Pet store trainings...?

[Moonbeam]

The trainer at PetSmart yesterday was informing my husband and I of their puppy classes. Has anyone done these classes? Are they worth it? It's 6 classes, once a week for $79. Is it a good place to start with training?

[Leigha]

We did puppy class at petsmart (ours was more than $79, so I'm jealous of that!). It really depends on who your trainer is as to if it was worth it, we had a good trainer. It also depends on your puppy. Ours learned a lot in puppy class, but being around other dogs was very stressful for our dog.

[MPbandmom]

It may well depend on the trainer at the particular store, but they don't necessairly have to have a big background in pet training. I believe they watch a video. The trainer I had seemed very knowledgable, and was an experienced pet owner. However, as I have learned more myself, her methods weren't as positive as they could be. I was told to do leash corrections along with treating for good behavior. My dog's fearful behavior became worse during these classes and she snapped at the instructor a few times also.

[shybird]

Some are good, some NOT so go. It depends on the trainer. When I took Schatz 8 years ago **, there was a very good trainer and I learned a lot of theroy from her. Forward a few years my company opened our store right next door to the one we went to. That trainer was moved to another Petsmart and the new trainer was an idiot! I use to watch his classes on lunch breaks... He did not know his butt from his elbow. His demo dog was totally out of control.... I seriously wanted to wring his neck. If I hadn't been working, I think I would have grabbed his dog and showed HIM how....

I really believe that the training is more to train the owners how to train. The dogs learn more during the homework that the owners learned at class that week. A bad trainer produces bad trainees, bad trainees result in not so trained dogs. Humans MUST learn how to train.

** Schatz went because she was afraid of all dogs except rottweilers and I thought it would be a good place to be exposed to other types of dogs that were being controlled.

[Sabrina]

Hi Moonbeam! I haven't been to any classes at PetSmart, but I just dropped out of an obedience class because the dogs were in such close quarters that my little guy was just too stressed out. I really wish I would have observed a class before I signed up. There is some really great advice in this post from the Articles board: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=6484&p=42919&hilit=trainer#p42919

[jacksdad]

I also started with a petsmart class. mostly ok. looking back, a lot of "dominance/packleader" stuff was slipped in and the loose leash walk required a leash pop for "correction".

petsmart is a retail outlet, retail doesn't pay well so your going to get idiots on one end and well meaning, but inexperienced on the other. every now and then someone who is worth taking a class from will be in one of these places, but they usually move on pretty quickly.

I have since found a trainer who is worth the extra cost, which wasn't all that much.

[Leigha]

Your best bet is to go and observe a class before signing up for anything. Despite the trainers all being at PetSmart, the classes aren't the same. It really does depend on the trainers. JacksDad's trainer used leash pops for loose-leash walking. Ours taught us to show the dog that it's rewarding to be near us (we had taught Bruiser to walk loose before they taught us in class, so we used a different method) in class we would walk a few steps, call the dog back and give it a treat, walk a few steps, call the dog back and give it a treat, over and over. Eventually the dogs stayed close because it was rewarding to be near us.

Our class was in the square in the middle of the store, but we only had four (including ours) puppies in the class and for most of the classes one of the puppies wasn't there, so it was only 3. It was stressful for ours, but it was because the other owners didn't control their puppies. Two of the owners would let their puppies come over to ours even though we made it pretty obvious by body blocking, etc that we didn't want that and even though our dog made it pretty obvious by reacting that he didn't want it.

Now, on another note-- you're only going to get out of any training class what you put into it. We worked with ours at home throughout the week on what we'd learned. The others, you could tell they didn't. Their dogs couldn't do anything we'd learned during the first week when it was time for "graduation."

You just need to go and observe a class and make sure the class you choose to put your dog in is small and make sure the instructor only uses positive methods. Ask them questions about things.

[Wes]

I'm a PetSmart trainer myself, and I'll be the first to admit, most don't put in the time to do their research. Ask to sit in on the class and be sure to ask what their personal opinon, not the store's is on pack theory/dominance stuff. Ask them what research they do outside of the store and even go ahead and talk to some students as well. I love it when folks do this when thinking about one of my classes because that shows me they really care about what kind of training they get and I'm happy to provide them with all the information they ask for.

