Tilly Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 (edited) I am looking for recommendations for puppy classes for an 8 week old pup. I am most particular about what I want so I am having a great deal of trouble finding what I want... I want the classes to be held in a suitable building ... not part of a park where anyone or everyone has walked (and the area can't be cleaned). I don't want a puppy free-for-all where pups are allowed to wander all over the place - I don't want other pups jumping or playing with my boy. (This is a big sticking point with some organisations). I want knowledgeable instructors with an open mind - when some place are told the GSD will be a working Security dog they object (for God sake - he is a pup that needs positive and good solid socialisation). Would prefer the location as the southside of Brisbane but will travel for the right place. I am finding places have issues with my request not to allow others to handle my pup and for him not to play with other pups. Part of this reason is because we want the pup to see us as his source of fun. We don't want him to be more interested in playing with other dogs then he is in obeying us. We also know that one bad experience can cause a fear in a pup - so we don't want inexperienced people handling our dog - he will get handled by people we know and who understand this. We want puppy class to be a positive experience where he gets to see other dogs come in all difference shapes and sizes. Am I really asking too much? Edited May 2, 2009 by Tilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 I am not going to bother with puppy class with my next dog. What about a SchH club or obedience club with a more open mind than puppy class? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogs4Fun Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 What DO you want from the puppy class may be a better question? :rolleyes: You probably don't need all the advice on worming, teeth, diet, training etc. Just for your dog to see the other dogs? Perhaps you can carry your dog or take him in a crate to somewhere other dogs are (at trial, show etc) and allow the positive expecience that way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Thanks Kavik - unfortunately I am even more particular about obedience classes ... and couldn't even find one of them for my last dog. I just wanted the pup exposed to difference people and pups (but without the interaction). We already have a GSD and most of the other dogs he will be exposed to as he gets older are also GSD's. We had an issue with our current GSD where it was hard work to neutralise him to small fluffy dogs ... because he had a bad experience with the first couple he came across. We were hoping to avoid this issue with the next one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Thanks Dogs4Fun - I was thinking it might be the way to go. There is a lot of dogs around our area but also a lot of parvo - so I have to be extremely careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Yeah I would suggest shows and trials as well :rolleyes: That is what I will be doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvsdogs Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 You may find what you want on this site. If there's anyone in your area you only have to give them a call & find out what they provide. http://www.apdt.com.au/trainers/directory.html#qld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogs4Fun Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Thanks Dogs4Fun - I was thinking it might be the way to go. There is a lot of dogs around our area but also a lot of parvo - so I have to be extremely careful. There was Parvo around when I got my last pup too, so I understand your concern. But that exposure is SO critical. I carried my pup (standard poodle, so not a littlie) for miles :rolleyes: We went to the primary school at let out time and let kids feed him my treats (you may not want this part), and get exposure to lots of strange people coming and going, cars moving aroung, prams and general business, to the park straight after school to get used to kids running around and screaming, along busy main roads for cars, buses and trucks, to dog shows for dogs, PA systemsn, flapping gazebos etc. I basically wrote a list of things I wanted him to experience and then thought through the lowest risk way of getting that epxerience. If you keep the dog off the ground, and control people around you (OK you might look like a b**ch, but hey, its your dog), there is minimal risk for big positive outcomes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraNik Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 I don't 'do' puppy classes... I think you can socialise your pup fine without them. The suggestions given to you above are really good. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 I looked at link provided by luvsdogs - Take the Lead (www.takethelead.com.au) looks like it might have some potential. I like the idea of small classes (max of 5 puppies) and they don't have photo's of puppies playing together - they look like they are all seperated. And I like it is all positive training. I have emailed them to ask questions and will see if they get back to me - I put it all up front and asked them to contact me if they could assist. While I don't need all the info on worming, feeding, etc - it is the whole process of him being around others and the 5 x hour long sessions I think would give him enough time to settle and get used to it. Our previous dogs have been attacked by off-leash dogs when walked around our local area so I would be reluctant to walk our local streets as part of his socialisation. Dogs4Fun - I do the b!tch really well :rolleyes: Regarding shows and trials - I didn't think they allowed other dogs to visit. I am not involved in any of that sort of thing. Do they allow visitors? I am limited with visiting with friends dogs - I only have 2 friends with dogs - a greyhound and a labxkelpie. Eventually he will be walked and trained along side of the labxkelpie - but I plan on restricting that until he is full vaccinated as that dog was recently adopted and is walked in public. Also when he is full vaccinated he will be taken to a local market to be walked around (we want him comfortable with walking in crowds) - I normally take a number of friends and they sort of form a walking barrier around us (their job is to keep an eye out for "potential dangers" while I concentrate on the dog). Gets them used to the noise etc - but only when I am confident they will be able to handle it. I was extremely insulted by one "puppy school" place who told me: Not properly socialising ANY dog is a huge mistake, especially a German Shepherd. Having owned them all my life I understand the breed very well. They tend towards nervousness which often creates fear based aggression in adulthood. This is NOT appropriate for security work. What you are trying to create is a dangerous dog, not a security dog, there is a fundamental difference. Your dog, if trained the way you intend, is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I wish you the best of luck trying to locate a trainer who will part of your plan to create a dangerous dog. And this was purely because I didn't want a number of strangers (and usually inexperienced first time puppy owners) from handling my pup & allowing their pups to jump all over him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraNik Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Regarding shows and trials - I didn't think they allowed other dogs to visit. I am not involved in any of that sort of thing. Do they allow visitors? You can go with your dog - it's only an issue if you let your dog approach the dogs there. But seeing as you would just be exposing your dog to the environment and it's not your intention to let it interact with other dogs, then you should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Tilly... I have done a take the lead puppy class. Will PM you :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 Many thanks for the PM huski - glad to get some feedback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seita Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Hey can I have some info about take the lead too? I have a 10 week old pup here who I'm doing the same thing with (well not security work) and wasn't even going to bother with a puppy class because I didn't think there would be one that I could happily use. I'm doing the shows, trials and general exposure to various stimulti sort of thing at the moment but that puppy school sort of experience would be awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Hey can I have some info about take the lead too? I have a 10 week old pup here who I'm doing the same thing with (well not security work) and wasn't even going to bother with a puppy class because I didn't think there would be one that I could happily use. I'm doing the shows, trials and general exposure to various stimulti sort of thing at the moment but that puppy school sort of experience would be awesome! Will PM you too Seita. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seita Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Hey Tilly, maybe you and I should meet up seeing as we both want to achieve the same thing with our dogs! Are you doing Steve's raising a puppy thing as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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