“My puppy has only had one vaccination so cannot attend”
This question is so frequently asked and there are many first time owners who are often given incorrect information.
Puppies only need their FIRST vaccine to come into a class. It is imperative not to wait as you miss the critical learning period. There have been many studies that have looked at this question and the issue at hand is vaccination vs socialisation. The statistics at the RSPCA show an overwhelming amount of dogs that are euthanised due to a lack of socialisation and very few due to parvovirus (a virus that can be fatal to a young puppy.)
We minimise the risk of infectious diseases, insist that all puppy owners supply current vaccination records prior to class or on the day and work with the latest scientific information available. This gives your young pup a chance to learn life changing socialisation skills they will take with them into adulthood. Missing this critical period of socialisation can cause irreparable damage.
You can’t wrap them up in cotton wool, nor can you leave them inside. Parvovirus is highly infectious and can live in the ground for years. You can even walk it inside your home. Be sensible, carry your pup where you can, DON’T go to dog parks or other high dog traffic areas where you have no control or way of knowing if the dogs are vaccinated. Puppy school is as safe as it humanly can be and education is critical.
“I can just train my dog at home using guides and books – it’s cheaper and easier”
Many people often compare pricing when looking for a puppy school or a trainer. They forget to ask the most important question. What qualifications does the person or the business have? In Australia the qualifications for a trainer are a Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services. Only a vet who has completed further training can call themselves a behaviourist. Some Delta Qualified students have a Cert IV in Dog Behavioural Training.
There is no such thing as a dog whisperer, behavioural therapist or any other fancy name people will give you. Ensure you understand methodology of training. Do not allow so called experts to use force and hurt your pet in the name of training. There are many good qualified trainers. If you are outside of our training area please visit here
“I don’t have anyone to babysit my children whilst I am at class with my dog”
Children are welcome to come along to our classes, however, there are important safety considerations that must be adhered to for the benefit of your children, other clients and the dogs in class:
- Can your child sit still and be quiet for 1.25 hours under your strict supervision?
- Will they take directions from a trainer and from you the adult?
Children under the age of 8 must have another adult to assist with supervision otherwise it may be easier to leave them with a carer to give you a chance to work and absorb the information given in class.
If your children come to class please bring them something to keep them entertained (e.g. a snack, colouring book, etc.). Children must stay seated with parents or carers at all times unless the trainer has asked them to do some of the training.
If a child is not able to comply then a second adult must remove them from the class and stay with them. Please ensure that your children do not wander around unattended during class.
For Workplace Health and Safety reasons at NO stage are children allowed to be on any play equipment or touch any other animals on the premise such as other client’s dogs or horses.
As a policy, children under 12 years of age are not permitted to hold the lead in class. This is for the safety of every client within that class group. We do encourage children to participate in the exercises while parents hold the lead. It is the responsibility of the adult over 18 to control the situation with a child under the age of 18 and above the age of 12 who is holding the lead. At any point in time the adult must still give the child permission to work with the dog and must be in full control of the situation.
Your family pet lives with your family so it is crucial that all members where possible attend classes.
Where it is not possible, it is imperative that you ALL watch the video tutorials and read up on your online notes.
It is NOT FAIR to send one member one week, and another member the following week if the humans have not communicated with each other and training information has not been transferred.
The success of your pets training is dependent on you and your family to communicate effectively, be consistent and understand you are literally training the equivalent of a toddler.