Petsmart Training & Emma - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Thirteen · 01-05-2006, 11:34 AM

Emma is up to almost 11 weeks old now! Anyways would it be good to enroll her into petsmart training now? And do they do clicker training? i'm thinking about trying that.

mylittletigger · 01-05-2006, 12:44 PM

Yes, start them out young, but make sure you're comfortable with the person training her. Petsmart trainers encourage positive reinforcement which is a very good thing. Never take your baby to someone who may teach negative reinforcement(choke collors, pinch collors) Just make sure there are no large dogs signed up for the class and that your baby has at least the first two sets of shots.

AmandaG · 01-05-2006, 12:59 PM

I was at PetSmart while training was going on, and I didn't really like what I was hearing. I was strolling around the store with Macey and her friend-dog Precious, and heard the trainer yelling commands like "NO!" and "DROP IT!" I just thought it was harsh, and would never had yelled at Macey like that. They were so loud that I could hear it clearly from the other end of the store. Just sharing an experience, not trying to insinuate that PetSmart isn't a good place to take your furbaby...

hunniebunnie · 01-05-2006, 02:29 PM

i started bunjee on obedience training at petsmart when he was 10 weeks old. they do in fact use clicker and positive reinforcement training. they cap the classes at 8 enrollees so it's a nice small size class. the only draw back is that there's so many distractions at the store, bunjee was paying more attention to everything else than to my commands. but since he needs to learn to listen to my commands despite distractions, i didn't mind it too much. after a few weeks, he's doing a lot better now and is rather responsive to basic commands.

i do in fact "yell" the commands NO, DROP IT, and STOP at bunjee, just to show him i meant business. my understanding is that he may not understand what the words mean yet, but he definitely understand the "tone" with which i am using those commands so he's more likely to respond to my tone even before he understands the words themselves. to each their own, but it's working for me so far.

mylittletigger · 01-05-2006, 05:42 PM

Each store has different trainers. some will shout others will not. I've witnessed two different programs at two diffrent locations of PetsMarts. One the trainer sat with you and discussed what you would be working on for the next week and would give you homework to do with yourself and the dog, and then would split the group up and have each person go down a different aisle and work on that weeks commands.

The other Petsmart has a doggy day care, doggie hotel, and a doggie day camp. The trainers there are awesome. They will take you into the break room and give you and the dog one on one time, If your dog is afraid of people or afraid in general. Other then that I have NEVER heard them shout at the dogs in the way the second reply had. But like I had said before, different location and state, different experiences. Best of luck.

Yorkie Mum · 01-05-2006, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmandaG

I was at PetSmart while training was going on, and I didn't really like what I was hearing. I was strolling around the store with Macey and her friend-dog Precious, and heard the trainer yelling commands like "NO!" and "DROP IT!" I just thought it was harsh, and would never had yelled at Macey like that. They were so loud that I could hear it clearly from the other end of the store. Just sharing an experience, not trying to insinuate that PetSmart isn't a good place to take your furbaby...

That is not clicker and not ok.
I can whisper a sit comand at my girl and she will.
That is not a trainer that I would take a dog too.

joy

mylittletigger · 01-05-2006, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorkie Mum

That is not clicker and not ok.
I can whisper a sit comand at my girl and she will.
That is not a trainer that I would take a dog too.

joy

No, However Petsmart DOES do clicker training. It is very probable that this particular location's trainer Preferred training without and from the sounds of it didn't know what they were doing. But that is NOT to say that EVERY petsmart trainer is unqualified to be a trainer. That is why I HIGHLY recommend going to several Petsmarts and watching their training class in action prior to training there. Heck while you're there talk to the trainer, most trainers will gladly step aside from what they are doing to help you.

-Krystal

FirstYorkie · 01-05-2006, 11:58 PM

Most importantly, is Emma up-to-date on all of her shots??? You don't want to take her around other dogs until her vaccinations have become fully effective.

Trainers vary even within chains like PetsMart. Do not settle for one who isn't a "positive" trainer!

mylittletigger · 01-06-2006, 02:45 PM

I totally agree, I love the trainers at my petsmart. They're nice and are completly one on one with not only you but the dogs as well and they use clickers.

01-05-2006, 11:34 AM	#1
Thirteen Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 73	Petsmart Training & Emma Emma is up to almost 11 weeks old now! Anyways would it be good to enroll her into petsmart training now? And do they do clicker training? i'm thinking about trying that. __________________ Pics of Emma

01-05-2006, 12:59 PM	#3
AmandaG Delilah's Momma Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,406	I was at PetSmart while training was going on, and I didn't really like what I was hearing. I was strolling around the store with Macey and her friend-dog Precious, and heard the trainer yelling commands like "NO!" and "DROP IT!" I just thought it was harsh, and would never had yelled at Macey like that. They were so loud that I could hear it clearly from the other end of the store. Just sharing an experience, not trying to insinuate that PetSmart isn't a good place to take your furbaby... __________________ Delilah loves Boss! Macey 12/18/04-12/05/05

01-05-2006, 11:58 PM	#8
FirstYorkie YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: American in London Posts: 1,739	Most importantly, is Emma up-to-date on all of her shots??? You don't want to take her around other dogs until her vaccinations have become fully effective. Trainers vary even within chains like PetsMart. Do not settle for one who isn't a "positive" trainer! __________________ FirstYorkie We Love Clicker-Training!

01-05-2006, 12:44 PM	#2
mylittletigger YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,216	Yes, start them out young, but make sure you're comfortable with the person training her. Petsmart trainers encourage positive reinforcement which is a very good thing. Never take your baby to someone who may teach negative reinforcement(choke collors, pinch collors) Just make sure there are no large dogs signed up for the class and that your baby has at least the first two sets of shots.

01-05-2006, 02:29 PM	#4
hunniebunnie Follower of Yorkietology Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cali-fo-nee-ya Posts: 1,325	i started bunjee on obedience training at petsmart when he was 10 weeks old. they do in fact use clicker and positive reinforcement training. they cap the classes at 8 enrollees so it's a nice small size class. the only draw back is that there's so many distractions at the store, bunjee was paying more attention to everything else than to my commands. but since he needs to learn to listen to my commands despite distractions, i didn't mind it too much. after a few weeks, he's doing a lot better now and is rather responsive to basic commands. i do in fact "yell" the commands NO, DROP IT, and STOP at bunjee, just to show him i meant business. my understanding is that he may not understand what the words mean yet, but he definitely understand the "tone" with which i am using those commands so he's more likely to respond to my tone even before he understands the words themselves. to each their own, but it's working for me so far.

01-05-2006, 05:42 PM	#5
mylittletigger YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,216	Each store has different trainers. some will shout others will not. I've witnessed two different programs at two diffrent locations of PetsMarts. One the trainer sat with you and discussed what you would be working on for the next week and would give you homework to do with yourself and the dog, and then would split the group up and have each person go down a different aisle and work on that weeks commands. The other Petsmart has a doggy day care, doggie hotel, and a doggie day camp. The trainers there are awesome. They will take you into the break room and give you and the dog one on one time, If your dog is afraid of people or afraid in general. Other then that I have NEVER heard them shout at the dogs in the way the second reply had. But like I had said before, different location and state, different experiences. Best of luck.

01-06-2006, 02:45 PM	#9
mylittletigger YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 1,216	I totally agree, I love the trainers at my petsmart. They're nice and are completly one on one with not only you but the dogs as well and they use clickers.