Does anyone have experience with petsmart puppy kindergarden classes?

[angelmdevilm]

hmm, good thing I clicked on this thread!
I was advised by the vet the other day that I should take a class, since it's my first time having a puppy.. I will learn a lot. and I can hopefully train Choco better...

but a few questions first...
how old should your puppy be for the training class?
does it matter?
Choco is 14 weeks old.. is that good or bad?
Thanks

[Sloan]

Yes, Derby is about 6 weeks into the Beginner's Class and he is doing great and learning a lot. It is difficult for him to focus because he is over stimulated when he is there with all of the smells and other dogs and pets, etc but once we get home he is able to focus a lot better and the things that we have learned really work. I recommend the classes.

[Sloan]

Originally Posted by angelmdevilm

hmm, good thing I clicked on this thread!
I was advised by the vet the other day that I should take a class, since it's my first time having a puppy.. I will learn a lot. and I can hopefully train Choco better...

but a few questions first...
how old should your puppy be for the training class?
does it matter?
Choco is 14 weeks old.. is that good or bad?
Thanks

They need to have completed their entire series of puppy shots and received their rabies vaccine to enroll.

[angelmdevilm]

Originally Posted by Sloan

They need to have completed their entire series of puppy shots and received their rabies vaccine to enroll.

hmm.. well Choco recently got his 3rd booster shot, and his first rabies shot... (on tuesday)... i still have to wait for his 4th one for the puppy training class??

[Sloan]

Originally Posted by angelmdevilm

hmm.. well Choco recently got his 3rd booster shot, and his first rabies shot... (on tuesday)... i still have to wait for his 4th one for the puppy training class??

It is best for Choco's safety if you wait unless the class because you don't know that all of the other puppy's have been properly vaccinated and you don't want to expose him to the possibility of a contagious dog. When I registered Derby for class the only thing the Petsmart trainer checked was for the Rabies Vaccine which leads me to believe that they don't monitor the other shots. Just FYI.

[YorkieRose]

The class in Boynton Beach, Fl has an English trainer who does not like Yorkies..Made an annoucment at the start of class that there was ONE breeder she does not like...She felt they were spoiled, snappish, barkers, never potty trained and the owners were silly for dressing them up...okay, Petsmart sells dog clothes, right???..my friend asked for her money back and got it.

[angelmdevilm]

Originally Posted by Sloan

It is best for Choco's safety if you wait unless the class because you don't know that all of the other puppy's have been properly vaccinated and you don't want to expose him to the possibility of a contagious dog. When I registered Derby for class the only thing the Petsmart trainer checked was for the Rabies Vaccine which leads me to believe that they don't monitor the other shots. Just FYI.

ok sounds good. ill wait until Choco gets his last shot, and sign up for the training class. thanks

The class in Boynton Beach, Fl has an English trainer who does not like Yorkies..Made an annoucment at the start of class that there was ONE breeder she does not like...She felt they were spoiled, snappish, barkers, never potty trained and the owners were silly for dressing them up...okay, Petsmart sells dog clothes, right???..my friend asked for her money back and got it.

i don't think does kind of people should be a trainer.. that is so mean.
i hope my Petsmart is good like all the other people on here said >.<

[mrshelbysmom]

they are definitely worth it.. Bear and I just finished puppy classes 2 weeks ago and while he was not valedictorian he did ok--mom didn't work with him as much as she should have. but I was really grateful for them we he escaped and I was terrified until I calmed now and told him to "come" like we did in class and it worked..so we are continuing to practice...