I run classes on a Wednesday evening, time is usually around 6.30-7.30pm. Each beginner course lasts 6 weeks and costs £55. I average about 10 dogs in the class and I usually have an assistant to help. As an APDT member I do not use any form of slip or choke collar, neither do I actually use a clicker, but all training is done with food/toys. I do the first 2 weeks without the dogs so that I can cover more in the way of teaching psychology i.e. why do dogs pull, why don’t they come back etc and how we unintentially teach the opposite of what we intend. I also cover topics such as attention seeking, separation problems, jumping up, barking, puppy biting, diet etc. I do demonstrate the first 5 basic exercises - sit, down, come, heel and stay for you to practise at home. This means when the dogs start they can be working on the floor for most of the time, not sitting around getting bored whilst I do the chat!
This also gives clients the chance to meet me, ask questions and find out that they are not the only one with a manic dog!
All dogs are kept on lead at all times so that there is no possibility of dogs being frightened ot intimidated by other dogs.
At the end of every class sheets are handed out with the gist of what was covered in class so that clients need not worry about having to remember everything that they are supposed to be practising in the week!
The classes are desingend to be as stress free as possible for both owners and dogs to make training fun as well as informative.
New beginner classes will be starting on 8th September 2010
