The 8 Best Dog Training Classes in Baltimore (2023)

FAQs

Which dog training course is best? ›

Individual – $180 per year (average $15 per month) Duo – $240 per year (average $20 per month)

In the home. The best environment to begin training your dog is in the home. With this 1st dog training phase it is recommended to use treats to condition your dog to general dog training commands. Inside the house will limit any major distractions to your dog and give you the best initial training results.

The “Winner” is

The hardest part of dog training is doing nothing. It's standing like a statue, not saying anything, not doing anything, while your dog acts a fool. She's barking, jumping, biting at the leash. If you're in public, it's embarrassing and you want to make her stop.

The ideal time to begin training is around 7 to 8 weeks for most puppies, and the most effective training involves positive reinforcement and gentle commands. This is also the age to begin socializing your puppy to new people and new species, allowing them to explore and have new experiences.

It's never too late to train a dog. Whether you are bringing home an older dog from a shelter (or rescue), or you'd like to work with your own older dog, there's no reason to delay doing some training with an older dog.

You may be asking yourself, “Is my dog too old to train?” Despite popular belief, you can teach an old dog new tricks. If you're wondering when it's too late to train a dog, the answer is never! Training a dog as an adult can be beneficial in some ways — he may be less distractible and energetic than he was as a puppy.

Two weeks is just barely enough time for the dog to adjust to the new routine and start understanding the commands. Still, even at this point, they are just becoming ready to practice their learned skill set in various environments (such as dog parks and around town).

What is the rule of 3 for dogs? ›

The 'Rule of Three' means that you can gauge the time it might take for your dog to fully acclimate to his home in threes: three days, three weeks, and three months. Think of your new dog's first 3 days as their time to decompress as they transition from a shelter or foster home into your home.

More specifically, a well-behaved pup should respond to seven directions in order to become a good canine citizen: Sit, Down, Stay, Come, Heel, Off, and No.

Good training requires paying attention to four simple rules, otherwise known as the four D's of dog training: distance, distraction, duration and difficulty.

1. Border Collie: A workaholic, this breed is the world's premier sheep herder, prized for its intelligence, extraordinary instinct, and working ability.

For pet dogs, training once or twice a day, a couple of days a week in 5-15 minute training intervals is probably more than enough to achieve good results. If you take your dog to one hour training classes, make sure you give the dog several breaks during the class.

Early Stage Dog Training

According to experts, the ideal time to train a dog is when they are around 7 to 8 weeks old. This is a great time as they are still new to the world to start to understand commands and what is expected of them.

Dogs lock eyes with one another to establish dominance or to show aggression. If a dog gives a person a hard, steady stare without blinking, the dog might be warning the human to back off. Your dog might be more likely to do this to a stranger, especially if your dog thinks they need to protect you.

When training a basic cue, keep the sessions short, about 5 minutes each, and try to average a total of 15 minutes per day. Puppies have short attention spans, so end your session on a positive note so that they are excited for the next session!

How do you raise an obedient dog? ›

Don't forget rewards

Instead of scolding him, ask him to sit. When he complies, reward him with a food treat, lavish praise and petting on him, or offer a game of fetch or tug. Training treats are great for teaching obedience to puppies through positive reward training.

Essentially, your dog wants your approval. So, rather than yelling or constantly saying “No”, quicker progress can be made by teaching your dog a 'no' signal – one that tells him to stop whatever he is doing whenever he hears it. A suitable command can be “Leave”.

Golden retriever

Considered sporting dogs, golden retrievers are happy, friendly, and intelligent. Their stellar obedience makes them some of the best-behaved dogs and easiest dogs to train.

In fact, adult dogs can sometimes be easier to train than puppies because they have a longer attention span and more self control. Puppies can sometimes pick things up faster than older dogs, and older dogs can be a little more set in their ways, but you can absolutely train a dog of any age.

Whereas some newbie puppy owners enroll their pets in “obedience school,” some lifelong dog owners rely on their own know-how when they add a new dog to their pack. However, pet experts agree that every dog (and even experienced dog owners) can benefit from a dog trainer's expertise.

"Dogs get less active with age, and that should give hope to the people who have puppies that are too active," Houpt said. "And while they become less oriented to problem-solving and novelty-seeking as they get older, they remain obedient and social, which is probably the most important thing for owners."

Go slowly. Start by working with your dog on favorite or familiar behaviors. Create a positive association with training by rewarding even minor successes. Once your dog understands that training is a good thing, take small steps: Change only one variable at a time.

If your dog begins to pull on the leash, stop immediately and get your dog's attention. Ask her to sit, then put your treat hand back in front of her nose and start walking again. Practice daily for at least a week, then stop luring your dog with treats in your hand.

What to do if dog ignores command? ›

If your dog ignores you, don't reel them in with the leash. Instead, use it to walk yourself closer until your dog comes to you. You want it to be their choice to come when called, not something you force them to do.

By 3 months old your puppy is ready to start learning basic commands, the training foundations you instill now are going to carry on throughout your puppy's life.

If you want a well-behaved dog, you have to teach it how to behave. It's often advised to train the dog frequently, for example to have three short training sessions a day. On the other hand, if you go to training classes, they are usually once a week (though of course you can practise at home).

The easy answer for most dogs is yes—especially if they haven't completed a basic course yet. “Any dog can use training,” says Nicole Ellis, a certified professional dog trainer with Rover. “It provides mental stimulation and helps grow the bond between you and your pet.”

There are three main levels, or classes, of competition in Obedience: Novice, Open, and Utility. Dogs start in the Novice class and advance to Open, then Utility as they master the increasingly more difficult skills.

If you enjoy learning new things and keeping up with advances in dog training and behavior, it will be a rewarding career choice. Dog training is an exciting field where you can be with dogs all day long, be respected as an expert AND make a big difference in the lives of owners and their pets… all while getting paid.

As a result, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal behaviorists and many trainers now recommend that puppies (who do not have health problems) begin classes as early as 7-8 weeks.

Adapting from the earlier work, the rule of 7 by Pat Schaap, a professional dog trainer who maintained that by the age of 7 weeks, a puppy should be exposed to 7 different surfaces, played with 7 different toys, been to 7 different locations and met 7 different people.

Puppy difficulty at ages 3-4 months. Things start to ramp up by the time your puppy is 12-16 weeks or 3-4 months of age. This is a particularly challenging age for many owners for several reasons. First, your pup may still not be fully potty trained and you may start to be feeling frustrated!

For pet dogs, training once or twice a day, a couple of days a week in 5-15 minute training intervals is probably more than enough to achieve good results. If you take your dog to one hour training classes, make sure you give the dog several breaks during the class.

What are the three D's of dog training? ›

The three Ds are duration, distance, and distraction, and they affect almost any behavior. Dogs don't generalize well, meaning if they learn to sit in front of you, they don't automatically know that “sit” means the same thing when you're on the other side of the room.

Level 4 Dogs

Level four dogs tend to be excitable and can have a very hard time calming down at times. Because of this, they can be more challenging to own and can have a lower tolerance to being restrained and hugged.