Pros and Cons of obedience school?

[CrazyLT]

My bf and I have just taken over care for a 1.5 year old dog - German Shepard/Doberman/Lab mix. She's very hyper, very fast, and still very puppyish. She's had some training (she knows come, sit, stay & lay down commands) but she's got selective hearing, and jumping and barking problems as well. I'm also trying to socialize her with two cats already living in my home.

The family she was with before lived in the country - very quiet, no close neighbors, she was free to run around all she wanted, and she didn't have to interact with any other animals. We live in a downtown area...lots of noise, close neighbors, other dogs, cats, etc...

So I suggested to my bf last night that we enroll her in an obedience course...to help us with her training, and also to socialize her a bit with other dogs. Right now, all she does is bark and strain at her leash when she sees other dogs...she growls when she smells another dog on a person, etc. I think a training class would do no harm and would probably benefit her. My bf thinks otherwise - says he doesn't really have faith that obedience training really does anything.

Opinions on the matter??

[katiem]

I've taken my Rottweiler and my Shepherd mix through obedience. I enjoyed it, it was a great time for bonding, and they did learn quite a bit. I would say "go for it", even if she doesn't get better with other animals at least you will be able to control her.

My only suggestion is that you make sure that you take her to a reward based type of training, nothing negative or overly forceful. Maybe you guys could sit in on a class before you sign up? Let your boyfriend see what it done and how the dogs react to it?

[_Lisa_]

My only suggestion is that you make sure that you take her to a reward based type of training, nothing negative or overly forceful. Maybe you guys could sit in on a class before you sign up? Let your boyfriend see what it done and how the dogs react to it?


This is GREAT advice! If an obedience school won't allow you to come view the facilities, meet the trainers, & sit in on a class then you wouldn't want to take your pup there anyway! :)

I've taken my dog (she was two years at the time, four years old now) through two levels of obedience to help cure some of her separation anxiety, as well as learn to behave while walking on lead. Obedience school is more for the dog owner rather than the dog, and as long as you can keep up what you've learned after classes are over then your dog has a great chance of improving it's behavior! :D

[kurikim]

My expierience with obideience training was 100% positive. I think if you're in a city it's almost a neccesity. You should, at any given moment, be able to gain control over your dog for the safety of your dog and those around you. Obedience training can help you acheive that, and if you use mostly positive reinforcement it can be a great bonding expierience for you and your pet. :)

[Macawpower58]

I also am 110% for obedience training.

Besides the obvious benefits of a dog that listens, explain to your boyfriend that it will create an unbreakable bond between him and the dog. They will learn to become a working team. Having a dog obey your every command with joy, then look to you, asking 'what now?', is more of an ego booster, than I can ever explain. Men like that kind of stuff....:p

[2PawPrints]

My dog was almost 1.5 when I took him to school. He was a 10lb dog in a room full of dogs over 100 lbs! He did great, learned not to be intimidated as well as the basic commands. I really believe training works.