So we (D., Wally and I) have been taking doggie training classes at the Pet Smart near our house and even though we are really enjoying it, we're not the biggest fans of our instructor. Okay, that sounds completely contradictory but let me break it down for you in pros and cons and you'll see what we mean.
What we love:
~Getting to meet other dogs and dog parents
~Getting out of the house with Wally
~Wally getting lots of attention from both the instructor and the other pet parents
~Picking up little tips to use with Wally
~Going for a walk on the walking trail right by the Pet Smart
What we would could do without
~The long, repetitive, rambling stories
~The trainer asking us for any "major issues" every session and then not having a good way to solve those issues. Once in a while he'll come up with a good solution, but more often it's "use a treat" or "tell them NO!"
~The long pauses when we are just sitting, wasting time instead of actually practicing the lesson (which we usually don't know about until half way to three quarters of the way through the hour)
To be honest with you, if I had the hand out sheets and a few years experience dog handling, I'd probably do as good or better at teaching the class. Anyone who has ever taken a teaching or psychology class knows that learning is accomplished best by DOING. Therefore, sitting and listening to his vague instructions is not nearly as useful as trying the tricks and techniques ourselves. That's why we paid for a class and didn't look the info up online.
My advice to anyone going for a dog class at Pet Smart: go and observe that instructor doing a class before you sign up with them. It will let you know what you will actually get for your money.
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