Your puppy may NOT be a good fit for group classes if he or she:
- ⚬ Is overly-excited or distracted around people or other dogs.
- ⚬ Is nervous/anxious and has a hard time focusing in new environments or situations.
- ⚬ Cannot take food or focus on you when other dogs are present.
- ⚬ Cannot settle calmly when around other dogs or in a new environment. (Food chews and stuffed Kongs can help with this, but your dog will need to be able to settle for periods of time while you listen in class.)
- ⚬ Has ever bitten, growled or snapped at a person or another dog (except in play).
If your dog fits any of the above criteria, or if you are unsure, please contact our office (info@smartdogtraining.ca) before registering for a group class so we can help you find the best fit for your dog.
What other options do we offer?
We are pleased to offer on-line instructions and private one-on-one training for puppies (or humans!) who may not find the group classes to be the best fit.
Online instructions
Online instructions offer the same curriculum and the same high learner-to-trainer ratio as our in-person classes. Puppies learn at home in a familiar environment. We have had extremely positive feedback about our online instructions, and clients who choose online learning report that their puppies are better able to focus on them and on the training exercises.
Online instructions are also a great fit for families who may struggle to be out of the house in the evenings or for people who live further from our training facilities. It’s often easier for the entire family to attend training when they can do so from their home.
Private one-on-one training
We also offer one-on-one training as our most flexible option for basic and intermediate training.
How can you still socialize your puppy with online instructions or private training?
If your puppy is too over-excited to learn in class, or is quite shy, that doesn’t necessarily prevent them from attending our socialization sessions. It is possible for many puppies to do online training instructions and then attend socialization sessions in person. If your puppy is less than 17 weeks we do have a separate puppy socialization class.
Some puppies are not suited for group socialization and do better in calmer, one-on-one meetings with other dogs. In this case we can help you set up appropriate socialization for your puppy through private training.
Not all dogs thrive in a group classroom environment, and we cannot offer you a refund or switch once your classes have begun. Please be aware that you cannot switch classes once you have started and you may be asked to come without your dog and submit homework videos.
