Question: Obedience Classes For The Young Puppy
“I have a twelve-week old, mixed breed puppy that I want to enroll in obedience training classes. Everyone tells me that my puppy is too young. They say that dogs have to be at least six months old to get into the classes in my town. If I have to wait that long, I think my parents will make me get rid of him because he is pretty bad sometimes, which is , of course, the reason why I need him in training to begin with!”
Answer:
Training puppies from 12 to 20 weeks of age requires a completely different technique which, in many cases, trainers may be unfamiliar with unless they have kept up to date with the latest in animal behavior research.
Not every trainer specializes in young puppies and trainers who do have up to date knowledge on training various ages recognize the importance of early training. However, they may often be reluctant to accept puppies for obedience training in a class because they know that, as a general rule, the puppy owner does not, or cannot, show the necessary patience and understanding required in puppy training.
