Getting a Puppy or Dog Over the Holidays? Consider Good Dog Training As Well!
It's officially that time of year! The Holidays….family, friends, food and that stressful feeling on what gift to get your loved one! The time of year where you re surprised with a new puppy with a bow around his neck! I too had had that moment where when I woke up, there was my new yellow Labrador Retriever puppy! I was on Christmas break from high school and it was the perfect time to get a puppy, right?! Most people love the idea of a companion or a cute puppy to take everywhere with you. Sorry to say….this scenario is rare without a little work!
What most people forget that both puppies and dogs are a lot of work! But to me, taking care of a dog is 100% worth it! It builds respect, love and creates proper boundaries so your new pup will become that lovable companion that everyone wants! The problem becomes that once that excitement is over, what do you do now? The pup starts to have housebreaking issues in the house, bark at night, jump on guests or they even surprise you with a chewed up couch! Owners often become frustrated and angry because they feel the dog just “doesn't get it”. So the next day you enroll you and your pup in dog training classes! That's what my mom and I did with our new Lab, Staley! If you asked us, he was a great dog, BUT….
The day came and we went to puppy class. Basic dog obedience training class was where he would learn “sit”, “down”, “heel”, “come” and “stay”. Staley was the star! He did everything with ease. We thought WOW, we got a good one! Well, at the 2nd class we were at the 30min mark and the other dogs were barking, out of control and there was total chaos and Staley just froze. He was finished working on his “sit and stay”. The instructor came over and tried to work with him. He kept waving treats in his face and Staley right there growled and showed his teeth! Dog Aggression! We were confused and nervous. Right there, he failed the class and we were horrified! It was just too much stimulation and distractions! Staley got frustrated and we did not know how to communicate with him! I was so upset but immediately I researched other dog trainers in Boston. We found a gentleman that had primarily worked with police dogs and we jumped at the chance because we thought we had an aggressive dog! (These days, this trainer would probably be called a “Balanced Dog Trainer”.)
As soon as the dog trainer met Staley and observed him, he laughed and said “this dog isn't aggressive at all”. Turns out that trying to train Staley in a high distraction environment was not the way to go! It caused anxiety, fear and frustration! We had no idea! The dog trainer explained that it all begins with basic obedience training in the home. We were able to give Staley a foundation and teach him how to behave. We had our “aha” moment and turned the corner. We were able to give Staley boundaries that he understood because everything starts in the home! In class we would train for an hour and for the other 23 hours in a day, we were running after him wondering why he wouldn't listen! At 16 years old, I thought having a puppy was easy! Turns out that it actually was!! It was hard work, but with in home guidance, consistency and follow through I had one amazing pup!
This is a major reason why I start my dog training program with dogs and their people in their home! It's the best place to start to establish basic control. After doing this, we are always successful once we introduce distractions.
You too can be successful . So rather than paying for class after class, contact us to get the ball rolling with a no-obligation consultation, and get your dog started on the right paw!