out on how to train your dog 101. He touches on all of the things you mentioned and the key is the walk and the discipline.
- Teach the owners to do things with their dogs like look in their ears, mouth, play with their feet, etc. (Things they will have done at the vet office - this will make their yearly trips to the vet easier on the dog and the staff!) I don't know how often we hear at the office here - "He's a really good dog until we try to do something with him"!
- Chewing
House Training
Seperation Anxiety
Walking on Leash
Heel
Sit
Come
Stay
The importance of proper socialization - Biggest thing:
There is no one true way to train a dog. Just as all people are different and learn in different ways, so to are dogs different with different ways of learning.
My personal favorite:
A hungry dog is a dog who is looking for a way to earn some food. - The biggest thing I teach in my classes is just being the leader - the alpha, and not letting the dog get what they want. Bite control can be a part of this, but so is crying, barking, pawing, or nudging the person - anything to gain their control.
We also talk about the positive effects of daily walks, getting the dog in the real world and not confined to their back yard, and proper socialization, even of older dogs.
In our puppy class we cover common issues such as chewing and housebreaking, and will also touch on these in our basic obedience class if asked.
While I don't believe in treat training, we stress continuously the use of praise, both verbal and physical (hand petting, etc.) and how the dog needs to know when you are happy with them.
Obviously these are not covered all in one night. We teach a basic obedience exercise, and talk in between working with the dogs. We'll work for 10-15 minutes, then teach the lesson, then work another 10-15 minutes, then talk for 5 or so minutes to give the people a break. I also make it a point to ask the students if they have any questions or topics they'd like to hear about. - Is bite control something that will be relevant to the class you'll be running? Obviously it's an important issue, but most people who go to a family obedience class at Petco or Petsmart are just seeking the basics and many are novice dog owners. Novices would have a hard time dealing with an aggressive dog no matter what- unless they had a trainer help them out individually at home.
I think the most important thing you can teach your students is a balance of persistence and patience. Too many people give up on training because they get frustrated when they think they're not making progress. The biggest deal breaker is when people get lazy. You have to (gently) hammer it into their heads that they actually have to take time out of their days to train their dogs! Just because they go to a one hour class every week doesn't mean their dogs will train themselves the rest of the time.
On a lighter note, communicate how valuable learning the basics can be to future training and any potential behavioral problems that may arise. They may not mind if their recalls aren't so reliable when the dog is playing in the yard but what about when their dog gets loose and runs into the road? I'm sure they'd love to have a reliable recall before Spot turns into Splat. - I just completed pet smart obediance classes with my dogs and the most important thing she did was remind us that the training was more for us than the dog. Dogs naturally want to learn and be led and if we are not good leaders they wont listen.
- Basic obedience meaning proper leash walking and sit and down and stay maybe leave it as well.
These are great things for classes.
You need to teach the person how to teach the dog.
They need to learn that the dog will look to them for guidance when in situations where there are distractions.
Teach them to be clam and firm and consistant.
Bite control could be worked on in a class setting but many things need to be addressed one on one.
Behavior issues sometimes are better worked one on one than in a class setting.
I try to use classes for basic stuff and when I do behavior work I prefer not to do it in a class setting. I want to see first hand one one one with the dog in the home what is going on. And work on those things there in the home. These are areas where you are going to need to tweak what you do to and for the dog to each individuals tempermant. - I think the biggest thing is that dogs need exercise (not a big back yard). They need time with constructive work either walking or doing 'work' or doing something that employs their mind and body (like flyball, agility, etc). One of the biggest pitfalls with ownership is behavior problems and dogs who are tired are generally not causing problems! Also, remind owners that their dogs need a constructive environment that includes rules! I also like to remind people that if their dog is unsupervised (such as outside) it's more likely to be up to something destructive or disruptive (like barking) so keeping the dog inside and under control is a better choice if it's possible with their lifestyle.
- Speaking from experience - I wish someone had taught me the valuable lesson of "even if your dog doesn't really like other animals or people it is really important to socialize him so he learns to" I rescued my dog and love him pieces - but he hates other animals and is not a friendly dog to other people (not biting just growling and snotty). He was very abused before I got him so I thought he would just outgrow it with love. Now I now I should have taught him better. Taught him everything else - sit, stay, tell me (speak), stay...all that good stuff. But that one thing I left out means no vacations with out him because I cant leave him with anyone, no doggie play dates, extra careful when walking and my FAVORITE is the stares like I am horrible from people when I tell them my lab isn't nice.
- The first thing I teach my students is that the dog is not wrong, just not trained. I don't want them to think that there dog's are doing some thing "wrong" when in fact they dogs are just being normal, untrained dogs. It is the owners responsibility to train the behavior they want.
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