Private Training vs. Group classes

I work with a variety of clients in this business. The majority of them participate in some form of training, either private lessons or my puppy pounce kindergarten. How do you know what type of training will benefit you and your pet the most? Both private and group lessons have advantages, but there are also disadvantages that a person should consider when deciding what type of training to pursue. Many of my clients sign up for private lessons AND then participate in my special group classes to maximize the training experience.

Financial concerns seem to be why people choose classes or the misinformation that a dog needs to learn around other dogs. Actually truly educating a human about the relationship with their dog must happen privately. Group classes cannot possibly give you the necessary time and individual attention needed to truly set you and your dog up for a lifetime of success. Which is why after years of teaching group classes just like everyone else in this industry I decided to stop the insanity.

"I always wondered why somebody doesn't do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody."
– Lily Tomlin

TRAIN TO MAINTAIN: If you work out and want to stay fit you must continue maintaining your muscles or endurance for running, yoga, Pilate's, ect. If you find life happens and you get distracted and stop working out you lose your fit factor, when you are ready to get back in shape, you do not start where you left off, you go back to where you can achieve success and build back up from there. Think of your dog as one big muscle, muscle memory diminishes if not maintained.

If you build a new home, you would maintain the plumbing, heating, yard, exterior ect. because if you do not the house will start to fail your convenient needs. Another example would be to maintain an engine in your vehicle or the tires and brakes on your bike.

If you think private training is too expensive think again and explore your options. I personally will give you many too consider... Puppy lessons included!

We are all aware that most behavioral problems are human/dog/home/ related, household dynamics play an important role in shaping your pets needs. It is in the home that the behavioral problems should be initially seen and where treatment should begin. I work with first time clients, who have adolescent or older dogs in-home to begin with and then class participation is offered to those who have taught their dogs my foundation skills and are ready to have the dog SUCCESSFULLY in a group environment.

Every dog is unique and individual, a disadvantage of group classes is the instructor is not able to devote enough personal attention to each team’s individual needs. Often they are forced to work on those issues the majority needs help on. Dogs act very differently when outside their own environment (and so do some humans), which often subdues their natural inclinations; masking the very behavior I need to observe to treat you and your dog successfully. I see myself as the bridge which will allow you to communicate and co-exist through a balanced relationship with your pet. Other than puppy classes, all behavioral and obedience problems are conducted on an individual one to one personal and individual basis. My prices are by the session not by the hour. I am not a clock watcher (just ask my prior students). I have been paying close attention for many years: students that have the most success with adolescent or older dogs are the ones who work with me privately and then attend on-going classes. The problem with training new behaviors at unfamiliar facilities is, it does not work at the level that is required to diminish behavioral problems, especially with fearful /timid and reactive dogs. Most aberrant behavior is about owner/dog relationships. Therefore how could a group class sort these problems out?

Personal lessons are extremely beneficial for the adolescent or adult dog and it's human. These dogs often times need a quieter environment and fewer distractions, in order to begin to learn a new behavior. The dog's owner wants to spend time teaching and learning, not trying to hang on as their dog searches out reinforcement from other dogs or people. The class can then be tailored or customized to what the people are specifically looking for or according to what the dog already knows. The instructor can spend the needed amount of time to ask questions, discuss situations and explain why learning a new behavior is more difficult to learn for a dog that has already practiced inappropriate behavior or exhibits an undesirable habit. The instructor's attention can be directed to the very specific and individual needs of both the dogs and their owners. You can work on the things the individual team needs. ("Team" meaning dog and handler.)

Dog Behavior Problems (Undesirable Habits)

Living with a dog can be one of the most awesome experience when things are going smoothly and one of the most challenging and difficult experiences when they are inconvenient. When things go bad, many dogs find themselves relinquished to shelters or handed off to another family where the cycle often repeats itself. Fortunately, there are other options.

The intent of this program is to set a baseline of consistent and positive behavioral interaction between guide/human and pet, and to teach the dog that it must consistently respond to their guide/human when signaled. This is done in a safe, kind, passive manner and is more difficult than owners frequently acknowledge. Guides/humans need to learn to be patient, to maintain realistic expectations and to aim to control their dogs without shouting or violence.

We believe that exercise for your dog — especially an adolescent — is vitally important. Most inappropriate dog behavior stems from a lack of enough exercise. Your dog has the need to expend energy and solve problems on a daily basis. You want to be involved and help your dog find ways to do both.

Every dog is unique and individual, a disadvantage of beginning group classes is the instructor is not able to devote enough personal attention to each team’s individual needs. Often they are forced to work on those issues the majority needs help on. Dogs act very differently when outside their own environment (and so do some humans), which often subdues their natural inclinations; masking the very behavior I need to observe to treat you and your dog successfully. I see myself as the bridge which will allow you to communicate and co-exist through a balanced relationship with your pet. Other than puppy classes, all behavioral and obedience problems are conducted on an individual one to one basis, initially at your home. My charges are by the session not by the hour. I am not a clock watcher. I have been paying close attention for many years: students that have the most success with adolescent or older dogs are the ones who work with me privately and then attend group class or sometimes no groups at all. The problem with training at unfamiliar facilities is, it does not work at the level that is required to change behavioral problems. Most aberrant behavior is about human/dog relationships. Therefore how could a group class sort these problems out?

