Most new puppy owners know that some sort of puppy training class is a good idea. But what exactly should your puppy be learning in these classes? There are several things that should be covered in any good puppy training class.
Puppy Socialization
Socialization is the most important part of any puppy training class. Socialization refers to exposing puppies to as many new people, places, and situations as possible. The idea is that the more things a puppy is exposed to while he's young, the more accepting he'll be of different people and experiences later in life. He's less likely to become fearful or aggressive. While it's important to work on other training with your puppy, socialization is what truly sets him on the path of a lifetime of good behavior.
Working on socialization in a puppy training class is ideal. It allows you to work on introducing your puppy to new things under the supervision of an experienced dog trainer.
Housebreaking
While most dog trainers believe socialization is the most important part of puppy training, most new puppy owners are concerned with housebreaking. Every puppy training class should give you information on housetraining and crate training. The dog trainer leading the class should be able to address any specific concerns you have about housebreaking, as well.
Basic Obedience
Puppy training classes should address some basic obedience commands. At the very least, you should learn how to train a puppy to sit, lie down, and walk on a loose leash. Some trainers focus on other important commands as well, during the 6 weeks of the puppy training course, such as come and stay.
While learning how to train a puppy new commands is important, it should not be given more attention than socialization. If your dog trainer is only concerned with training commands, you may want to find a new puppy class.
Behavior Problems
Puppy training classes should also cover the more common behavior problems faced by puppy owners. Puppies tend to chew, jump, and whine when left alone. All of these behavior problems should be covered to some degree in your puppy training class.
Your Questions Answered
One of the most important aspects of a puppy training class is that the trainer should address all of your questions and concerns. Dogs think and act differently than we do, and it may take you awhile to understand your new puppy's behavior. A good dog trainer will spend time addressing each of your questions until you have a better understanding of why your puppy behaves the way he does, and what you can do to change his unwanted behaviors.