Raising Puppies

Not all obedience classes are alike. It's important to do your research and find a good class with a knowledgeable instructor. You don't want your impressionable puppy to have a bad experience. Here are some tips on how to find the right class for you and your family.

Interview the Instructor

Make sure that the instructor thoroughly understands the science of learning theory and canine behavior. Modern training techniques do not require the use of aversives, physical punishment, or harsh tools. The instructor should be very knowledgeable but able to teach you what he knows without using jargon or confusing terms. He should be a good educator of people, not just of dogs.

Ask for the trainer's credentials. If the instructor says that he is a "Master Dog Trainer" or "Certified Trainer," where did he earn the designation? Was it from one training school or from a professionally moderated national certification program? If the instructor says that he is a "behaviorist," ask exactly what training and education went into the title. The program for certified applied animal behaviorists (www.animalbehavior.org) is very stringent and requires specific educational and scientific credentials. A dog trainer who specializes in specific behavior issues is not the same as a certified applied animal behaviorist.

Some instructors have personal dogs with many impressive titles that they earned during obedience or agility competitions. This may be important to you if you wish to pursue competition with your puppy. Titles demonstrate that the instructor is good at training his own dogs, but how good is he at training other people to train their dogs? Ask about his students' success rates in the ring.

Ask if the trainer participates in regular continuing education. Does he take classes? Attend workshops and conferences in his field? Is he a member of any professional organizations, such as the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)? You don't want someone who's been training one way for 30 years because that's how he's always done it.

Because there are so many variables when training a puppy, an ethical dog trainer will not guarantee the results of his training. Puppies have different temperaments. Puppy owners have different levels of commitment and experience. It's impossible to guarantee results when so many factors contribute to training a puppy. For example, if an owner is too busy to do any of the class homework, then his puppy won't keep up with the class. An instructor doesn't go home with class members to guarantee that their puppies are being properly trained. What an instructor can do is guarantee satisfaction with his services. Be wary of those who guarantee that your puppy will learn specific behaviors or attain a certain level of training.