Group Classes vs. Small Private Lessons
In the last message we talked about a client who’s dog had learned some rather aggressive behavior.
And we talked bout how the real key to change was by creating an immersive environment for the pup to unlearn the bad behavior and then LEARN THE GOOD behavior.
Which brings me to an issue with group classes or even just doing small private lessons like a 4 series where it’s 1 hour a day for four days or four weeks.
It sounds like that’s going to be good because it works around your schedule, but there’s a deeper problem.
Your pup gets one hour of good behavior and focus on understanding and you (the owner) get one hour of education.
But…
If you’re like 99% of people who take group classes, the trainers leaves and then you forget half of the info the second the door closes behind them.
Here’s the deal, it’s not your fault.
We really only retain a certain portion of what we see and what we hear.
And so you’re stuck having forgotten a good chunk of info and now you have to wait another week to catch up.
And your dog’s lost out on a week of really good training so they aren’t progressing as fast as they could be.
Then layer that with dropping your pupper off at a doggy day care where they absorb all the bad behaviors of the dogs around them and you’re likely no better off than you were when you started.
Really the only benefit of group classes or doggy day cares (before your dog has the proper training, that is) is that you’re exposing your dog to the world, to other people and dogs, and to noises that they might not encounter in your home. (we’ll get into a much better way to do this in the future.)
BUT to be honest, you’d be better off getting really good training with your pup, build that solid foundation, unlearn all their “bad/frustrating behaviors”
That’s really the only way you’re going to get the lasting change that you want with your dog.
Westchester K-9 Dog Training
914 393 2346
info@westchesterk-9.com