Private lessons or semi-private lessons are extremely beneficial for the adolescent or adult dog and it's human. These dogs often times need a quieter environment and fewer distractions, in order to begin to learn a new behavior. The dog's human wants to spend time teaching and learning, not trying to hang on as their dog searches out reinforcement from other dogs or people. Sometimes two dogs can be matched together and learning can still take place. The class can then be tailored or customized to what the people are specifically looking for or according to what the dog already knows. The instructor can spend the needed amount of time to ask questions, discuss situations and explain why learning a new behavior is more difficult to learn for a dog that has already practiced inappropriate behavior or exhibits an undesirable habit. The instructor's attention can be directed to the very specific and individual needs of both the dogs and their owners. You can work on the things the individual team needs. ("Team" meaning dog and handler.)

Methods and techniques
Our approach to training lies in the theories and principles of reinforcement. This means that we believe that dogs do what they do because of what happens to them when they do it. We also believe that it is critical to understand dogs for what they are, not for what we might want them to be. Dogs are not people and are not motivated nor repulsed (i.e. kitty Roca) by the same things that motivate and repulse humans. Therefore, an understanding of a dog’s natural animal behavior is critical. In addition, differences due to such things as breed, age, physical condition/ability, early experiences, and current living conditions all must be considered in any plan designed to modify a dog's current behavior.

Techniques for training dogs have changed throughout the years. With the volume of knowledge and research findings available today, it is no longer necessary to rely on the use of painful or damaging experiences to modify a dog's behavior. Instead, undesirable behavior can be replaced by a new learned behavior, specifically managing how the dog gets what she wants. While the application of aversive events may be necessary in some cases, the use of them is neither the first nor the preferred method of effecting behavior associations. When aversive's are used it is important to understand that their use can create many negative consequences including what is erroneously labeled “aggression” and avoidance. Perhaps most troubling, the application of aversive's often becomes the only tool an owner ever tries. These owners miss out on the power of reinforcement!

It's much more enjoyable watching a thinking dog to see when she is right, than to watch and wait for her to be wrong!

What is our background in dog training? 
Based on our belief system, we teach students why dogs do what they do as well as carefully explaining what we can or cannot do about behavior. We demonstrate, as well as help you practice techniques that can be used to teach a puppy or dog the behaviors humans deem appropriate. As a result, we find ourselves offering people a great deal of valuable information verbally as well as helping them, in a "hands on" manner, teaching their canine companions the behaviors most of us humans want our dogs to exhibit.

In terms of teaching the dogs themselves, we believe in teaching a dog a behavior by giving the dog a visual cue and setting the dog up to volunteer the desired behavior. We use gentle management to stop the dog from leaving or exhibiting undesirable behaviors while it is deciding what to do. Once the dog performs the desired behavior voluntarily, the dog is reinforced with something it considers rewarding. Never is the dog physically pushed, manipulated by force or bribed. We expect the dog to think about its situation and offer the behavior on a volunteer basis. Only then will it be offered the reward it has earned. Once a dog offers a behavior voluntarily and learns that there is value in doing so, it will repeat that behavior, voluntarily. Those desirable behaviors will become habits for the dog if repeated often enough.

What are the benefits of private lessons? 
Private lessons or semi-private lessons are extremely beneficial for the adolescent or adult dog and it's human. These dogs often times need a quieter environment and fewer distractions, in order to begin to learn a behavior. The dog's owner wants to spend time teaching and learning, not trying to hang on as their dog searches out reinforcement from other dogs or people. Sometimes two dogs can be matched together and learning can still take place. The class can then be tailored or customized to what the people are specifically looking for or according to what the dog already knows. The instructor can spend the needed amount of time to ask questions, discuss situations and explain why learning a new behavior is more difficult to learn for a dog that has already practiced inappropriate behavior or exhibits an undesirable habit. The instructor's attention can be directed to the very specific and individual needs of both the dogs and their owners.
You can work on the things the individual team needs. ("Team" meaning dog and handler.)

Group classes work best for young puppies and for maturing puppies that have been started in group classes at a younger age. A disadvantage of group classes for adolescent an older dogs, is the instructor is not able to devote enough personal attention to each team’s individual needs. Often they are forced to work on those issues the majority needs help on. 

Is one method of teaching better than the other, i.e. group is better than private or vice versa? 
For young puppies we do believe there is benefit to small group lessons and accompanying puppy play activities. For older dogs, adolescent dogs or young puppies with behavioral issues outside the norm, I believe private lessons are more beneficial when starting to teach these dogs basic obedience concepts.In a private series you can progress at the individual dog and handler’s pace. There are run-through's (practice matches) available to work on distractions.

Have you noticed any training issues with dogs that were only trained in group classes? 
If a dog was placed in group classes, was unable to handle the stimulation and was not able to learn in that environment, the dog would make little or no progress in terms of learning how to pay attention to its owner or calm behavior in the face of distractions. Private lessons would be indicated .Foundation skills are not worked on enough. Some teams are held back because other teams are not progressing quickly enough to move everyone along.