That said, there are some things that we're not going to be able to do in the store, and if the trainer is good, he'll be up front about it and tell you what we can actually work on. I keep no more than 3-4 puppies in the class (pre-screened), so I can give one on one attention and so pups won't feel overwhelmed. I think the ring they give us for classes is just too small for any more than four.

[Moonbeam]

Thanks for all the responses!

We actually spoke to the trainer yesterday, he seemed young...but pretty serious about training. The $79 price is discounted, I guess there is some coupon...otherwise it would be $99. He also told us that we'd get 2 personal lessons if we wanted to sign up sooner than later. Because they'd be "make-up classes" but he said no one else is making-up those 2 classes, so it'd be 1-on-1 training during those first two.

We weren't sure, and I know they do the classes right in the middle of the store which I always thought was odd. But we're thinking of visiting a class on Saturday, see how it goes and what we could get out of it.

Wes, if we want to visit a class, should we ask the trainer before we do? Or can we just show up and watch for a bit?

[Wes]

Interesting, their pricing/scheduling must be different than my store's. My ring is tucked into a back corner as well. I would ask him beforehand to schedule a visit to one of the classes, that way he can be prepared for the pups to be a little distracted. I don't usually mind when folks watch through the glass for a bit with my own classes, but with a private class I'll usually step out and ask if they can return later. Most of my private classes are with fearful dogs and they get intimidated by someone standing at the glass watching. You can also ask his store manager to schedule a time you can pop in and watch, which means he probably won't be warned beforehand. This can be a good thing however, so you can see how an average class is, not just his best students!

[Mattie]

I don't think I would ask about pack theory/dominance because it means so many different things to people and often you are told what you want to hear and not what they think. Not saying this is you Wes Instead I would ask how they teach a dog to walk to heal, this is what most people understand as the be all of dog training. This will give you a good idea of the trainer. Even these days far too many use the yanking the dog back while shouting "Heal" at the dog. If I was the dog and got yanked back like that I would think that the word "Heal" meant I was going to be hurt. Even trainers who call themselves positive trainers still use this method because they haven't learnt any other. If this is the way they teach a dog to walk next to you, run as fast as you can away.

[Wes]

I don't think I would ask about pack theory/dominance because it means so many different things to people and often you are told what you want to hear and not what they think. Not saying this is you Wes

Good point, I hadn't thought of it that way. But it's a good sign that you think your trainer is really serious about his training. Too many employees go for the position when it opens up as it pays well, but don't really care one way or the other about the profession.

And yes, heel would be a good class to sit in on, you'd be looking for a puppy class toward the end of the course or any intermediate. I know the Northeast area trainers teach heel with extensive luring and eventually fading, I personally use a mix of luring and Victoria's method of walking next to a wall so that the pup can't wander too far. It's been effective for both my dogs and most of my classes, though there's always a few who don't practice at home.

[Zeldacorgi]

To echo what others have already said, it really depends, but I would stay away from them. Our petsmart trainers where I live train according to the products they carry in the store and have no problem recommending things like chokers and e-collars for "problem" puppies. I would look for a +R trainer in your area. They're almost surely going to be more expensive, but way more worth it.

[jennyf]

If you go onto the tteam website, and contact the office, they can probably tell you which of the small animal practitioners are doing clinics, workshops and 'specials' at pet stores etc.

[Christie]

The trainer at PetSmart yesterday was informing my husband and I of their puppy classes. Has anyone done these classes? Are they worth it? It's 6 classes, once a week for $79. Is it a good place to start with training?

I wouldn't use them & here is why I not only took Toby my cocker spaniel who went to The Rainbow Bridge on July 2, 2004 to Petsmart for Basic & Advance 1 & Advance 2 Toby did ok to graduate from all 3 classes but I never could get him far enough to do the training off leash but I wasn't as condsistant as I need to be but my sister worked with people that took thier courses at Petsmart & as long as they were in the class the dogs did ok but after they graduated & they worked with their dogs at home the dogs wouldn't do what they were trained to do that is why I advice against Petsmart.