Training classes

As noted in our questionnaire, you are required to find a qualified training facility that uses positive reinforcement techniques, before you take your puppy home. I highly recommend attending a couple of classes as a visitor. If the facility doesn't allow you to visit, find another training center! Classes should not be crowded and allow for individual attention by the trainer. In puppy classes, the trainer should not allow for leash free socializing until she has had a chance to evaluate the puppies over a few weeks time. Size of the puppies and their individual temperaments should be a deciding factor in grouping puppies for social time. The classes should not overwhelm the puppy and time outs frequent so that you or your puppy do not become bored, frustrated or tired. Remember, each and every puppy will learn at a different rate. Don't get discouraged. If you can not find a qualified trainer, then I might suggest postponing acquiring a dog until such time that you are able to find a reputable trainer. Otherwise you will spend more money correcting behavioral problems down the road that could have been eliminated with early training. One of the main reason's that rescue organizations exist is due to an owner's inability to control their "problem dog", only problem being is the dog's lack of proper training.

And since we require that you attend training classes with your dogs, we also take all our dogs and puppies to training classes. We don't just talk the talk but walk the walk. As a trainer myself, it's vital for my dogs to attend classes to gain social skills and heck, I'm always in the mood to learn something new from other trainers. Working our dogs at home will not achieve the same level of skills as taking them through a class. All puppies attend either puppy kindergarten or puppy work out nights at the local training center. We follow up with at least one if not more basic obedience classes.

We do not ask anymore of our puppy owners then what we ourselves are willing to do with our own dogs. Once they have gained the required skills, all of our dogs then either pass their CGC, TDI test, have herding instinct certificates, obedience
titles and/or conformation titles. They need to prove that they can use their brains and not just look pretty.

It is also recommended that you brush up on your dog's skills by taking a class at least once every 12 mos. Just as we need a refresher in some of our everyday skills, your dog will benefit from either practicing aquired skills or learning new ones. And yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks!