July 2011

July 2011: Are Puppy Classes Really Necessary?

Dear Doctor: I have a new puppy, a Bichon mix. My vet recommended puppy training classes. I have had dogs all of my life, so I do not want to go to any classes. However, my wife thinks it is a good idea. What do you recommend?

Earl in Whiting

When my husband and I got our first dog, Annie, a 9-week-old Labrador puppy, we started our training at home with all of the basic commands. She seemed to learn to sit, stay, and down, and would come when called as long as we had food. She was well mannered and social, so we did not pursue additional training, especially with our busy work schedules. Our next dog, Bailey, was a shy Labrador puppy, so we thought it would be too stressful for her to be in a room full of other people and puppies. We were able to train her at home, as well. With that being said, I like to think that I learn from my mistakes.

While we were correct in thinking that we could teach our dogs the basic commands, what they both missed out on was learning these commands in a new and varied environment, with built-in distractions all around. It seems that many dogs do not generalize well, which means that they may learn to “sit” beautifully at home, but look at you like you are speaking a foreign language when they are somewhere else, such as at the groomer. They really do need to learn the commands in a variety of locations and situations, starting at any early age. You may also have a dog that learns to “come” when called at home in the yard, but completely ignores your multiple pleas to “come” at the dog park. Again, learning and reinforcing a command in a new environment that has lots of distractions is critical at an early age. I would find myself frustrated with Annie and Bailey if they did not listen to my commands when we were away from home; however, they should have been frustrated with me. It was my responsibility to give them the basic skills that they needed outside of our home.

Another benefit of the classes is the social interactions. Some trainers will have the pet owners temporarily switch dogs during the class, so that the dog learns to interact and take commands from other people. Most trainers will also set aside time for puppy play, which allows the puppies to learn appropriate play interactions in a supervised environment at a young age. On this point, I really failed Bailey, my shy black Labrador. If we would have started privately with a trainer, moving on to a small class, she would have had positive exposure to new people and animals during her early weeks and she would have likely become a much more socially confident dog. Instead, she would hide behind me and bark at new people.

One of the main reasons that puppy classes are so important is that there are several critical stages of behavioral development that have been recognized in dogs. The majority of social development stages occur as puppies begin to explore their environment. Therefore, early training is essential, ideally starting classes at 8 to 16 weeks. Next month, I will outline the stages in more detail, but for now I would recommend that you enroll your new pup in a class. With the right instructor, you are both bound to have fun and learn a lot, while helping to shape your dog’s personality in a positive manner for the rest of his life.