[Carmeow]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

To me, obedience school for puppies at a basic way to learn obedience is pretty unrealistic as it is a poor learning environment to have a roomful of very excited, untrained dogs and owners around as you try to communicate a calm training interaction with your own dog. Trying to act as your dog's leader who is training him when distracted by the retail setting, other owners and their dogs and your own excitement, nervousness running down the leash to your baby is a very difficult way to establish a good working relationship with a puppy. I much prefer getting a good obedience training book from a well-known trainer and do the basics at home in a calm, controlled atmosphere where you can bond and train your little one in a more natural setting. In the wild or feral setting, a momma dog will train her pups usually only after she has run all the males and others far away from her and her litter, working with them in her own controlled area and without the excitement and distractions of other dogs interfering with these basic, often lifesaving lessons. You can do the same and train your baby in the early basics when you have your pup's full attention and the atmosphere is quiet and controlled.

Then, once shots and all that are done and you have a working relationship with your baby, enroll in Obedience Class and socialize your dog while working on him learning to do the already learned lessons in public and with lots of distractions. You and your dog will have a lot more fun and achieve a lot more faster this way. And I think you will have a less excitable dog as a result of how he learns his early lessons.

Great post!