When we first brought our salt and pepper miniature schnauzer home we were so happy! He was so cute and tiny (smaller than a Pepsi can). And we just knew he was going to be the perfect dog. We were wrong. Very wrong. He was a nightmare. Not only did he not listen to us but he was mean to our daughter who was 18 months. He would nip at her and take her toys. She couldn't walk around the house with anything in her hands because he would take it from her. He barked at everything and refused to learn anything. Finally we decided to look into puppy training classes.
I was a busy mom who really didn't want to take the time to take our little dog to puppy training classes, but it was clearly what he needed. I had to take him twice a week for six weeks. During that time I learned as much as he did. I was doing things all wrong. I also learned that our dog didn't know his place in the family. He thought my daughter was further down on the totem pole than he was and he could rule over her (that's why he took things from her). We learned a few things she could do to reverse that - like spitting in his food and water before we gave it to him. Yes, it sounds gross but it made it look like she got to eat before he did. By having her saliva on it she was saying to him that he is beneath her, not the other way around. I know that sounds crazy but it worked.
After 6 weeks of classes our dog could sit, shake, and stay. He was no longer the bully in our family. He was the (almost) perfect dog we had hoped for. Unfortunately I thought that the classes were expensive, and even though they worked very well, I just didn't have the time to take him for another six weeks for the next set of classes. I also felt like everything I learned I could've learned at home if I just could've found a good book or some other program that could teach me what I needed to know. Check the links at the bottom for information I wish I would have had.
After seeing what puppy training classes can do for your puppy I highly suggest it. If you have the extra time and money call your local pet store and see what kinds of classes they offer. If you're a busy person like me and on a budget then try to do it yourself. Which ever way you chose you need to make sure you are consistent and follow through.
If you want a well behaved dog, head over to ObedienceTraining4Dogs and download the guide on how to train a puppy. You can also check out a helpful article we found on puppy training classes. Good luck with your new pet!
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