FAQ about our classes
We read all class evaluations and take them to heart!
Most of our evaluation forms come back after classes with great compliments to the program and the instructor - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Sometimes we get suggestions for improvements, or people share any concerns or disappointments they had - THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONEST OPINION!!!
Here are a couple that we'd like to
respond to, in case there were more people having the same thoughts:
1) Why do we repeat exercises the dog already knows? Sometimes the dog knows it already from home or from having been at another class.
When the environment has changed; e.g. your dog now being in class instead of at home or being in a new class with different dogs than before, asking your dog for known behaviors will increase the overall confidence of your dog, build your dog's trust in you and your dog's trust in obedience helping them in new
situations - when in doubt, fall back on learned behaviors!.
Often we'll put a little twist on the exercise to change it up a little bit, so that there IS something new in it for you, the handler. Like adding the exercise 'stand' or having the dogs lay down with front legs down first. Our dogs don't mind repeating known behaviors, they're happy to 'show off' as well as being challenged with new tasks.
2) Why aren't the dogs allowed to meet in Foundation Class and beyond? We get this question A LOT!
The dogs that come to our Foundation Class are not screened for getting along with other dogs
nose-to-nose. So not all dogs in a behavior class are suitable to meet with other dogs. They might be too shy, too reactive or too forward to show the proper socialization skills needed for a meet-and-greet.
We actually do see a lot of dogs that want to meet, but wouldn't be respectful enough to give a dog space who doesn't want to meet as close-up. Different breeds have very different ideas of how to greet another dog. And especially here in Alaska a lot of very social dogs get so overly excited when they see their class mates close-up, they scare other dogs with their outgoing personality.
When our instructors see a dog that seems to 'just want to play', they often will suggest to the owners to contact us about our options for social
meetings for their dogs, either our Open Play Times or our Doggy Daycare options. You're also welcome to invite another class student for a play date of your dogs outside our curriculum, maybe at one of the fenced in dog parks here in the Valley.
At the class, we want the dogs to learn to focus on the handler despite the distractions around them, to listen to the handler's requests instead of straining towards another dog, and to learn that pulling towards another dog will NOT be rewarded by allowing them to go over and meet the other dog.
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