Dog School: The Right Path to Good Training

Does your dog have to learn something? Most dogs also need to and want to learn – it just depends on the right learning method. Canine-appropriate handling is key to humans and animals living together in harmony.

What do we learn at a dog school?

At a dog school, owners and their dogs get professional help to learn how to treat each other and communicate. Dogs learn how to carry out different commands through their training. At the same time, owners are shown how they can impart commands to their dog in a comprehensive manner. Contact with other dogs is also a significant part of dog schools. As early as the puppy stage, young dogs can get to know each other at what are known as puppy play sessions. This has a positive impact on their social behaviour – an important learning process for the future too.

How do I find the right dog school?

• Good trainers work with both speech and visual signs, such as lowering the palm of the hand to signal to the dog that it should lie down.
• It’s not what you say, but how you say it: observe attentively how the trainer speaks to both you and your dog. Although a strict and firm command is permitted, friendly words of praise and of course treats for the well-behaved dog form part of good training.
• The exercises should be carried out in everyday situations as well as the specific practice space.
• Only from the age of around 9 months are dogs accepted for the main dog school, though they can attend puppy school beforehand. After that, there are no limits.
• Breaks are important, especially for young dogs. A practice session shouldn’t last longer than an hour.
• If you’re unsure whether a dog school is the right option, take advantage of a free trial session or simply watch.

Dog school costs

Focus on value for money. Packages mostly offer 10 practice sessions for a price of £60 to £150 per participant. Higher costs are incurred for individual training.

What else should be considered?

• Regularly practise newly learned content in a different environment!
• It is very important when it comes to training and rearing to work with the dog’s age and nature in mind. Bear in mind that anxious and fearful dogs may need to be trained with more caution than fierce, dominant or even aggressive dogs.

• The dog should obey all family members and not just the one with whom it carried out its training. Dog training is a huge amount of work and demands consistency and perseverance from all family members.
• Violence has no place in dog training!