FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS |
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| At
what age can I start my dog in classes? |
Dogs
can begin classes at ten weeks of age. Behaviorists today feel
that the consequences of waiting until a dog is fully inoculated
before starting the training/socializing process are far worse
than the minimal risk of having the pup with other dogs before
the puppy is fully inoculated.
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| The
registration form says that certain inoculations are required. However,
my pup is only 12 weeks old and so hasn't had all of her vaccinations. |
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As
long as your pup is current in her inoculation program, then
you will be able to attend classes. Please note that the kennel
cough inoculation (Bordetella) is not part of the normal regime;
you must request this from your vet. Please bring verification
of inoculations with your to the first class. |
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| How
do I guarantee a spot in the class? |
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Since
class space is limited, registration is on a first-come, first-served
basis. We suggest that you register
as soon as possible and make payment to secure the session that
you want. If we receive your fee after the class has filled,
we will contact you so that you can choose another session.
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| Is
my deposit refundable? |
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Since
class enrollment is limited, we require at least a 72-hour notice
of withdrawl so that we have time to fill your spot.
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| Some
trainers require that there be only one handler per dog. Can my whole
family be involved in your classes? |
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We
at PetDog feel that everyone in the household should attend
classes as often as possible. However, children 5 years old
and younger cannot attend. In the case of children 6 years and
older, we leave it to the discretion of the parents. If you
feel that your children will not be a distraction in class for
you and others in class, then we encourage them to attend.
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| It
says on the basic obedience registration form that our pet does not
attend the first class. Why not? |
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You
will come without your pet to the first class. The first meeting
is an orientation/
question and answer session, so you will get an opportunity
to ask a variety of questions about training in general and
about your dog in particular. In this first class, we will give
you an overview of how to get started working with your dog
at home and how you will be working with your pet in class.
It is easier for you to participate if your pet is not with
you. |
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| Do
you require special collars or other equipment? Some trainers, I have
heard, require choke collars, for instance. |
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We
do not require any special collars or other equipment. You may
use whichever collar and leash you are presently using. However,
we encourage our clients not to use choke chains or prong collars,
but rather to investigate other, more humane options. We discuss
issues of this type at our first class meeting. Although we
are not retailers, we have many different types of collars and
harnesses available for our clients to try in class so that
they can make an informed choice before purchasing one.
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| Your
literature says that you do not use treats in class. Why
not? |
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Treats
are a wonderfully positive way to motivate your dog. However,
a lot of basic training can be accomplished in a positive way
without the use of treats; we will show you how. Also, training
that is done without the use of treats maximizes the use of
treats when dealing with problem behaviors. If you feel the
need to use treats when training at home, please ask for guidance
in introducing treats into the training process. |
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| My
dog acts aggressively, barking and lunging at other dogs or people.
Can I use classes to socialize my dog? |
The
classes are not designed to socialize dog-aggressive or people-aggressive
dogs. Aggression issues must be addressed in private sessions.
If you are not sure if your dog would be considered "aggressive"
or merely "reactive," ask to come in for an evaluation
to determine if your dog can be registered for a class.
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| What
happens if we miss a class during the 6-week session? |
For
Basic Companion 1 class |
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Just
let us know at least a day in advance that you cannot come on
a particular day, and you will be able to make up the class.
Letting us know as soon as possible in advance allows others
to come the day you are not there to make up classes they have
missed. NO MAKEUP CLASSES WILL BE GIVEN WITHOUT PROPER
NOTICE. |
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For
ongoing Obgility classes (Basic Companion 2) |
For
the ongoing obgility class, you must notify us a MINIMUM
of 24 hours in advance if you will not be attending class in any
given week. If required notice is given, then you will
still have the remaining number of classes for the session in
the "bank." IF THE REQUIRED NOTICE IS NOT GIVEN,
THEN THE MISSED CLASS WILL COUNT AS A CLASS TAKEN AND SUBTRACTED
FROM THE NUMBER OF CLASSES YOU HAVE REMAINING.
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