Private vs Group Training

When deciding where to take you dog for obedience training first think about this, why take him anywhere? Your dog needs to learn to listen and behave in your home, so why take him to a pet store or kennel for obedience training? Not only does transporting your dog to a training location causes more stress for the animal (and you), the environment of group training tends to be un-stable and stressful too. For your dog to learn, s/he must be in a calm state of mind. Being around eight to ten (or more) other dogs and their owners is not a calming environment, in fact it is quite the opposite.

Group training has long been known as the "bread and butter" of the dog training industry. Group training is good financially for the company doing the training, but group training can actually be counter productive, and a waste of money for you. Group training is usually held in one hour sessions, divided by ten dogs means you and your dog get an average of six minutes of personal attention per lesson, if that. Not to mention that many pet store chains often hire employees that double as trainers, and who's only experience with dogs is that their family had one at home.

Many of our clients call us for help after they have paid for and attended group training classes. One client and their dog were actually removed from a group class because their small dog was nervous and the trainer couldn't stop him from barking. They were told if it continued they would not be allowed to return to class and were not offered a refund! So what exactly did they get for their money?

A word about the safety of
you and your dog...

There is also an issue of safety for you and your dog during group training. New and inexperienced dog owners generally do not have great dog handling skills, nor do they understand how dogs communicate with each other. Dog fights are common in group settings. Now imagine yourself or family member in between two aggressive dogs, add in one distracted trainer and you have a recipe for disaster. If your dog is bitten by another dog in the group you may have problems training that dog for the rest of his/her life. And if you or a family member is bitten, the experience of dog ownership will be ruined for ever.

Private one on one training from a professional dog trainer in your home just makes more sense. Not only is the training environment better for learning, the attention you receive during private training (100%) is much more effective, and tailored to your needs and that of your dog. Socialization of a dog should begin in the dog's home, yard, and neighborhood. With this method your dog learns good behavior in the place where it lives, and without all the external stress and distractions brought on by group training. Private dog training in your home, on your schedule, convenient and effective for you and your dog, not the big chain pet store.